Hello Friend,
You will never get a second chance to make a first impression....
While that is absolutely true, do you put as much effort into
making sure that your second, third, fourth... impressions
are just as powerful?
Do you ever really stop and think about the impressions
you are leaving on other people?
When someone has an encounter with you,
do they walk away better than when they came?
Mother Teresa said,
"Spread love everywhere you go.
Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier."
I share my thoughts in a bit more detail below,
(fast forward through the first minute to skip the banter, lol)
and I'll be the first to admit, that's a pretty tall order!
Humans by nature are selfish.
We are super quick to point out
how someone else made US feel, aren't we?
But we don't often stop and think on the reverse.
If you want people to leave your presence
feeling just a little happier than when they arrived,
here are a few things to keep in mind.
1. Don't criticize or condemn
2. Give honest and sincere recognition and appreciation
3. Smile
Be mindful of this as you got about your day today,
try implementing one or all of the things above,
and note the response you get from others.
I bet it will not only leave them with a
favorable impression of you,
but it will change your attitude as well. ;)
Until next time... Blessings!
Have you ever thought about something so much you believed you actually did it without actually doing it?!? No, just me... ok. Well, case in point, I thought so much yesterday morning about getting this week's post up, that I thought I actually did it, only to find out today it was still set to draft. LOL
But timing is everything, so I believe there is someone who needs this message specifically for TODAY.
But timing is everything, so I believe there is someone who needs this message specifically for TODAY.
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"There was a king and he once said to the court sages - I have a ring with one of the finest diamonds in the world and I want to hide a message under the stone that can be useful in a situation of extreme despair. I will give this ring to my heirs and I want it to serve faithfully. Think of what kind of message will be there. It must be very short to fit in the ring.
The sages knew how to write treatises, but did not express themselves in one short sentence. They thought and thought, but did not come up with anything.
The king complained about the failure of his venture to a faithful old servant who raised him from infancy and was part of the family. The old man said to him:
“I’m not a sage, I’m not educated, but I know such a message. For many years spent in the palace, I met a lot of people. And once I served a visiting mystic whom your father invited. And he gave me this message. I ask that you don’t read it now. Save it under the stone and open it only when there’s no way out at all.
The king listened to the old servant.
After some time, the enemies attacked the country and the king lost the war. He fled on his horse and his enemies pursued him. He was alone, his enemies were many. He rode to the end of the road. There was a huge deep cliff before him, if he fell there, it is the end. He could not go back, as the enemies were approaching. He already heard the clatter of their horses' hooves. He had no way out. He was in complete despair.
And then he remembered the ring. He opened it and found an inscription: “This too shall pass”
After reading the message, he felt that everything was quiet. Apparently the pursuers got lost and proceeded in the wrong direction. Horses were no longer heard.
The king was filled with gratitude to the servant and the unknown mystic. The words were powerful. He closed the ring set out on the road. He gathered his army and returned to his state.
On the day when he returned to the palace, they arranged a magnificent meeting, a feast for the whole world - the people loved their king. The king was happy and proud.
The old servant came up to him and said softly: “Even in this moment, look at the message again.”
The King said, “Now I am a winner, people are celebrating my return, I'm not in despair, not in a hopeless situation."
“Listen to this old servant,” the servant answered. “The message works not only in moments when everything is bad, but also in moments of victory.”
The king opened the ring and read: "This too shall pass."
And again he felt a silence fall over him, although he was in the midst of a noisy dancing crowd. His pride dissolved. He understood the message. He was a wise man.
And then the old man said to the king; “Do you remember everything that happened to you? Nothing and no feeling is permanent. As night changes day, so moments of joy and despair replace each other. Accept them as the nature of things, as part of life”"
Take some time to ponder this parable today, friend. Look back on the events of your life, both good and not so good, in light of 'this too shall pass.' Grab a journal or notebook and consider jotting down your thoughts and feelings about this. I bet ya weren't expecting homework! ;)
Until next time...
Until next time...
Blessings!
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If you are a lady looking to find encouragement and wanting to fill your FB feed with positive vibes, I invite you to check out our new group...
You are the gatekeeper... you get to decide what you will allow into your home, your body & your mind. Easier said than done sometimes, I get it!
This group is a place for women to come together and find their reinforcements. Here you will be educated, inspired, and equipped to guard your gate and guard it well!
Hey Friend,
Are you an 'early to bed early to rise' kinda person, or a night owl who has a hard time crawling out of bed in the morning (or afternoon)?
I have never really been a night owl, but also not a super early riser until the last few years.
I stumbled upon this book called 'The Miracle Morning' (ever heard of it? read it?) and it had me intrigued. I don't want to spill all the beans, so let me just share with you the blurb from the back cover...
"What if you could miraculously wake up tomorrow and any - or every area of your life was transformed? What would be different? Would you be happier? Healthier? More successful? In better shape? Would you have more energy? Less Stress? More Money? Significantly better personal and professional relationships? Which of your problems would be solved?
What if I told you that there is a 'not-so-obvious' secret that is guaranteed to transform any - or literally every area of your life, faster than you ever thought possible? What if I told you it would only take 6 minutes a day?
Enter the Miracle Morning. What's now being practiced by thousands of people around the work could perhaps be the simplest approach to creating the life you've always wanted. It's been right there in front of us, but this book has finally brought it to life.
Are you ready? The next chapter of your life - the most extraordinary life you've ever imagined - is about to begin."
Woah! Those are some pretty serious claims, right?
Let me back up a minute and tell you this isn't some far-fetched, woo-woo, hoogely-boogely stuff... I'm not all about that.
It's also not simply a get-rich-quick kinda book that touts nothing but prosperity and wealth... I'm not all about that either.
This is about YOU... your mindset, your outlook on life, your attitude.
See your life is what you make it. That doesn't mean things will always be easy and that you will never fall on hard times or walk through dark valleys... but the way you approach those moments in your life is what will make all the difference.
So why am I telling you this...
Guarding the Gate opens in just one week (if you aren't sure what that is, you can click THIS LINK for the description), and one of the first things we will be doing there, TOGETHER, is a 30-Day Miracle Morning Transformation Challenge. This will be based off of the book (obviously) which you can grab HERE if you don't have it yet.
Whatever negative thoughts that are already running through your head as to why you can't do this, let them go... right now! If you want to change any of those areas of your life listed above, now is the time to make it happen. "If you want your life to be different, you have to be willing to do something different first!" ~TMM
So now is your chance to do something different, with a group of others who are doing something different, too! Are you ready to...
"Conquer the morning and you'll conquer the day."
I would love to know if you plan to join us on this journey. Be sure to grab your book, request to join our group, and then either comment on this blog post, or message me personally. Share what goals you WILL accomplish during these 30 days so I can encourage you and cheer you on! And if you have questions, ask away!
Until next time... Blessings!
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Other ways to connect...
Hop over to my FREE Facebook Community where we dig deeper into each week's blog post...
Grab my FREE 'Guide to Stewarding Your Mind, Body and Money' HERE.
Did you ever really stop to consider...
the insane amount of thoughts that go through your mind each day
the insane amount of information your brain processes each day
the insane amount of garbage your mind needs to filter through to find truth...
I am super fascinated by something that God created us with called a Reticular Activating System (RAS)... ever heard of it?
Indulge me for a minute while I tap into my inner science geek...
The reticular activating system is a short, pencil-sized piece of the brain located just above where the spinal cord is attached to the brain. It acts as the gatekeeper of information between most sensory systems and the conscious mind. Simply put, it makes sure you brain doesn't have to deal with more information than it can handle, and it lets information through that you are already focusing on... (spoiler alert, that last part is super important!).
In the first three-ish minutes of THIS VIDEO by Mel Robbins, she gives a great explanation from a scientific standpoint of why this system is so important. This is where I geek out when I can learn about specific ways that God designed us to function and then link it back to Scripture.
"For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8
Why do you think God gives us so much instruction regarding our mind and the things that we are to think on? It's like He knew whatever we choose to focus on would become more prevalent in our life. ;)
When He created us, He gave us the freedom to be able to think for ourselves. I am pretty sure you are aware of the fall of mankind... enter sinful nature. So now, by nature, our minds are restless, unruly, and at times, downright evil.
Ever notice how you don't have to teach a kid to lie?
Ever notice how you don't have to train your brain to think nasty thoughts?
Those things just seem to come naturally, don't they.
Those things just seem to come naturally, don't they.
It takes work to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5)
It is a conscious decision to shift our focus to thinking on those things mentioned above.
But it is possible when we give God the ultimate mind control. Does that mean you will never think another negative thought again? Oh, heck no! It is a daily battle. But just like with anything, the more you do it, the easier it will become. And because of the RAS, the more you choose to focus on the good, the more you will see the good.
This passage is from a devotional I use daily called Jesus Calling: Morning and Evening by Sarah Young.
"Habitual ways of thinking do not die easily. You may need to recapture the same thought many times before you gain mastery over it, but all that effort leads to a marvelous result: increased freedom to think My thoughts and commune deeply with Me. Wait with Me while I renovate you - from the inside out!"
Friend, your mind is a battlefield (and I believe it always will be), but by filling your mind with Truth (His word) and opening yourself up to allow that to transform your way of thinking, one day with God's help you will win the war.
Until next time... Blessings!
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Check out my FREE Facebook Community...
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