The end of one year and the start of another is often a time for reflection and the establishing of news goals or resolutions for the new year. As I’ve pondered on this over the past several days, I don’t feel inclined to make any grand new commitments for the new year. Having said that, my lack of desire to set new goals is not because I don’t want to improve. It’s because as the Lord has guided and directed me over the past year, I have already set small goals that will help me become more Christlike and am working toward them day by day, one step at a time. My personal equation for joy (Simplify + Prioritize + Balance = Joy) has been a fantastic guiding principle this year and I intend to continue to let my own personal recipe for happiness continue to guide me in my goals and decisions. So instead of making new goals for this new year, my resolution is to stay the course, keep moving forward with faith, and continue to look to the Lord to help me find the answers to “What lack I yet?” He has never left me bereft when I’ve asked for guidance on my journey to become a true follower of Christ and I know he will continue to help me stay on the path that will lead me to the longed-for blessings of exaltation and eternal life.
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Sunday, January 2, 2022
Saturday, January 2, 2021
Moving Forward with Faith
If nothing else, 2020 was a reminder that we are strengthened in adversity. That whole concept of the refiner’s fire came into sharp focus last year. As I was studying D&C 1:12 this week, the Spirit helped me make another connection. The Lord is constantly preparing us for the second coming, and adversity is part of that preparation. (D&C 136:31) This life is a test. If things were always easy, we would not need to work, to learn, to grow. And we need to work, learn and grow in order to become the people the Lord wants us to be. If we want to be worthy of the glory the Lord has in store for us, we need to rise up to the challenges he gives us.
This connection gives me a greater appreciation and understanding of how the challenges this past year has brought are truly a sign of the times. The Lord is stepping up our preparation so we will be ready. Are we rising up to meet the challenge or are we hiding away and waiting for easier times to return? There may not be easier times until all things are fulfilled. And if we don’t meet the challenges with faith, will we be worthy of the glory of living with our Savior in Zion?
These thoughts make me want to work harder, to endure more cheerfully, and to strive daily to become a little bit more like the Savior. And I believe the Lord has given me the personal insights I need to be able to do so. Last year my focus was on simplifying. That went pretty well for me until about mid-March. And then the world changed. One of my stress responses is to plan, to make lists, to create stuff, to distract myself with artificial busyness. And I’m a pro at it. I’m so good, in fact, that by October, I was reaching burnout. Something had to change.
As I have turned to the Lord for direction over the past few months, he has led me on a journey, one of self-discovery and understanding, one whose ultimate destination is finding joy in all circumstances. Last year I was working to simplify. This year the Lord has given me the rest of the equation:
Simplify + Prioritize + Balance = Joy
Simplify: Don’t Needlessly Complicate Things. I’m a pro at making things harder than they really need to be. I often take what should be a simple, straightforward task and work to make it ever more complex until the whole project becomes a monstrosity of epic proportions. It’s like teaching a relief society lesson. Sometimes we think that if we don’t have stellar visuals, a video presentation, a special musical number and a beautiful handout we haven’t prepared a great lesson. But that’s not true. The sisters won’t remember which pictures are displayed or what song they heard. And the handout that took hours to create will most likely hit the garbage can the next time they clean out their purses. But what they will remember is the Spirit they felt and what it taught them. So simplifying is to help me toss all the extraneous frills and focus on what really matters.
Prioritize: Good, Better, Best. In general conference in October 2007, Dallin H. Oakes gave a talk entitled “Good, Better, Best.” It is one of those talks that really struck a chord with me. It helped me look at my life and how I was spending my time in a different way. Since then, it has become one of my spiritual yardsticks in terms of deciding how to spend my time. There are times when there are just not enough hours in the day to complete all the items on my to-do list and looking at my list through the “good, better, best” lens helps me decide where to focus my effort. Some days I end up feeling sorry for myself due to a lack of time to spend on hobbies or whatever and reminding myself that I’m making a better or best choice helps me set aside my selfish tendencies and focus on what is most important. Don’t get me wrong. Hobbies and taking time for myself are a vital part of my own mental health. I just need to balance that with the other important things in my life. And that actually brings us to the next part of the equation.
Balance: Spiritual, Emotional, Intellectual, Social. The new children and youth program is designed to help the younger generation become more like the Savior in all areas of their life. But the benefits of doing so extend far beyond the age of eighteen. I need to have balance in my life as well. If all I do is clean the house, I get cranky because I miss out on playing board games with my family. But if all I do is play games or read a book, I get cranky because my house is a mess. And if I don’t take time to exercise, I’m cranky because my body is achy. It’s all about giving time to all the various aspects of my life without focusing on one to the neglect of the others.
Joy: The end goal of my little equation is joy. Not simply pleasure or fun, but the real joy that comes from living the gospel. Because that is the point, isn’t it? “Men are that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:25) The Lord wants us to be happy. And we can be happy regardless of our circumstances. I’m not naïve enough to think that life won’t have its sorrows, but even when we feel sorrow we can be filled with the hope and joy that comes from truly knowing that this life is not an exercise in futility. There is a point. There is a goal. And that goal is a glorious eternal life with our heavenly parents, our divine older brother, and our loved ones.
This year I’m going to focus on this simple equation that is designed to bring me joy. And I’m going to actively try to see the positive and joyful things amidst the turmoil of the last days. Not everything that leads to joy is huge and life altering either. I often find myself saying that those little things are dumb because they are small and seemingly insignificant. Kevin has actually started calling me on it because if something brings me joy, it is worthy of having a place in my life. So I’m going to keep buying flowers every week because having a beautiful bouquet on the table makes me happy. And I’m going to keep reading books that makes me laugh and cry in all the right places. Even little things can be a ray of light in my day-to-day life.
All these things, big and small, are part of living with greater faith and allowing the Lord to work in my life. And I believe that if I can learn to live my life with greater faith and trust in the Lord, I will find more true joy. And more joy will help me have greater hope for good things to come. And all these things will strengthen me so I am better able to face adversity in the future for it will surely come.
This connection gives me a greater appreciation and understanding of how the challenges this past year has brought are truly a sign of the times. The Lord is stepping up our preparation so we will be ready. Are we rising up to meet the challenge or are we hiding away and waiting for easier times to return? There may not be easier times until all things are fulfilled. And if we don’t meet the challenges with faith, will we be worthy of the glory of living with our Savior in Zion?
These thoughts make me want to work harder, to endure more cheerfully, and to strive daily to become a little bit more like the Savior. And I believe the Lord has given me the personal insights I need to be able to do so. Last year my focus was on simplifying. That went pretty well for me until about mid-March. And then the world changed. One of my stress responses is to plan, to make lists, to create stuff, to distract myself with artificial busyness. And I’m a pro at it. I’m so good, in fact, that by October, I was reaching burnout. Something had to change.
As I have turned to the Lord for direction over the past few months, he has led me on a journey, one of self-discovery and understanding, one whose ultimate destination is finding joy in all circumstances. Last year I was working to simplify. This year the Lord has given me the rest of the equation:
Simplify + Prioritize + Balance = Joy
Simplify: Don’t Needlessly Complicate Things. I’m a pro at making things harder than they really need to be. I often take what should be a simple, straightforward task and work to make it ever more complex until the whole project becomes a monstrosity of epic proportions. It’s like teaching a relief society lesson. Sometimes we think that if we don’t have stellar visuals, a video presentation, a special musical number and a beautiful handout we haven’t prepared a great lesson. But that’s not true. The sisters won’t remember which pictures are displayed or what song they heard. And the handout that took hours to create will most likely hit the garbage can the next time they clean out their purses. But what they will remember is the Spirit they felt and what it taught them. So simplifying is to help me toss all the extraneous frills and focus on what really matters.
Prioritize: Good, Better, Best. In general conference in October 2007, Dallin H. Oakes gave a talk entitled “Good, Better, Best.” It is one of those talks that really struck a chord with me. It helped me look at my life and how I was spending my time in a different way. Since then, it has become one of my spiritual yardsticks in terms of deciding how to spend my time. There are times when there are just not enough hours in the day to complete all the items on my to-do list and looking at my list through the “good, better, best” lens helps me decide where to focus my effort. Some days I end up feeling sorry for myself due to a lack of time to spend on hobbies or whatever and reminding myself that I’m making a better or best choice helps me set aside my selfish tendencies and focus on what is most important. Don’t get me wrong. Hobbies and taking time for myself are a vital part of my own mental health. I just need to balance that with the other important things in my life. And that actually brings us to the next part of the equation.
Balance: Spiritual, Emotional, Intellectual, Social. The new children and youth program is designed to help the younger generation become more like the Savior in all areas of their life. But the benefits of doing so extend far beyond the age of eighteen. I need to have balance in my life as well. If all I do is clean the house, I get cranky because I miss out on playing board games with my family. But if all I do is play games or read a book, I get cranky because my house is a mess. And if I don’t take time to exercise, I’m cranky because my body is achy. It’s all about giving time to all the various aspects of my life without focusing on one to the neglect of the others.
Joy: The end goal of my little equation is joy. Not simply pleasure or fun, but the real joy that comes from living the gospel. Because that is the point, isn’t it? “Men are that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:25) The Lord wants us to be happy. And we can be happy regardless of our circumstances. I’m not naïve enough to think that life won’t have its sorrows, but even when we feel sorrow we can be filled with the hope and joy that comes from truly knowing that this life is not an exercise in futility. There is a point. There is a goal. And that goal is a glorious eternal life with our heavenly parents, our divine older brother, and our loved ones.
This year I’m going to focus on this simple equation that is designed to bring me joy. And I’m going to actively try to see the positive and joyful things amidst the turmoil of the last days. Not everything that leads to joy is huge and life altering either. I often find myself saying that those little things are dumb because they are small and seemingly insignificant. Kevin has actually started calling me on it because if something brings me joy, it is worthy of having a place in my life. So I’m going to keep buying flowers every week because having a beautiful bouquet on the table makes me happy. And I’m going to keep reading books that makes me laugh and cry in all the right places. Even little things can be a ray of light in my day-to-day life.
All these things, big and small, are part of living with greater faith and allowing the Lord to work in my life. And I believe that if I can learn to live my life with greater faith and trust in the Lord, I will find more true joy. And more joy will help me have greater hope for good things to come. And all these things will strengthen me so I am better able to face adversity in the future for it will surely come.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Freeze Tag
I don't always respond to "tags" from my bloggin' buddies (Sorry about that! Sometimes I just don't care!), but as I've read everyone's responses to this particular one it really made me think about what I want out of my life right now. I've been tagged by Kathie, so here it is . . .
Name 5 goals and the places you've lived, then tag 4 other people:
Some of my current goals:
1. I want to really and truly spend more time with my kids. Yes, I am a stay-at-home-mom who spends every waking hour with my kids. But it is not all quality time. My goal is to make at least some of that time positive, quality time with my kids. Not just constant parallel-play time.
2. As a huge plan-in-advancer, I sometimes have trouble when things don't go exactly as planned. As a result, I often struggle with accepting the Lord's plan for me. So goal #2 is to try to let go of my OCD long enough to let the Lord guide my life . . . and to be okay with the direction He sends me.
3. I am currently in the process of organizing all the piles of stuff all over my house. I want to have at least a tidy home. I'm realistic enough not to expect perfection with three children in the house, but I at least want to have a "home" for all my stuff. Dumping it all on my desk is not the same as putting it away!
4. Patience. With everyone. And everything (see #2). Especially my children. They deserve that.
5. Debt. Enough said.
These are the places I've lived:
Provo, UT (with an aunt and uncle until I was three weeks old)
Newport, Rhode Island
Athens, Georgia
Okefenoku, Georgia
Bremerton, Washington (in a Presbyterian Manse)
Bremerton, Washington (in Navy housing)
Escondido, CA
San Miguel, The Phillipines )in a house right on the beach)
Subic Bay, The Phillipines (in Navy housing)
Pleasant Grove, UT (while waiting to find a home in Salt Lake)
Taylorsville, UT (where my parents still live)
Orem, UT (with an aunt and uncle my freshman year at BYU)
Provo, UT (basement apartment)
Provo, UT (house)
Kearns, UT (the duplex Kev and I rented when we were first married)
Taylorsville, UT (with Kev's parents)
West Jordan, UT
Murray, UT
Now tag to four wonderful people (if you care, that is!):
Patti, Esther, Tiffany, Lisa
Name 5 goals and the places you've lived, then tag 4 other people:
Some of my current goals:
1. I want to really and truly spend more time with my kids. Yes, I am a stay-at-home-mom who spends every waking hour with my kids. But it is not all quality time. My goal is to make at least some of that time positive, quality time with my kids. Not just constant parallel-play time.
2. As a huge plan-in-advancer, I sometimes have trouble when things don't go exactly as planned. As a result, I often struggle with accepting the Lord's plan for me. So goal #2 is to try to let go of my OCD long enough to let the Lord guide my life . . . and to be okay with the direction He sends me.
3. I am currently in the process of organizing all the piles of stuff all over my house. I want to have at least a tidy home. I'm realistic enough not to expect perfection with three children in the house, but I at least want to have a "home" for all my stuff. Dumping it all on my desk is not the same as putting it away!
4. Patience. With everyone. And everything (see #2). Especially my children. They deserve that.
5. Debt. Enough said.
These are the places I've lived:
Provo, UT (with an aunt and uncle until I was three weeks old)
Newport, Rhode Island
Athens, Georgia
Okefenoku, Georgia
Bremerton, Washington (in a Presbyterian Manse)
Bremerton, Washington (in Navy housing)
Escondido, CA
San Miguel, The Phillipines )in a house right on the beach)
Subic Bay, The Phillipines (in Navy housing)
Pleasant Grove, UT (while waiting to find a home in Salt Lake)
Taylorsville, UT (where my parents still live)
Orem, UT (with an aunt and uncle my freshman year at BYU)
Provo, UT (basement apartment)
Provo, UT (house)
Kearns, UT (the duplex Kev and I rented when we were first married)
Taylorsville, UT (with Kev's parents)
West Jordan, UT
Murray, UT
Now tag to four wonderful people (if you care, that is!):
Patti, Esther, Tiffany, Lisa
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