Get Serious
As I had mentioned earlier this week in my Monday’s video (go to my YouTube page for the replay …..http://bit.ly/ListinerInspires-Youtube)
I was having my devotional time with God and heard clearly….” I didn’t take myself seriously enough”. Well that sparked a series of insightful journaling session that lead me to these key points that I want to share. Because I realized at some point we all have been there, at a place of disappointment, doubt and discouraged..(The Triple D effect) , which I will go into on a later blog post. But for now let’s focus on how to face off with this “triple D effect” ..you ready for the answer?
Prep & Prayer
Boom! Just like that, there you have it! Now that sounds simple enough, right..but there’s a strategic method to this that will keep you 10 steps ahead in any area of your life.
It’s called consistency!…
I can go ahead and stop writing, right now..because I pretty much gave you the keys to leveling up your entire life! Don’t worry I won’t stop writing, just yet though, because there is more to it. So let’s break down what Prep & Prayer really consists of:
Prep:
1. How you start your day matters. Are you a get up early type of person, after the 1st ring of the alarm? Or are you a hit the snooze button a few times until you have to jump up, scrambling to rush out the door, type of person?
2. Are you preparing speeches, itineraries, lunches and clothes the night before or waiting the day of the get it together?
3. Do you utilize a calendar, checklist and notebook?
Here’s what I have learned: the most successful people treat themselves, their time and their day to day activities with precise discipline and dedication. In the beginning it will be hard to either get up an hour early; before the family arises or stay up an hour later after the children have gone to bed; to prepare yourself for the day. Especially if you are “fly by the seat of your pants-wherever the wind blows me” type of person. And don’t get me wrong being carefree is fine, but being careless about planning your day to day is not! It’s all in the prep work, which shows when you are at that next board meeting or business strategy session with mustard on your tie or hand in a proposal that has enough typo’s to make even a 3rd grader cringe!
Now let’s head right into something even more important than prep work——-
Prayer
As simple as it may sound, some find it so hard to implement it in everyday life. WHY??? I believe people feel that you need to only be in the privacy of your home, kneeled down in a special position and at a specific time of day for it to be effective. NOT SO..now don’t get me wrong if your religious practices requires any of the above mention and it works for you, then great. But in a complicated world of many stressors and stipulations…here’s a much simpler viewpoint..I think of God as my Father (which he is our heavenly father-
Ephesians 1 King James Version (KJV)2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.),
and I just talk to him. I lay it ALL on the table, my worries, my hopes, my dreams and fears and I am transparent and truthful. I allow God to provide me with the peace and solutions I need (and oftentimes before my day has even begun). Now I do set aside time during my early morning prep to have what I like to call “Jesus in my Cup” which is basically me, my coffee, my journal and my devotional reading (bible, daily scriptures and inspiring book of the month). What that does for me is establishes a closer bond with my God, who wants me to succeed-but also wants me to consult him first, since he’s the master of it ALL!
So I say to you today-establish your own personal relationship with God and find what works for you, because prayer is really a personal conversation with you and THE Creator.
AND REMEMBER………
Don’t be Discouraged by Doubt and Disappointments… God Takes you seriously and that’s why he called you into your position with purpose! -Listiner Inspires