It’s Blossom Season
Have you ever heard the phrase, “April Showers Bring May Flowers”?
The downpours of quarter one has caused me to begin sprouting something on the inside. Throughout the remainder of the year, I will use that saturation to help me blossom into the bright, bold, confident, strong, virtuous woman that God has called me to be and more!
"God's Word is like precipitation. When it hits your soul, it produces something that you never knew you had." - Sara Jakes Roberts
This season for me is all about growth. Allowing God to grow me in areas that are uncomfortable. April has challenged me on so many levels. Talk about having to surrender control. Control over my time, over my marriage, over my children, over my day...complete control over my life! Ugh, It's now May and this is still a bit of a struggle (Lord, Help me!).
I'm truly learning the importance of living in the moment. I’m no longer worrying so much about my future and the what-ifs nor living in the unreal world of perfection. Most importantly, I’m not putting so much pressure on myself to meet unrealistic deadlines. As much as I'd like to control my time, I have to remain open and flexible to how my day may go. Being a stay at home mom of five, including two toddlers, means an unpredictable series of events.
You may be thinking, "when do you have time for yourself?" That's a great question! I don't. When I do get time to myself, I typically sabotage it. So, being intentional about my alone time can be a struggle within itself.
Although, I may not be able to control my own life, I do believe that having a plan and setting boundaries are equally as important as building structure in your routine. Having structure allows you to set a solid foundation for your day. Which will set you up for a successful future.
What does that mean??
Routines and habits are key! Typically, the way you start your day will either set you up for success or failure. I know that's a bit forward, but it's true!
If you ever feel as if you can't get ahead of your to do list, you are struggling with balance or not having enough time in the day, then LISTEN UP... It's time to change your habits and routines.
To be completely honest with you, being a woman with unhealthy habits most of her life, this has been one of the biggest challenges that I've faced. In order to be the self motivating, go getter that I desire to be, I must make a change. That change first takes place
First and foremost this requires for me to change my mindset from my natural (carnal) way of thinking to the mindset of a winner (believer).
We are what we eat (literally and figuratively). What is it that you are consuming on a regular basis that is causing you to think, do and say certain things? Ponder on that for a moment...
We are often heavily influenced by the things that we are instilling in us, causing us to think, react or respond in a manner based on what we have deposited into our hearts with our eyes and our ears. I could go deeper on this topic but it would be a post all by itself.
The second step is for me to set up a daily morning routine. Doing so will allow me to feel good about myself. We all know that when you feel good on the inside, it reflects on the outside. I've found that using God’s words as affirmations help me to go before others with an uplifted spirit, opposed to a tired, agitated or frustrated spirit. Only then am I able to allow God’s light to shine through me.
As a woman of God, I prefer to read God's Word before I get my day started; followed by reflection, journaling and prayer.
The third step is to create healthy habits, which will catapult you to the next level of greatness. One healthy habit that I desire to commit to is waking up 2 hours earlier than my current alarm time.
WAKE, PRAY & SLAY YOUR DAY!
When you are intentional about rising early for the grind of your day, you will be surprised how much you can get accomplished. I'm excited to be starting this month off with my new and improved morning routine. It takes at least 21 consecutive days to build a habit. So, I'll be giving you an update on the effectiveness of these healthy habits as well as sharing more details about my morning routine on a later post.
In the meantime, comment below with some healthy habits that you have created.
Also, If this post has been helpful in anyway, please share your thoughts with me.
I'd love to hear from you!
BEFORE YOU GO... I wanted to share this gem!
One of my goals is to read 7 books that will help me become the woman that God has called me to be. I am currently reading 5 Things Successful People Do Before 8 AM written by Terri Savelle Foy.
This book has opened my eyes on how creating healthy habits contribute to your future success. I've wasted so much time in the past on worldly distractions, such as social media, TV, peers, etc. I've allowed people and circumstances, as well as things around me to keep me from tapping into my full potential. If you have struggled with any of the things that I described above, this book is for you! Click the image on the left to order your copy today!
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I appreciate you all! Until next time...
Ashley
