Work-in-Progress Mom Part 2

I guess there is a part 2 to my Work-in-Progress Mom post. :p Thanks for hanging in there with me. I’m wordy.

What I’ve learned…and what I’m still learning:

Whether you want to just read one Bible verse each morning, or you want to launch a new business, I really believe having low-goals is better than having no goals. (Sometimes, it is even more practical “goals” like remembering a meal for everyone in the family or brushing your teeth…) I know some people do not like calling them “goals,” or don’t think “goals” is the correct term to use, but whatever you call them, I think it is worth it to know YOU have a purpose, and there is always something worth aiming for.

These are hard lessons I have learned, and are still learning. I may have missed the target for many goals, projects, or tasks, but I *think* I am a step closer to becoming…being…who God has called me to be, as I look with intention in my days. Now, don’t get me wrong, God knows how to mess up a good plan that WE have for OUR lives with HIS a-whole-lot-better-than-my-human-plans for my life, because really it’s not our own. This past year, I have learned that leaving (or at least, trying to!) the “overwhelm” and having a “plan” (I’m not sure if that is the right word to use because it was quite loose and flexible) allowed me for some whitespace for listening to His voice and some margin to spend time with those who support me, encourage me, and help me grow.

Where I’m at…and where I’m going:

Recent nuggets I have come across that are hitting me on the head!

From Crystal Paine‘s email newsletter:
No one wins when we go through life trying to prove that we can handle it all.

From Kathi and Cheri’s Overwhelmed book:
Overwhelmed feels far more survivable with a friend.

From the Bible:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

No test will help you find your calling, reach your goals, achieve success, etc. But what I have found is that they help me find out a little more about myself, or at least to be thinking about what it is I am currently doing and where I am heading. This is a FREE Lifescore Assessment to help discover where you are in 10 life areas. –> http://bestyearever.me/a18721/2017assessment My own score is between 71 and 76 (I took it twice…once when they were still fixing the quirks of the system and once after), which helps me see that one of the domains in my Transformation Zone is Intellectual (I’m not taking this to mean I am a genius…probably just nerdy) and one of the domains in my Frustration Zone is Vocational.

No webinar or training will help you directly get to the next level from wherever you are, but I think these nuggets I got from this FREE 7 Steps for Taking Control of 2017 webinar speaks volume to how we can hold ourselves back from doing big things to help others because of fear. –> http://bestyearever.me/a18721/2017webinar

“The fastest way to lose the game is to get discouraged by what you can’t control.” —@MichaelHyatt

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” — @TheZigZiglar

Realize your potential. It’s crucial. God has given us a purpose. – @MichaelHyatt

“People lose their way when they lose their why.” — @GailHyatt (Michael’s wife of 38 years)

“You only achieve what you intentionally pursue.” – @MichaelHyatt

So, where are you at? Are you in the fog of overwhelm and feeling stuck, or are you gaining clarity? I would love to hear from you.

An Invitation

(If you read my first post, this is the same as the end on that one. But read on if you need a refresher.)
If you have felt “stuck” or are feeling “stuck,” I invite you to join me, in my journey as a work-in-progress mom…a work-in-progress human, really, in this upcoming year. I’m not sure what it will look like, or what my plan is, but ideas are swirling in my head, and I know that the peace I have felt from putting into practice some of the things I have been learning through my discipleship group, through mentors (virtual, through books, and IRL), and His Word has been amazing.

Without realizing it, I had a “theme” for each year, these past 3 years or so – Discipline, Still, Reflect. (There seems to be a trend in my post with the quotation marks, huh? :p I didn’t intend to do that…the thoughts are just flowing from my mind through my fingertips.) And I don’t know what this upcoming year holds, and I don’t even know that I am ready for it, but I would really appreciate a buddy, a community, a village of work-in-progress humans to go through it together.

And in this journey, I will probably have some resources, and books OF COURSE!, and people, I would love to learn from…I may share them on this blog, or I may share them in something new I would love to start, so hang tight with me while I figure all of this out.

There are SO MANY things to share, but one thing I was glad for this past year was some thoughts from Michael Hyatt, who was the former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, best-selling author, and speaker…and it all started with this free PDF download that I believe I hesitated to download at first…because free things aren’t always what they seem, but as I am learning, sometimes it all depends on what we want to take away from any lesson in life.

Thanks for getting through all those words (and quotation marks and ellipsis)…I haven’t blogged much this past year and the words are many. If you are interested in hearing more of what I will be up to, email me at joyce319 at gmail.

Whatever I will be up to will most likely include a mix of encouraging and inspiring content, as well as practical (monthly) “challenges” (i.e. to help with emergency preparedness, becoming clutter free (a la Kathi Lipp), managing your calendar, digital organization, getting to Inbox Zero (or close to it!), and more!)

Examples of topics:
– spiritual and personal development
– family and home
– health and wellness
– career and ministry
– fun and community

Thanks for reading all the way through to the end!

Posts in this series
Work-in-Progress Mom Part 1