Does Your Dream and Faith Go Together?

Many DREAM BIG!  For some it may be their own home, others it is retirement, maybe it is owning your own business or traveling the world. For some, they don’t know how to dream. I know it may sound crazy but I was one of those people (and some days still am).  The struggles of life get in the way and you begin to limit your dreams.  Or, maybe you don’t dream at all because you can’t see the forest for all of the trees.A DREAM is defined as “contemplating the possibility of doing something”.  Being able to envision it is the first step.  I DREAM BIG (most days) in my business and my personal life but I have to admit it is with hesitation.  No hate mail, please.  I second guess things all the time which leads me to FAITH.  FAITH is believing in things you can not see.  I know I have talked about this before but I think this is a new take on an old theme.

Some days, do you feel like you are a hamster on a wheel?  Running and running, doing the same thing day after day, the same way – expecting different results.  We dream of how we would like things to be but we continue to do things the same way – getting the same results and only occasionally reaching our DREAMS!  God (or your Higher Power) has dreams for us – he has a plan and despite our best efforts to do things our way, he will prevail.  Honestly, I am not sure what direction this blog is taking but I am hoping it touches someone’s heart.

For years, my professional (business) DREAM has been to mentor women connecting them with the resources necessary to help them reach their personal, professional and financial goals.  When I look back on my professional career, there are times I feel like I have reached my dream.  When I was at South Jersey AIDS Alliance, I worked with women helping them through the struggles of living life with their HIV status while raising their kids.  When I was at Bethel, working with an underserved populations, it was a little tougher but we were able to help many women grow and prosper in the community.  When I started my Thirty One business, and my blog, I wondered if the dream had changed or was there just another path for it to take?

Health struggles created fear and doubt in me – more than the usual. I am blessed to be a part of leadership with Thirty One.  Another opportunity to work with women and DREAM BIG. My definition of mentoring has changed slightly.  It has become more about inspiring others to dream, helping to build their confidence, setting goals (large or small) and then reaching for them.

The truth is dreaming with a lack of Faith is not a good combination.  I dream but those inner gremlins like to test my faith.  Dreaming combined with Faith will allow you to reach those dreams.  I am not saying there won’t be struggles along the way but those struggles are blessings in disguise helping you to reach your dream.  I tell my team all of the time “I believe in you even when you don’t believe in yourself”.  Why is it so easy to believe and encourage others yet we find it so hard to do ourselves (or at least I do)?I am dreaming BIG but my Faith gets a little shaky.  I have heard if you CLAIM IT, it will be yours.  Do you struggle with this concept?  Do you feel like you “don’t deserve the dream”?  As I get ready for the next hurdle in my MS journey, I wonder where my dream will go.  

Do you have dreams?  Is your FAITH strong enough to help you reach those dreams?  TRUST and BELIEVE God’s plan will help you reach your DREAM as long as you have FAITH in what you can not see.

I hope this was blog strikes a nerve with someone and has helped you.  As for me, I am continuing to DREAM BIG, those Super Size DREAMS where my FAITH stands firm in God’s promise.

Any good words of wisdom on how to get off the hamster wheel and lean on FAITH to reach my DREAMS?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

2 Minute Rule

TGIF!  I am enjoying the mountains of North Carolina spending time with family.  Tomorrow is football at Western Carolina and tailgating with the Stray Cats.  It has been a long time since I unplugged and I desperately needed it.

Today’s blog is a great tip from Barbara of Simplify Days.  This is a tip you can use in your business or in your personal life.  This is a tip that is easy to teach your kids so they can learn time management early.

I don’t know about you but my week is usually full of trying to pull off the most simple tasks in a short amount of time. From changing a light bulb to responding to an email to sorting mail, a load of laundry or loading the dishwasher.   Some tasks just seem to sit and sit.  My one touch system for paper didn’t seem to work as well for projects…….

So, why not try the 2-minute rule?

The 2-minute rule comes from the widely recognized leading expert on personal and organizational productivity, David Allen. David is the author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity.

The 2-minute rule is simple to follow and can make a huge difference in day-to-day life.

Here’s the rule: if a task will take 2-minutes or less DO IT RIGHT NOW. I am a list person and tries to make a plan.  The problem is that I spend way too much time in the planning mode.  The 2-minute rule kicks me into gear and helps me knock out those simple tasks. Instead of writing things down to complete later, the 2-minute rule helps me actually get things done instead of just written down.

No, I have to admit, I do push it to a 5-minute rule…. WHY?  Because even the simplest emails take a few minutes to write.  I know I can’t change a light-bulb in 2-minutes. I work really hard to complete right then if it will only take just a few short minutes !

I started doing this before we left on vacation and I was amazed at how much I got done.  Instead of making a list and then crossing things off…I had a completed list which made me feel AWESOME!

I challenge you this week-end to try out the 2 (sometimes 5) – minute rule and see how it works for you. If a task will take less than 5 minutes DO IT.   If you are planning out your week and remember a task that will take less than 5 minutes DO IT.  An email comes through, you can quickly respond to, DO IT RIGHT THEN.

I have to be honest, I was skeptical.  You will be surprised at how much you’ll able to get done and how often the simple act of getting started with a short task will keep you moving through a productive day.

I can’t wait to hear what you think….

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

UNPLUGGED

When was the last time that you totally UNPLUGGED from technology? I know that may be scary to some and I thought it was totally impossible. I mean I have my own business and my family is stretched out all over.  I rely on social media and technology for a large portion of my communication with family and friends. What happens if……?

The truth is that this weekend while I am at National Conference, I will be “unplugging” for long periods of time.  I know it may not seem like as your news feed on Facebook is flooded with moments in my pink bubble yet I am.  This is a time for me to fill my cup and build relationships with my Thirty One sisters.  Will the world end? No.

I am sure there are a million reasons you can think of as to why you should NOT unplug, right? BEFORE technology took over our lives. we used to call people on the phone.  if there was no answer, we kept calling.  If they had an answering machine, we would leave a message. The truth is business survived and thrived.  Our relationships were probably stronger because we had real lace to face conversations instead of “pictures” and snip its on social media.

The first time I totally unplugged was on our first cruise.  I was filled with the fear of “what if”.  Then each time got a little easier.  The first 24 hours are always the roughest then as time went on I actually didn’t think about it. I was enjoying building relationships with people face to face.  I found that I even enjoyed being “unplugged” for short periods of time.

I haven’t totally unplugged in a long time, although I have changed some things so that technology does not consume my life.  What about you?

What effect is technology having on your life? Does it consume your time, maybe your money, and without a doubt your energy, right?  How often do you check email as well as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media sites?  Are you obsessed with seeing what others are posting? Does it distract you from living in the moment?  And worst of all, do you suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)?  I have learned through my recent health challenges that being in the “moment” is much healthier for me mentally, physically and spiritually.  I have always said “there is no PURSE (substitute your product or reason for constant checking) emergency”.  I finally took my own advice.

Do I still check email in the middle of a meeting; while stopped at red lights; in the middle of dinner with my family; and as soon as my eyes popped open in the morning?  No.  I am learning to put the phone or the tablet away.  I even stopped having notifications show up on my phone.

The fear has subsided.  I am no longer afraid.  No longer afraid of missing out: on booking a party or the next big potential customer or potential team member; or maybe someone on my team needs.  I no longer worry about family being able to reach me. HELLO, we have mobile phones, right, if there is an emergency.  The fear of not being “in the know” or worse yet, having people go elsewhere for orders, parties or information is CRAZY!

Check out these tips for unplugging and re-claiming your life this weekend. Honestly, who would want to have their own business if you had to be accessible 24/7?

Notifications from my phone are gone!  Yes, I still have apps but the only notifications that I get are text messages.  I start my morning with devotions and coffee – social media comes later.  I don’t even have multiple tabs open on my computer when I am working.  I have scheduled blocks of time to check email, Facebook and my other social media accounts. Believe it or not, I actually am and feel more productive in my business and in my personal life.

What will you do to #UNPLUG?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

STUFF

I have been getting daily emails from “yourorganizedguide.com” over the last few days.  I don’t remember signing up for the newsletter but I have to admit, there have been some great tips.  I found this one particularly true:

So, for the weekend, I present you with a list of stuff you probably have too much of. Feel free to start purging immediately!

• Towels and sheets.  I always thought you could never have enough especially towels when company comes.  But really, how often is that?
• Glasses and mugs.  The ones we have are ALL the wrong size.  Hubby had them when we got married and we never changed them.
• Travel-sized hotel freebies.  I used to gather all of these when we traveled.  Then I would donate them to an organization.  I wish I had some this holiday season to put in some bags I am putting together.
• Bluerays, DVDs, and VHS tapes (yes, a number of people still have lots and lots of them).  I am one of those with LOTS of VHS tapes. We even still have a VCR hooked to the TV.
• Canned food (have you actually checked those expiration dates recently?).  
• Books (sad to say, but it’s true).  Hubby says that one day he will read them all again.  REALLY???  I would love to clear out the 10 large tubs of books that he has.
• Office supplies (really? five boxes of #2 pencils?).  YEAH!  One that I accomplished this year.  I donated them to a local school.
• Clothes and shoes.  You know all this just in case clothes – just in case I can fit back into the smaller size OR just in case I gain some weight.  I stopped holding on to clothes after I lost the weight which helps to keep my weight in check.
• Knick-knacks (or as my husband says: stuff to dust).  Not much of this any more.
• Storage containers.  Never can have enough of these since hubby is deadly with a microwave.

By just tackling one category at a time, you can make a huge difference in the amount of clutter in your life.  Do you know that when you free of the clutter in one area, things start to get better in all areas?  No, really it is true.

So hop to it!  Make Some Room.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

#organize, #organizationalproducts, #thirtyone, #unclutter