Let’s face it, we all enjoy being affirmed.  Whether it is in our abilities, our health, our relationships or any number of other areas of our lives.  We enjoy feeling that things are going well.  That’s why choosing to be “positive” is so important.  Now, don’t worry, choosing to be positive is a good thing.  It’s Biblical even, all throughout Scripture there are references to how our thinking affects our actions.

A well known verse Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

And we also know that the Bible encourages us that “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

Quoting Scripture can be a great way to “affirm” yourself and to remember the positive.  Using your favorite verses to help put you in the right perspective is a good place to start.  There are also great quotes that can help you to do so as well, or just things that you remember that you have learned over the years through your Christian walk.

Some of these may include:

I am a child of God. John 1:12

I am God’s masterpiece. Ephesians 2:10

I do not fear because God strengthens me. Isaiah 41:10

I am full with the joy of the Lord. Isaiah 42:10

Through prayer, the peace of God guards my heart & mind. Philippians 4:7

Take some time to write down some affirmations that you can use in your daily life.  Then give it a try and see what they can do for you.

What are some of your favorite affirmations?  Do you feel that using affirmations in your daily life has been a help to you?

Click here to listen to an audio of 25 spoken affirmations.

When we think about maintaining our health you might not always consider your mind as a part of that process.  However, maintaining a healthy mind is extremely important. Furthermore, you may not consider that your relationship with God and your knowledge of His truth and His plan for your life is a part of maintaining a healthy mind. Scripture tells us in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (NIV)

Renewing your mind involves spending time in God’s Word.  It is very similar to what we think of as “physical feeding” except it is spiritual”food” for our souls.  Much like a new seed needs water to “grow” we need spiritual food and water to grow spiritually and for our minds to know the truths in God’s word and God’s plan we must spend time in God’s word, renewing our minds. As the Bible says in John 15: 1-8, we must stay connected to the vine in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and bear spiritual fruit,

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”  (NIV)

Maintain a healthy mind, grow in God’s truth and know His plan for your life, by staying connected to Him daily through prayer and studying of His Word.

We all have a dozen requests for our attention, commitment and time on a daily basis, likely maybe even more than that.  It is no wonder that saying “no” to things is so difficult.  After all we live in a world where we can truly have it all, right?

That may be true, but it is important that we learn to say, “no”.  Saying no fits in with drawing boundaries, having margins and good self care.  All three are important for us to ultimately live our lives in a way where we don’t feel overwhelmed.  Most of us have enough on our plates than to be a “yes” man or woman to everyone who comes at us with requests, even good requests like serving on a committee at church.  The fact is the requests themselves aren’t a “bad” thing but over committing and overextending ourselves can be.

The truth is you do not have to over explain or defend yourself when someone comes to you with a request that you know you do not have the time or energy to fulfill.  The important thing is to be honest with them about your time commitments and your need to set boundaries in your life.

You must realize that over time saying yes to every request can make you feel negative, obligated and may lead to resentment for you in the future.  It is not worth risking this and your personal life to say “yes” to every request that comes your way.  Simply learn to say, “No” with grace.

Most of us begin each day with a long list of tasks on our “to do” list, all of them calling our name. And, most likely the list is in both our personal and our professional life. It is a common request among coaching clients to ask for support in how to get re-focused and create boundaries and get more done in their day. With so many demands, one can easily feel overwhelmed and lost focus on the big picture.

How many times have you looked back at the end of the day, wondering what was accomplished?

Let’s look at a few ways to get re-focused, and back on track today. And, do it again tomorrow until new habits are formed.

Tips to refocus and re- energize to feel accomplished at the end of today:

1. Eliminate the distractions. Get rid of the barriers that are causing you to avoid getting things done – it’s that simple! Forget about checking email every five minutes; those emails will still be there when you complete your task. Make a list of the distractions, and eliminate them. Here are a few most of us can relate to:

• Set all phones, (yes that includes your smart phone) on silent for a while and give yourself permission to let voice mail take over
• Close the blinds in your office if you find the outdoors distracting you
• Turn off the radio, stock market reports, tv
• If you are not on the computer, turn off all the bells and whistles and turfn away from the monitor and try to avoid looking at the screen until the task at hand is completed
• Temporarily close the door to your office to allow for privacy and reduce the number of “drop ins”. Sometimes, you may also want to hang a friendly note on the door asking not to be disturbed and post the time you will be available.
• Do It, Delegate It, or Defer It! You have only these 3 options when going thru your paperwork and emails.. Do it if it takes less than 2 miutes. Delegate it – if the action will take longer than 2 minutes ask yourself “am I the right person to do this? If the answer is no, delegate it to the appropriate person. Defer it if the action will take longer than 2 minutes, and you are the right person to do it. Schedule the time on your calendar as needed.

2. Prioritize your work or it will prioritize for you! Rather than working on projects simultaneously, take one thing at a time, focus on it, and worry about all the other projects later. Ultimately, you’ll get a lot more done and you’ll finish it more quickly. You’ll also be recognized by the high quality that you deliver when you’re free from distractions. Find a way to prioritize what works best for you. Choose either the project that has the earliest deadline or the one with the least components so you can finish it quickly and get it out of the way. There are pros and cons to both systems so tackle it whichever way works for you. Read More ›