31 Days of Intentional Living - Day 8

How do you live in the moment? 
I always try to show others who I am spending time with that they are important by not doing something else while talking with them. For example: I try not to answer my phone or spend my time on my phone while talking with my friends and family. I put down my work when I'm at school to talk with others. 
I know Jesus would have put down everything to talk to other people so I am working to be like him. 
I am going to challenge my self and my husband to make sure we have a set time to spend together each week. Saturdays have been generally when we spend time together but often things happen and our Saturdays are taken up with other things. 

31 Days of Intentional Living - Day 7

Well I kind of got busy and had no time to write my posts! So I'm just going to pick up where I left off. The topics I have covered already have stayed with me though through the past days since I last looked at it.
Today's topic is Forgiveness. And the questions asked were:
Have you been hurt lately?  Have you forgiven the person who hurt you?
At first thought I was like...no...but then I reflected a bit longer and remembered a few weeks ago I shared and tagged someone on something on Facebook and a friend of theirs commented angrily which got me all riled up. The issue has been dealt with but I have a feeling I haven't forgiven the person for making it into a huge issue. They are a long time 'friend' and I see them now and then. I should forgive them because they were only protecting our mutual friend. So I will...
And then I remembered all the drivers on the road that have done risky things to me...they scare me and hurt me (not physically but hurt me internally). I will forgive them too as they need forgiveness as much as I do for when I do wrong things that put people into danger. 

Another thought on Forgiveness is about how the word came about...It comes from the two old English words for and give. It literally means to give up something. So by forgiving someone you are giving up your anger and grunge against them.

31 Days of Intentional Living - Day 6

Setting Goals with an Action Plan

Two posts today as I unfortunately missed yesterday's!
Today's challenge is to make a SMART goal/action plan for my priorities. Jenny provided a list of tips to help.

Here are some tips to help you not only set goals, but to follow through with action:

• Believe in yourself.  Without the belief that you will accomplish your goals, it’s probably not going to happen.
• Write down your goals!  Without writing them down they can be forgotten and are more like a wish.
• Place your list of goals somewhere that you see it a LOT.  The more you see your goals, the less likely you will forget about them!
• Sticky Notes are your friend!  Jot down your goals individually on sticky notes and leave them around the house where you will be reminded to do them!  For example, if living a healthier lifestyle is on your priority list, you might want to leave yourself a note on the refrigerator to eat HEALTHY snacks or to grab a glass of water first and then come back!
• Find a friend to share your goals with that will hold you accountable.  Have check-ins to see how you both are doing on the goals.  If you know you have to check-in, it will keep you motivated!
• Write down your goal process on your calendar.  Break the goal into pieces with each piece having a deadline on the calendar.
• Work on your goal every day.
• Reward yourself when you cross the goals off your list! 

Because I am already doing all my other priorities without any trouble I am going to work on my last priority: losing 30 kgs of weight. 

So to make my goal 'SMART' I need to make sure it is:

Specific: My goal is to exercise 4 times a week for 30minutes each time. 

Measurable: I have achieved my goal once I have lost 30 Kgs. 

Attainable: I will work to lose 5 kgs a month, so by October 2015 I should reach my goal.

Relevant: This goal is important to me so that I can be healthy and well so that in the future I can have children. 

Time: Each week I am exercising 4 times so that by October 2015 I will reach my goal weight. 

So beginning tomorrow morning I will start 'eating my frog' and exercise for 30minutes and eat healthy. Please pray for me.

31 Days of Intentional Living - Day 5

Why we need a Spiritual Mentor

Do you have a mentor?  If you do, how did you establish that relationship?  Do you know someone else that would be blessed by you mentoring them?

I have always considered that having a mentor is a great idea. However, finding someone who will be that person is very difficult. Instead as I have grown up I have read a lot of autobiographies of women as well as asked women who have gone through similar situations as myself....instead of just having one woman to go to.
I'm not sure right now if I am meant to have a mentor or if I should be a mentor. There is someone who I have in mind as a mentor but I haven't asked her yet. Perhaps if I visit her more then it might happen naturally?
I know I could already begin to mentor young girls but I don't seem to find the time. I have mentored my younger cousin who is now out of school and she really appreciated the time we spent together.
I know mentoring is a great way to grow in life. Even non-Christian workplaces use the idea of mentors to train the new workers. Tomorrow I will have a go at visiting my possible mentor and see what she thinks.

31 Days of Intentional Living - Day 4

Eat that Frog?!

So today Jenny talks about 'eating the most dreaded task' first. So by doing the most dreading thing on my list I will be productive at least once in my day.
I think the most dreaded task in my life are the ones that involves getting outside and doing exercise. I think about doing activity and about getting hot and sweaty and I don't like the idea of it. So I guess I will have to do this first when I get to doing things on my lists. I really can't foresee myself doing exercise before school as I just can't fit it in and still be awake enough for driving.
So I'll do it in the afternoons I suppose. I'll see how I go.
It's a good idea nonetheless.

31 Days of Intentional Living Day 3

"By simplifying and cutting back in one area, you will be gain in others.  Simplifying is not about guilting you into throwing away your stuff or never buying another piece of clothing!  Choose what works for you and aligns with your priorities and goals."

Today is about simple living and I already feel that with this challenge my home life is becoming more simple and work is being more stressful! So how can I make my work life as simple as my home life now? 

Jenny, who wrote this challenge, provided us with 12 ideas on how to simplify your life. She challenged me to think about which one works for me and my priorities and goals. I look at my goals and see that I want to intentionally spend more time in certain areas. So I selected the idea of:

Less Chaos/More Routines.  If you are tired of feeling out of control when it comes to getting laundry done, getting kids in bed on time, or just balancing it all, I’d highly encourage implementing routines.  (You can see 8 Smart Mom Tips To Save Your Sanity In The Morning here!)

How do you define simple living?

I define simple living as being able to do everything that needs to be done without stress or little stress. Having time to do the fun things in life as well. I have forced myself to participate in a 2 hour meet up for a church's arts and crafts group so I get some of my hobby time. I am making simpler meals for dinner so it doesn't take so long and I am spending as much time as I possibly can with Nathan. So far so good. 

31 Days of Intentional Living - Day 2

So I had trouble waking up this morning. I knew my mind was rested and my body was tired.
Your Challenge: Comment below with a healthy habit that you would like to add into your life!    Schedule a date to begin working on your new habit and follow the steps.  I know you can do it!

My healthy habit I want to add to my life is spending a set time with God everyday. I am starting today and have set an alarm on my phone to remind me. At 3pm everyday, straight after school I am going to spend at least 10mins with God. I will read a devotion or sing in my classroom or at home on the weekends. I hope I can do this. 

I would also start a habit on losing weight but I thought I would start one at a time and not over do it. Since God is my top priority I plan to start with Him! 

If I get my spiritual life in order then my physical life will be easier to sort out. 

31 Days of Intentional Living Day 1

Starting late tonight I am beginning my 31 day intentional living challenge. I don't care if anyone doesn't read this because these posts are for me to keep myself accountable. I discovered this challenge on Pinterest.

First day challenge: Setting Priorities:

Your challenge for today:  Take 10 minutes and write down what is most important to you.  Be as clear and specific as you can!  Write out your goals for the next year, 5 years from now and your lifetime goals.  When you look at these goals, are the activities you are participating in aligning with your goals?  If not, it may be time to start changing up your schedule!

What is most important to me?

1. God - spending time with him and growing in my faith
2. Nathan - loving, learning about and spending time with my husband
3. Seeing or speaking with my family
4. My job - getting what needs to be done, done
5. House chores - keeping a semi-clean house
6. Losing weight - I have doctor's orders to do so! I want to get to 60kgs

I see these priorities as lifetime goals, apart from the losing weight...I hope to have kicked that one by the end of the year or by next year.

What I might need to change to help align with these goals:

1. Spend at least 10mins a day with God...I already talk to him throughout the day but I don't take time out of my busy schedule to be still.

2. Nathan and I are already pretty good at making sure we spend time with each other. But I want to make sure I show him love everyday in my words and actions. I want to make sure I uphold our relationship agreement of spending weekends mostly together and whenever we have a chance to take the opportunity to spend it in love.

3. I want to make sure I contact my family at least once a week and seeing them at least once a fortnight. I already do this but sometimes it might go a bit longer before I speak with everyone.

4. I don't want to do more than an hour's work a day at home and I want to leave work by 5pm everyday...earlier if possible!

5. Making sure I spend at least half an hour on house chores a day would be great! Some days I find I don't do anything and then I feel guilty!

6. Losing weight is my tough one! I have all these challenges planned for losing weight but my new year resolution was to do one challenge at a time. I guess in the mean time I could be focusing on eating healthy (so no more than one sweet chocolatey good thing a week...that can be my Sunday treat!) as well as getting in as much exercise as I can. I just need to be mind conscious of doing these things.

I think I have answered all the questions. I'm ready! I pray that God helps me with these goals.