You're Still in It!
Did you hit 2020 running full force? Or did you start fast and strong and somewhere along the second lap, you felt like there were weights on your ankles, causing your speed to diminish?
I felt out of it January. I’m not sure what happened. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but I felt out of alignment. Everything was wrong, but nothing was wrong. Have you ever experienced that juxtaposition? The fact that I could not pinpoint my irritation was even more irritating. God revealed what I was experiencing, I was too in my feelings. My emotions were at the forefront and I was allowing them to take control of my responses. Honestly, I still couldn’t pinpoint why I felt out of sorts. I just knew that I had to push past and through my emotions.
When 20/20 Is Not Clearer
I realized that though January 2020 didn’t “feel” new, laced in all the hype: 2020 Vision, seeing clearer. You saw it, plastered all over every platform, down every timeline. I decided to restart and re-calibrate in February. I didn’t allow that month of what felt like defeat dictate the months to come. Sis, you have 11 more months! I realized, I’M STILL IT BABY!! Still in the race! My stride may have slowed a bit, but I know my second wind is on the way!
When February hit, I was determined not to allow a repeat of January. I started making weekly to do lists to hold myself more accountable. This was necessary because when you are busy, it’s easy to feel like you’re on a hamster wheel; moving fast but go nowhere. I have been in a season of being busy doing nothing, in the past. I make a conscious effort not to repeat that old cycle. Nothing is more counterproductive and a waste of time than being busy doing nothing.
Change Takes Work
It’s much easier to stay in a stuck place. It takes more energy, effort, and power to acknowledge, confront and conquer that place. I was recently talking with my husband about change. For whatever unknown, outlandish, in an alternate universe reason, we think we just fall into change! That simply DOES NOT happen. We don’t just walk into change and arrive shocked that we’ve made it. We cry, pray, fast, move and work until we see change.
If you have ever overcame and truly changed in any area of your life, I’m sure you can attest that it took more than a simple magical wand to get you there!
The beauty in the work that’s necessary in being the change you want to see is not giving up and persevering even when everything is wrong, but nothing is wrong. Know that you’re still in it!
Keep Smiling…
Know You’re Still In It!
Planning and Strategizing
I found that making weekly lists or goals has helped me tremendously in becoming more productive throughout the week. These weekly goals does not have to be dramatic in nature in the grander scheme of your week; but substantial enough to know that you completed set goals. I promise you there is nothing more satisfying than being able to check off even the smallest things that may seem insignificant.
Setting Goals
My first week of goal setting was comprised of a booking a photo shoot for the All Things SKG blog. By week three, it was more along the lines of drink 64 ounces of water a day. What I’m saying is, it doesn’t have to be all big, like let’s create world peace, but simply consistent goals that you can check off from day to day. This doesn't mean to limit yourself to only setting small goals, but don't be overwhelmed. Start small and increase your productivity!
Another element of goal setting consists of strategically deciding what is a right now goal, or what can better tackled the next week. Creating a strategy for being productive allows you to minimize being overwhelmed and encourages a sense of accomplishment! A little progress is progress. It you are not progressing, you’re not moving. If you're not moving, your not growing...you get where we're going with this??
Strategy
So, make your plans, strategize but don’t be so committed to your plans that you don’t allow God to move gracefully in and through your life.
Start this week, writing down your goals. Start small and then increase them as you began to check the boxes off! If you find that all the goals for this week didn’t end with a check. Roll them over! Its never too late, just don’t stop moving! Why? Because You’re Still in It Baby!
WEEKLY GOALS
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Be Open for God to Manifest HIS WAY
If we examine our lives, I’m sure they are moments when we are so focused on our plans, thoughts, and exactly how we want things to go, that we often ignore the very Presence of God. Because we are so committed to our plans, we will forego the very voice of God because it doesn’t sound like what we have replayed in our heads.
Recently, I was so committed to handling a certain situation my way that I was almost willing to ignore the grace that God was providing in a particular way. I wanted it done, DONE RIGHT NOW, and DONE MY WAY! Doing it my way, I would have been out of hundreds of dollars simply because I wanted to do it my WAY.
Independence vs Humility
This was a difficult concept for me to grasp because of my own independence. God doesn’t want our independence; He wants our humility. Humility in knowing that we need Him in every area of our lives. And though we may think we know, He’s all knowing! In every situation, He doesn’t need our help, He needs our obedience and sensitivity to hearing His voice.
“A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 KJV
Chill Out Sis
Don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill. This old saying simply means, don’t make a big deal out of something minuscule. So often we overthink, over analyze and as a result, we overreact and minimize the progression we’ve made.
How can you see the blessings, mercy and grace in your life, if you’re constantly maximizing every issue and every concern? Often we’re seeking God for obvious answers that He’s already provided the insight on. I was talking with a friend about an situation I was wrestling back and forth with and she simply looked at me and said, “sis, it’s not that deep. You know what you need to do.”
Using Wisdom
Sometimes the answer is staring us right in the face. God has already given us guidance, direction and wisdom; yet we’re still gazing at the sky waiting for a cloud to hit the earth. Most times, if we just utilize the wisdom God has so graciously given, we’ll save precious time and eliminate the faux deepness we’re sinking in.
Is it that Deep?
I created unnecessary worry and anxiety when the answer was simply using wisdom. I called my Pastor to get his thoughts on this situation and after recounting the facts out loud to him, what I was wrestling with didn’t make sense. It was if God was like, GIRL, (HA) MY BELOVED, use what I have given you! It’s not that deep!
Don’t misunderstand me, the Word says, in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path. (Proverbs 3:6) I believe God honors our desire to seek His presence in our decision making, and also, His answer can be found in the wisdom He's already provided. I needed to simply chill out. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Most times, things aren’t as deep as we think they are, we simply can’t see the answer because our eyes are clouded with over analyzing.
You Got This
Know that you’re Still in It! It’s never too late. Set your goals, be open to the Move of God, and remember, CHILL OUT SIS, its not that deep! If the beginning of 2020 didn’t feel and look clearer, its ok. Allow your feelings to exit stage left and let’s show up center-stage, every day. Show up in a small way every day, be consistent, and don’t get discouraged, knowing that You’re Still in it!
I understand that this isn't easy. But its necessary if we're to Become all God has purposed for us!