Inspiration - Valorie Burton

I signed up for weekly e-newsletters from Rich Minds, Rich Rewards a few months ago. I look forward to receiving them each week so I thought I'd share the one from this week and encourage you to sign up for the newsletters as well.

"What have you been putting off? Almost all of us do it from time to time. I'm convinced that procrastination is one of the biggest causes of stress. You have something you know needs to be done. Often, it's not even something difficult. But you've made it difficult in your mind, and as a result, you never get started. Instead, you do everything else you can think of - wash dishes, organize your files, surf the internet, check email - rather than the thing you actually need to do. Perhaps you're even procrastinating right now. It drains your energy and wastes precious time.

This week, I challenge you to focus your energy and just do what needs to be done. There are two antidotes to procrastination:

1. Drop the goal or project, and don't do it.
2. Exercise some discipline, and just go ahead and do it.

Sometimes procrastination is a sign that you don't want or need to do the thing you're dreading, in which case Option 1 is a good choice (this does not apply to filing taxes, paying bills, picking kids up from school, etc.). At other times, procrastination is a sign of perfectionism, stubbornness or lack of self-discipline, all of which you have the power to change. If this is the category you relate to, Option 2 is your best choice. Don't make the task or project a big deal. Break it into smaller pieces and just get started.

So what is it that you need to do? Don't wait for inspiration, just start. You don't have to "feel" like doing something to do it. Often, in the process of starting, your mood develops. And even if it doesn't, the feeling you have after completing something you didn't want to do is well worth it.

My challenge to you this week:
Stop procrastinating. Get it done!

www.valorieburton.com

Inspiration - Margins

"Margins" - An idea that I know I need to apply to my life. It would be safe to say that I'm a multi-tasker. The past couple of years I almost thrived on the idea I that I could accomplish more things in less time...or at the same time. So with 2008 - I'm starting fresh, slowing down, and trying to create "margins" in my life. Me - the person who even tried to shrink the tangible margins of a brochure or flyer - to fit the most possible information on the page. This is a challenge but one that I feel like will pay off if I can accomplish it.
I caught Joyce Meyers on TV a little over a week ago and her guest was talking about time margins. If you don't have a few minutes between your scheduled out day then it causes stress when everything doesn't play out perfectly....and as we all know...usually there is an extra long red light when you're in a hurry.
Then on Sunday, Pastor Craig was ministering and mentioned the value of having financial margins. I thought "Wow that word again"
How can we truely be cheerful givers if we don't have margins...if all we take in is spent before we even get it?? How can we walk in love as Christians if every minute we have is scheduled...we can't be patient...we won't have time to listen and care for others the way Christ has called us to.
What other places in our lives should we have margins? I will be thinking on these things...until next time...
my recommendation for today is: create some margins in your life.