One Word 2017

Are you joining in with the many others who will be choosing one word for 2017?

Haven't heard of this before?  Basically, you choose one word for the year, to use as your life focus. It's the popular replacement for New Year's resolutions.

What will yours be?

Even though it wasn't for the purpose of choosing one word for the year, not too long ago I decided that I'd like to focus on being an encouragement to others.  We can certainly use much of this in the day and age we live in.

It doesn't take much to pass on some encouragement to others:

A quick text to say you are thinking about someone

A card with a prayer or a few words of affirmation or appreciation

A small bouquet of flowers, or a small stuffed animal

Simple words of lifting someone up with a nice compliment or observation you have about them

A short visit to someone who you know is going through a difficult time

If I were to leave the world anytime soon, it would be a-okay with me to be remembered as one who lifted the spirits of another.

What word will, or would you choose, and how would you go about putting your word into action?

Is This Where I Want To Be In Five Years?

I've been doing a lot of reading lately--have I told you how much I LOVE having a kindle on my phone?!?!  I read while I walk and do the elliptical at the gym several days a week!

A lot of the reading I have been doing are books about reaching goals.

One idea is to write down where you want to be in 5 years, and in 10 years.  And then, of course, the book gave ways to reach those goals.

It's a great idea to write down where you want to be, and then evaluate where you are and what you are doing, to see if your current activities are getting you any closer.

Although I haven't thought so far in the future with my weight, I do want to lose 20 more pounds (down a little over 30 so far!) this year, which will be where I hope to be in 5 and 10 years as well.

Am I doing anything right now to get me there?

Yes I am!

My daughter and I go to the gym a few days a week, and I exercise an hour each time!  I'm also drinking more water.

If I keep it up, I should reach my goal!

I have greater things I want to do, but just used this one as an example.

What about you?  Do you have any long term goals?  Have you written them down to keep your goals in front of you, so you can see them frequently?

This is a great year to start!

Not Reaching Your Goals-A Reason, Or An Excuse?

January 1st-the time of year when all of us are motivated and pumped up about reaching our goals!

January 14th-where the excitement starts to dwindle, and we lose steam.

February-where we start giving up on those well intended goals and ideas.

March-Goals?  What goals?

Why does this happen?

More oft than not, we have a reason.

Or do we?

Were you wanting to save money?  Lose weight?  Blog more?

If someone asked you how it's going, you might say something like:

"I wanted to save money, but times are tough, and I just couldn't spare the extra $10 a week to put in savings."

"I wanted to lose 5 pounds this month, but I haven't had time to go to the gym."

"I wanted to write three blog posts a week, but I just haven't had time."

The list could go on and on.

We've all heard, "Where there's a will, there's a way."  This applies to reaching our goals as well.  So, how does this apply to you, when you aren't reaching your goals?  Because...

Most of our reasons are not reasons at all.  They are excuses.

The truth of the matter is, goals are hard work!  They take discipline.  We have to change some of our habits, some of our thought patterns, and do some sacrificing!  It looks great on paper, but is a whole new ball game when it comes down to actually doing it!

I like the quote by G.K. Nielson:

Successful people are not gifted; they just work hard, then succeed on purpose.

If you truly want to succeed with your goals, you will find ways to start reaching.

If you don't care so much about the reason, at least be honest with yourself, instead of using an excuse why you can't.  When you finally decide that your goals are something you really want to reach, you will not begin with defeat because you will realize there are few reasons, but many excuses.  And excuses can be overcome.

Are you ready to be an overcomer?  

Five Reasons Facebook Is No Longer My Close Friend

My three year affair with Facebook is just about over.  It was thrilling at first!  Staying in the know with family and friends, finding old high school friends I lost touch with, the cute pictures and quotes that are shared, the games, and more.  Can you relate?

After a short time (1-2 years isn't a long period of time in my almost 43 years of living), I was hooked.  Several times a day, I found myself checking in when I had a spare moment.  In the mornings, I would sit down with my first cup of coffee to see what everyone was up to, only to find myself pulling away a couple of hours later.  In the evenings, I would wind down my day by visiting with everyone in the Facebook virtual living room.

Does this sound familiar?  Did you know there is even a book out about this?  Check out Facebook Addiction: The Life & Times of Social Networking Addicts.

Well, after being sidetracked for a while, I've escaped this close friendship that was unhealthy for me.  Maybe you can relate to my five reasons:

1. The time vacuum.  Facebook was sucking away too many hours in my day, when I could be doing so much more!   
2. The boldness, rudeness, and confrontational spirit.  I cannot believe how people "attack" each other, and even worse than that, on a user's own page!  So often someone will put up a thought, and regularly, there will be someone else who purposely puts up a contradictory response.  No longer can you share your opinion without being turned into a bad guy.  No longer can you say anything without someone accusing you of being judgmental.         
3. The vulgarity.  Pictures, jokes and regular talk has become so perverted and profane.  I cannot believe the language and sense of humor that is so common among people in my own age bracket.  Just because we're considered to be a legal age to do and say anything we want doesn't mean we should.  My belief with almost anything in life is that, if a young person shouldn't do it, most likely an adult shouldn't either.  There are few exceptions.  Dirty jokes are tasteless whether you are 10 or 75.
4. The accusations.  This is one of the first things that made me back away from Facebook.  When I had one good friend accusing another good friend of doing something horrible that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt is not true, I had a very bad taste in my mouth.  The venom that was spewed toward an innocent victim just made my stomach turn.  And this doesn't just happen publicly, it happens in private messages.  To the extreme.  
5. The depressing reality of the negative direction so many are going.  I can't help it.  Between seeing innocent young teens turning into provocative young women by the pictures they post, the lifestyles of some who have changed so drastically, and the comments sharing personal problems that should never be shared publicly, I often pull myself away from Facebook, feeling saddened.  Something I enjoyed so much because of the fun times it offered in the beginning, has turned into something so different.

Am I trying to strike against Facebook?  Not at all.  There are responsible users out there who keep things under control on their page.  I am not angry at Facebook.  I am aggravated at what my page has become, and my tendency to spend too much time on there.  I just don't need the extra stress of seeing so much I consider garbage, or the guilt of wasting my day clicking a mouse.

Will I still visit?  Occasionally.  My blog has a share button for Facebook and Twitter, and I have seen great things from others that have been shared.  Those will be the things I'll hope to see when I do visit.

I hope you will do a self evaluation and see if you found yourself in this post.

Are you addicted?  Here is an article that may help you to break away.

Please share your thoughts!  Is Facebook a turn-off to you?  Did you overcome spending too much time on the site?  Please share how!

I've Got Plenty Of Time

I'm looking with anticipation into 2013, and am excited about the things I am working on, the goals I am reaching for, and the results I expect to see!

A lot of goals seem to fall short because we feel we lack the time to work on them.

But do we really?

In 2013, we will have 8,760 hours to work on whatever things we are hoping to accomplish.

When it comes to time, if most of us were honest, it isn't time that we lack-it's motivation.  There are some people who do run a very tight, busy schedule, but then there are many of us who give in to the feelings of the moment. Instead of pushing ourselves a little bit, we comfort ourselves with many evenings of just vegging out because it was a hard day at work, or a busy day at home, and we're tired.  Yep!  I'm guilty!

But maybe we have convinced ourselves that we don't have time.  Just take a closer look to make sure.

Just for an example:

A full time job with a 30 minute drive to work each way would equal  2250 hours a year-less a two week vacation.

Eight hours of sleep each night equals 2920 hours a year.

That still leaves us with 3590 hours left in the year.

Is there much we can do in 3590 hours?  Absolutely!  Because this is just a general estimate, you may have a bit more or a bit less, but you will still have many hours to work towards some of the things you want to do in life.

If you calculate your own "free" hours in the year, but are still feeling left with very little, even tho the numbers prove you wrong, you may just need some help with organizing your time in a better way.  Learning to do errands all on the same day, become more efficient in your household skills and habit, or even getting your sleeping hours on a better time schedule can make a huge difference.  I'm learning this myself, as I venture in to doing freezer cooking, so I have a freezer full of meals while cutting down cleanup time each day because of less pots and pans from preparation.  More to come on this!

So, at the beginning of 2013, look at your schedule and realize you do have time to reach goals you've set out to accomplish!

What Are You Doing In 2013?

Happy New Year!!!

What are you doing in 2013?  Are you like me-making a goal list and seeing what you can accomplish?  I do it pretty much every year.  I can't say I always do great, but I like making the list anyway.  =)

This year I am going to try harder to reach my goals!  I have some big ones, and I've already gotten started on one or two of them, so I didn't wait until January 1st to try to get started.

Just a few are:
1.  To buy a new house in our new town.  We own a house that we need to sell first, and then, it's house shopping for us!  I've found a few I want to look at, so we'll see what happens!  Here are a few pictures from one of the ones I really want to see:

 Nice, open space!

 Lots of elbow room!

 Master bedroom!

Master bath!  Wow!

2.  Hit my goal weight.  I'm not going to say exactly what that is, and I'm good with it fluctuating a few pounds, but I will say that I have about 20 pounds to go.  I've already lost a little over 30.  Go me!  And to keep moving in the right direction, the family joined a gym, and I can proudly say that I've had several one-hour workouts already!  Over the holidays, we've neglected the gym, but with such a strong start, I'm confident we'll be back on track real soon!

3.  See if I can't get this blogging thing down pat!  I took a looooong break from blogging, but really, I enjoy it, have already put a few years into my blog, and don't want to quite give up yet.  I want to focus more this year!  Less surfing, more purpose online!

Changing my theme from mostly light-hearted stories, into a blog that covers more areas of family life, and a little bit of pastoring life, and some of this and that.  So we will see!  I have 38 followers thru Google right now-I'd love to make a short goal of climbing to 100!  Care to help me out?  =)

What about you?  What are one or two of your biggest goals for 2013?  Leave me a comment and let me know!  Then stop back on January 3rd and join my Motivational Blog Hop, or read the entries!