As we come to this beautiful weekend God has given to us, I have been doing some reflecting on life and growth and my hopes and dreams for the future.
I have been working hard on my goals for 2021, figuring out how I want my year to go. Deciding where I want to be at the end of this year.
Last fall I joined a class, called Six Weeks to Sanity (put out by the gals at Filled with Less that I spoke about in August). It was the beginning of a wonderful journey. Once the course was over, I joined their membership community called L.E.S.S.—Living Every day in Sacred Simplicity. Living in sacred simplicity is something my entire being has been longing for and I knew I needed it but I also knew I needed help to get there. What an incredible community of women! I am so grateful! I have learned a lot so far and in December the theme was Motivation and getting ready for 2021.
In one of our meetings, I was reminded of the book I read a couple of years ago (partially read) called “Best Year Ever” by Michael Hyatt. I did a short post on his idea of Abundance Thinkers and Scarcity Thinkers and one of my biggest hurdles is that I tend to be a Scarcity Thinker. I tell myself negative things such as “I will never accomplish that”. “I can’t do it because I have been trying to do it for years and have yet to.”
I need to get away from this line of thinking! It is sabotaging me and my goals! I need to tell myself a different story! One of abundance and grace.
Abundance Thinkers are:
Grateful and confident.
Believe there is always more.
Trust
Assume they can learn, grow and develop.
Are optimistic about the future.
See challenges as opportunities.
I have never been particularly good at thinking this way and discovered this well before even reading the book. I discovered this as part of my spiritual journey. But years later still struggle with it.
I believe the L.E.S.S. community is helping me learn how to change into being an Abundance Thinker, or at least equipping me with the tools as well as giving me encouragement.
Recently Molly Sabourin and Cynthia Damaskos, the founders of Filled With Less (and Six Weeks to Sanity) started a new Ancient Faith Podcast titled the same, Filled With Less: Living the Christian Life with Simplicity and Intention. “Each month, Cynthia and Molly bring you interviews and practical tips for developing and maintaining a peaceful mindset, healthy body, and productive life, all from an Orthodox perspective.”
Their first, inaugural episode came out almost a month ago but I just listened to it. As I have been honing in on my 2021 goals this was a breath of fresh air to listen to. Encouraging as well as some wonderful tips on how to not give up on my goals this year! They joked about the typical New Years Resolutions being dropped by January 15th but in all seriousness, it is truly a very real thing for me, and I am ready to go beyond that and make some real progress this year. So, I welcomed these wonderful tips and also loved the interviews with Dr. Jeanie Constantinou (on a Peaceful Mind) and Dr. Trent Orfanos (on a Healthy Body).
Check out their podcast. They will do a new one each month and each episode they will have 3 segments: Peaceful Mind, Healthy Body and Productive Life. You will never walk away disappointed, especially if you want those 3 things in life…and who doesn’t?
As I ponder these goals each week, each month, throughout this year I need to continually remember my WHY! And make sure it lines up with my beliefs and who I truly am and who I truly want to be in years to come.
In a recent video to the membership group Molly shared with us about your “WHY” and how important it is. For so many years I struggled with completing tasks, making progress and then would get so down on myself for not sticking to my guns, always wondering what was wrong with me. Molly said that part of her problem with reaching goals had to do with her motivation. She couldn’t push through the resistance and be disciplined about becoming better steward of her time, body, home or soul because her “why” was too vague and self-focused. “I hadn’t done the prework of pausing to pray and reflect on the bigger picture: my gifts, my purpose and my eternal perspective.” She went on to say, “Cynthia helped me to go from passively REACTING to the stress and chaos in my life to becoming PROACTIVE about intentionally striving for fruitfulness. When your motivation becomes clear you can tap into a well-spring of determination and resilience.”
I think this has been my problem all along. This is what I am longing to figure out this year, my purpose. My why! So that I, too, can become “proactive about intentionally striving for fruitfulness”.
This blog has always been about that, it really has. But I tend to lose focus and lose track, periodically along the way, of my purpose.
Each year is a new beginning. Each month is a new beginning. Each morning is a new beginning.
Let me leave you this morning with this beautiful prayer written by Princess Ileana of Romania, Mother Alexander. It is in a little prayer booklet we received for Christmas from der friends titled “Our Father: Meditations on the Lord’s Prayer” put out by The Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ellwood City, PA.)
From temptation spare me, O Lord. Let me not fall victim to the wiles of the enemy who stands ever ready to guide me amiss. Let me distinguish the pearl without price and not be dazzled by the tinsel and the gold. Teach me to guard my tongue from useless words. Help me always to ask myself: is this of good report? Am I by saying or doing this working for the Kingdom of Heaven? Or am I serving satan and his angels? Give me clear eyes and judgement that I may throughout this day make the right choice. Where there is darkness, let me see light; in the midst of turmoil let me find the core of stillness. Let no fear enter my soul, but teach me bravely to face every problem and all enmity and never let me compromise with evil. Let me never forget that man does not live by bread alone, but by Thy word. Let me owe no man anything but love so that in loving one another we may fulfill Thy law and set temptation at naught. Amen
Kindler of Joy! 