Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.
~ Earl Nightingale
What are the goals or dreams that have yet to come to fruition for you? Do you get frustrated wanting to develop better habits only to continually put them off until “Someday?”
We would all like to pray and read the Bible more, take better care of our health, better manage our time, declutter an area of our homes, or invest more in our relationships. Perhaps some of us would like to get out of debt, go back to school, or lose a substantial amount of weight, but the road to get there seems too overwhelming, so we just don’t start.
Some of us have smaller goals, such as being more intentional about giving thanks on a daily basis, drinking more water, eating more meals at the table with our families, or reading more books. However, we get frustrated as the weeks and months go by, and we still haven’t implemented the change we want to see.
At the beginning of the new year, we are usually reinvigorated by the promise of a fresh start, and the goals and resolutions begin all over again! But, when it comes to executing our plan, we often become discouraged and quickly give up. What goes wrong?
Perhaps our focus needs to change. Maybe we need to concentrate on the little habits that will add up to big change instead of shaking our heads about the big change that seems too daunting for us to accomplish. Yes, we need to make ambitious goals, but it is the small habits that will make the BIG difference in achieving our goals.
My pastor, Billy Smith, says, “It’s often the small things that no one sees that result in the BIG things that everyone wants.”
In other words, “Small things – BIG DIFFERENCE!”
What is it that you want to accomplish? What is God leading you to change in your life so you can be positioned to more effectively do what He has called you to do? What are you waiting for? The time is going to pass anyway, so do not allow the time it will take to accomplish your goals to intimidate you from getting started!
You don’t have to do it by yourself either! I am so excited to announce that we are going to work on this thing together at Heart to Heart! I challenge you to join me for a journey of small steps this spring that will make a BIG difference in your life!
When? This will be fluid, meaning you are welcome to start any time you want. However, we will officially begin as a group on Monday, March 19, 2018, just in time to usher in spring! You are free to jump in any time, and if you fall off the wagon, we will be here to pick you back up and help you get back on. My plan is to continue this for three months, but we will see if there is demand to continue further at that time.
How? In our Facebook group, Heart to Heart Women’s Bible Study, I am simply going to post an encouraging note and a place to share victories and frustrations to get us started on Mondays, and then I will post a weekly question and an accountability poll on Friday. I’ll also play it by ear and provide additional support during the week if it seems needed, and I’ll keep a thread open for you to post encouragement to each other as well. We’ll keep it simple and give ourselves grace while offering a kick in the behind when needed at times too. Ha ha!
What do I need? I bought a habit tracker from Courtney Joseph at Women Living Well, and it is exactly the type of thing I personally need to get me going! I highly recommend it! However, it is optional. You will need either one of these books, a journal, a spiral notebook, poster board, notebook paper, an Excel spreadsheet, or whatever works best for you! (You can find more information about Women Living Well on Facebook, Courtney’s Good Morning Girls Bible Studies here, and the habit trackers on Amazon.)
What do I do? Write a prayer of commitment in the front cover or first page of your book, journal, or whatever you are using for this challenge.
Pray about what areas you believe God is leading you to become more disciplined and write down some goals. This will be different for everyone, but goals should be specific, measurable, and attainable. For example, instead of saying, “I want to be healthier,” you might say, “I will lose 30 pounds.” “I will develop a habit of eating at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day.” “I will bring my A1C down 2 points.” Or, “I will run my first 5K or half-marathon.” These are things you can measure.
Another example might be instead of saying, “I will have a cleaner house,” you might say, “I will organize my closets and give away clothes I no longer wear.” “I will develop a habit of making my bed every morning before leaving the house.” “As a family, we will make it a habit to have a 10-minute tidy-up every night before going to bed.” Again, you make your own goals, but name things that are measurable and doable. Then, the little things will add up to BIG things!
Next: Once you make your goals, decide how you will get there. What are the little steps that will take you to the mountain top? You can either use the check-lists in the habit tracker, or you can make your own charts or check-lists. What do you plan to do each day? “Read the Bible for 20 minutes or read a chapter per day.” “Do one day’s assignment in a Bible study.” “Pray.” “Go for a 30-minute walk.” “Drink 8 glasses of water.” Etc. These are ideas of things you can put in your check list. Do what works for you as the Holy Spirit leads you.
Start small and be like the tortoise instead of the hare. The tortoise took small steps consistently, and that is what made him successful. However, the hare tried to do too much at one time, and he got tuckered out. He didn’t even finish the race!
Don’t: Don’t give up, and don’t be afraid to make adjustments as needed. If you have too much on your list, don’t be afraid to trim it up a bit. Or, if you need to add more to make it more challenging, don’t hesitate to redo your list. This is not a legalistic form of bondage, but this is a method to discover freedom in your life. Don’t be shy about asking for encouragement or prayer when needed, and don’t forget to pray for others during this journey either.
For more information, see Courtney Joseph’s blog at Women Living Well for Day 1 of this challenge. I will be following the guidelines on her blog myself, and I encourage you to do the same if you are interested. I have followed Courtney for several years, and she is such an inspiration to me!
I have my Tracker (or journal) – Check!
Goals written down – Check!
Daily habits written down – Check!
Join Heart to Heart Women’s Bible Study group on Facebook – Check!
You are ready! Now, let’s get started!
God bless you on your journey!
