My name is Audra Wheat, and I am a procrastinator. They say admitting the problem is the first step toward the solution. In 2013, my goal is to work on my procrastinating tendencies. I can always find 100 excuses to not do something and never the reason why I should do it now. I have used them all; I work better under pressure. Something came up. I need to complete or do this first. I have plenty of time. The list goes on an on. These are common excuses that I know I am not alone in using on a daily basis.
Let's look at the word, excuse. Over time in the English language the meaning has changed. It meant originally, "to give a defense or reason for something." However, it now means, "an unjustified or false reason for something, a false reason given to cover up the real reason. That's it, a false reason...a lie. You know they say a lie told often enough becomes reality. I know the same can be said for an excuse.
So the second step is to stop thinking of the excuses. I need to divert my attention away from the negative towards the positive. The more time I spend thinking of excuses, the stronger my defense is towards not doing it. For every excuse not to do it, I have to have a reason to do it.
Which leads to the third step, think of all the reasons and benefits of doing it now. Focus on the advantages of getting it done in advance. There is less stress and more time for corrections or modifications.
I like to think of it as excuses being negative and reasons being positive. Being the optimist, I have to remember where to focus. This is not something that I am going to conquer overnight, because it didn't start overnight. However, I am well on my way to kicking my habit of procrastination.
I close with this...Stop looking for excuses not to do something and start looking for reasons to do something.
Angelic-1
All the blessings we receive, be they material, financial, physical, emotional or mental, are rooted in our spiritual blessings. This is where our focus should be, on our spiritual blessings. They are however, the fruit of our material and natural blessings. Why you may ask..because the root of all of our blessings lies in the spiritual realm. Think about it this way, just like a fruit tree. A fruit tree cannot bear fruit if it has no root. If you separate the trunk of the tree from its root, you eliminate all potential for the tree bearing fruit. The life of the tree flows unseen, it is hidden in the root system underground. The life flows up and the branches produce fruit that is beneficial and abundant.
We are just like fruit trees. Our spiritual life is invisible and hidden within us. It flows through our heart and produces fruits that can be seen in the in our natural and material blessings. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, humility and self-control. If we are rich in the spirit, we will produce fruit that allows overflow of our blessings.
Did you know that our thoughts bear fruit. When we think good thoughts, our lives produce good fruit. When we think bad thoughts, our lives produce bad fruit. Our thoughts can be like fertilizer to our blessings. We have to strive to continually think good thoughts. It is not something that just happens, we have to work at it. We have a choice in what we say, do, and think, so that means we have a choice in which fruit we bear. So are you ruining your own fruit or are you striving to bear the best fruit by tuning into your spiritual blessings?
Angelic-1
There are many things in society that are considered taboo or symbolize bad luck. I am not a superstitious person. However, the number 13 has always been considered unlucky and Friday the 13th, a day of of disastrous events. For me, experiencing loss on that date was overwhelming, then having that date occur 4 times in 2012 was numbing. I coasted through last year oblivious to pretty much all that was going on around me. But I snapped out of it, and now it is 2013...there goes that number again. I decide to resume living, to set some goals, and put some action plans into play. Then the calendar reminds me that the date of the 13th will occur every month, forever. There is no leap year that can make it go away.
So I refocus, adjust my mentality, and decide to turn a negative into a positive. So the 13th is for renewed life, new opportunities, celebration of goals achieved. I am thankful for the knowledge, life lessons, history, and love poured into me for over eight years by dearly departed. Now, I can and do choose to celebrate it the 13th of every month. The 13th now serves as a reminder to me that God puts people in our lives to serve a purpose. He loans us His best angels to bring out the best in us. He can strategically maneuver our lives and situations in such a manner that our greatest loss can become our greatest motivation.
So now eyes that once dreaded and cried on the 13th, can now eagerly anticipate and await the 13th. It's the same number, the same date. It just looks so promising through these awakened eyes of mine.
It is a common saying that we are taught at an early age, treat others how we want to be treated. This was drilled into my brother and I until it became our normal. To treat anybody any other way, I cannot even conceive it. This is just how I am. It is not being fake nor is it being forced, I genuinely am the way I want people to be around me.
As an adult I have taken it a step further, in that I teach people how to treat me. We all encounter people that may be rude, forceful, or just not nice. We do not however have to tolerate such behavior. People are like children, in that they will try you, to see what is acceptable to you. Once you allow a behavior, especially repeatedly, it becomes a norm.
You however have a choice and a right to set the rules and boundaries involved in dealing with you in any capacity. If you dislike a certain behavior and you address it, either the person will reframe from it or they will continue it. It depends on how they relate to you, or better yet, how they respect you. If it continues, you have the choice to remove yourself. If it stops, you have set a boundary. This person then knows how you want to be treated.
I tell everyone, people will treat you how you teach them to treat you. If you lay out what you will and won't accept, and refuse to budge, if that person likes you, they will conform to you.
