“If it's important to you, you will find a way.
If it's not, you'll find an excuse.”
I love this quote. I've seen it a handful of time over the last several years and each time it strikes a challenging cord in me. "If it's important to you, you will find a way. If it's not, you'll find an excuse."
When I think about this today, in the context of the New Year and New Year's resolutions, it reminds me of something; I'll always make time for the things that matter to me the most.
I'll always make time to be a mother.
Hands down, there is not a single day that goes by that I don't "make time" to be a mother.
I mean, I know in the earlier stages of parenting, there were days when "making time" to be a mother meant missing out on the basic, daily essentials that I once knew. Suddenly showering wasn't as important as it once was. (Yes, showering!) Suddenly, three meals a day were over rated and clean clothes weren't essential.
When something is important to you, priorities change and you do what you need to do in order to accomplish the things that matter to you most.
I challenge you today to do this; take a piece of paper and fold it in half.
Keep it folded and write down a list of things that are most important to you. Start with the things that mean most to you on a daily basis and then work your way out to future goals etc.
What really matters to you?
Then flip it over. On the second column take an inventory of the rest of your week (if that’s too long term of a commitment for you, try doing it for a day!) Write down how you spend your time. What do your days consist of? What do you spend the most time doing?
At the end of the week, open up the page and take a good look at the first column compared to the second.
Do you fill your days doing the things that you say matter most? Are you engaging in activities daily that will help you reach your 6 month goal? 1 year goal? 5 year goal?
Or do you find that your days are cluttered with busy work? Busy rushing? Complaining? Nagging? Making excuses? Busy on Facebook or Instagram? Simply busy, being busy.
I know that there are some days that come and go where I'm like WHAT did I do today?! I was BUSY all day but I did NOTHING. Days turn into weeks, weeks into months, months into years.
Before you know it, you'll be creating another list of New Year's resolutions for 2017.
If you're like me, at times life seems to be playing out in "fast forward" mode but I want this year to be a bit different. I want to be intentional about how and where I invest my time. Where I invest my money. Where I invest my energy. Where I invest my resources.
Notice, I say invest and not spend. There's a huge different. When you spend your time, money or energy on something, it's usually just gone... BUT when you invest it wisely, you see it grow, mature, develop, increase.. You see a return on your investment.
What will you invest into your days this year?
Where will you put your time?
Where will you put your money?
Where will you put your energy?
Where will you put your resources?
For me personally, I want 2016 to take me a bit deeper. I want to be more meaningful and intentional with all the resources available to me. I want to develop more meaningful and intimate relationships, first with God and secondly with those around me. I want to be more effective and efficient in ministry, I want to write more, a lot more! I want to really bang out this last year of school and graduate next year! I want to get into better shape. I want to rest. Some days and weeks go by where I don’t even stop for like a minute! Lastly, I want to pursue integrity in every area of my life. Can people depend on me? Do I do the things I commit to? Am I on time? Am I putting my best foot forward in all my commitments? I don’t think I need to work harder, just a bit smarter. I want to really enjoy this season in all aspects of life.
For me, this meant getting a 2016 planner. I get one every year, but this year I’ve been diligent in using it. What commitments do we have? What activities do we participate in? When do I have class? When will I write? When will my husband practice? When will we rest? Date night? Family-day? Working out? Reading? Studying? Fellowship?
If I want to be successful, I need to be intentional. With everything I do. I’m not saying live your life obsessed with the calendar, but if you just wait for things to happen, they won’t.
What matters most to you this year? What are you believing to achieve?
Remember “If it’s important to you, you will find a way. If it’s not, you’ll find an excuse.”
