Do you ever feel like you’re pulled in two (or three or four) directions? You’re trying to balance kids, work, job, marriage, volunteer stuff, church, sports…and you just don’t know how to do it all?
Well, I have some good news and some bad news.
The bad news: You can’t do it all.
The good news: You can learn to do what is most important.
How do I figure that out? you may be wondering. I’m glad you asked. Continue reading
Recently I had the opportunity to give a 1-hour keynote speech to about two dozen local college students and a handful of professors. When I had finished with the Q&A session at the end, I asked the students to fill out a feedback survey so that I would know what they liked about the presentation, as well as what they would suggest I improve.
Since I am still new to the public speaking arena, I see this as a needed and valuable part of helping me grow in this skill.
However, even when I ask for it, I am not always ready for the feedback.
When we get some kind of criticism, how can we handle it in a way that will benefit us in the long run? Continue reading
Have you ever had a moment in life when you realized, “My parents were right when they told me that”?
When I was growing up, my dad constantly used a quote with me and my sisters from Gen. George S. Patton:
Never tell a person how to do something. Tell them what to do, and let them surprise you with their ingenuity.
Recently, I read a little book called The Go-Getter. You could literally read it in an hour or two. It is a parable, meaning it’s a fictitious story that seems simple, but actually teaches deep life lessons. This particular story is about what it means to follow through on your promises, do your best, and go above and beyond to accomplish what needs to be done.
As I read the very end of the book, I was suddenly reminded of the quote by General Patton. Honestly, I did not appreciate the value of that piece of advice while growing up. In fact, it usually irritated me to hear it. I am a very detailed person, and even as a younger kid and teen, I wanted someone to tell me exactly how something was supposed to be done.
But now I see that part of maturing and growing–as a person and a leader–is being able to take responsibility, be creative with what I’ve been given, and get the job done right.
This builds confidence in me that, yes, I can do things well; it also gives others around me reasons to trust me. In other words:
And you know what? You don’t have to have a big audience or be in a high position to be a leader. You are a leader right now because there is always someone around who is watching your example. Your kids, your spouse, your co-workers, your parents, your friends…Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or supervisor at a big company, what kind of example are you going to show them?
Will we be perfect? No.
But if we don’t try, we will always fail, and we’ll never know what it’s like to win.
What do you need to take responsibility for, take courage and get done today?
Let’s get out there and win!
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My friends once threw me a surprise party. I had recently lost my hair due to some medical trauma, and had been wearing scarves wrapped around my head for several weeks.
One evening, my sister and a friend of ours told me we were going to coffee. But when we got to the car, I was blindfolded and not told where we were going.
Finally, we arrived. I could tell we were in the middle of nowhere because it was very still and quiet outside, except for the chirping of crickets. They led me carefully up the steps of the house, and opened the door. One of them removed the blindfold. There, in the middle of the living room, stood nine of my friends from church.
“SURPRISE!!!” they yelled. Continue reading
Whether we know it or not, our decisions in life are made out of what is most important to us.
Do the decisions you make every day line up with what is really important to you? Or are other things getting in the way?
How can you simplify your decision-making so that you stay true to who you are and what you value in life?
Watch this video to find out! Continue reading
I love the HGTV show Fixer Upper. It is so inspiring that something beautiful is literally created out of the ashes…er, sawdust.
The first impression of a really run-down house on the show reminds me of how we often see ourselves.
Just picture it: The soon-to-be homebuyers drive up and get their first look at the house.
“Oh…”
“Ugh.”
“That wasn’t what I was expecting.”
How many times do we say the same things about ourselves? When we look at ourselves, so often we see all that is wrong and falling apart. Continue reading
I ran across this quote on Pinterest:
This is actually true. 🙂
Research suggests that saying things out loud puts it more easily into the memory regions of your brain. Continue reading
Is it possible to choose to continue living, even when this life seems dark and hopeless?
Singer/songwriter Lacey Sturm is proof that, yes, you can–but not without Jesus.
As a teenager, Lacey had decided that she was going to end her life. On the night that she had planned to kill herself, her grandmother sent her to church, and she had an encounter with God.
She tells the story of a man whom she had never met before being brought to tears as he told her:
Photo credit: Riccardo Annandale–Unsplash.com
We all have times when we don’t quite feel like we’re connecting with God in the way that we should…Could it be that we are trying too hard? Continue reading
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com
Last week, I wrote Part 1 of this post–how real change comes when we truly agree with who God says we are.
So what does that look like practically?
How can we get this truth in our hearts? God reflects to us who we are through His Word…How do we begin to apply this to our actual lives? Continue reading
Journey Counseling 