I’m a big believer in the power of small and simple things.
By the yard it’s hard, but by the inch it’s a cinch. A thousand mile journey
begins with a single step. (You probably know some proverbs of your own. I bet
your mother taught them to you.)
I believe that small, simple goals are the steps to success
and that great, big enormous goals are tools of Satan that we use to clobber
out all the good feelings in our souls. Which may sound funny coming from a
novelist and a marathon runner, but I didn’t sit down and write a novel in one
breath and I didn’t run 26 miles the first time I put on my sneakers. I got an
idea which I nursed and then wrote about a few hundred words at a time. Nearly
every day. And I took A LOT of classes and workshops. Same thing with the
marathon (which, by the way, was ten years ago) I ran six days a week and every
week I went a little further than the week before. It wasn’t easy. There wasn’t
a short cut. I had giant blisters on my feet and lost all of my toenails. (What
was I thinking? I’m deviating, back to my point…)
There is an Indian proverb or axiom that says that everyone
is a house with four rooms, a physical, a mental, an emotional, and a
spiritual. Most of us tend to live in one room most of the time but, unless we
go into every room every day, even if only to keep it aired, we are not a
complete person.
Rumer Godden. A House with Four Rooms
Luke said it this way:
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour
with God and man.
Luke
2:52
So as you look at your brand new baby year, consider the
four rooms of your life. Take stock. Consider the room that needs airing the
most. Which room needs an overhaul and which room could use a little polish and
shine. Think in five to ten minute goals, the sort of goals that make you say,
easy-peasy. Ten minutes out of a week of 10,080. Think of something small and
simple and set a goal. (Remember, big, giant goals are Satan’s weapons used for
beating yourself over the head and killing all your hope.)
One of my goals this year is to boost my blog. Today is my
very first, How-to-Tuesday. It will walk
hand in hand with Thursdays—Throw-down Thursdays to be exact—the days I will
make and share a goal. A ten minute goal.
Here are some examples of ten minute goals:
Physical
Ten minutes of weight lifting a day
Ten minutes of ab exercises
Ten minutes to massage your feet
Ten minutes to do your nails
Mental
Read a thought provoking book (for just ten minutes every
day)
Spend ten minutes virtually traveling
Ten minutes of logic puzzles
Ten minutes of crossword puzzles
Emotional
Write a thank you note
Call a loved one you haven’t seen for a while
Start a gratitude journal
Take a gift to someone having a hard time
Spiritual
Pray
Study scripture
Journal
Listen to inspiring music
Probably after reading this list, you have thought of your
own ten minute goals that can make a difference and change your life for good.
If you want to join in and make yourself accountable to 400
something fantastic, friendly followers, leave a comment announcing your goal.
If you prefer anonymity, write it down and tuck it in between the pages of a
journal. Either one works.
No comments:
Post a Comment