A new year brings excitement about new beginnings…new ideas on how this year is going to be different. But how? How will we do the things this year that we didn’t get to in prior years? How will we find the time we need to make our ambitions come to fruition?
I think the first step is to be “intentional” about the way we approach each day. A person does not sail to the other side of the shore without first leaving the current one…without preparing the boat and setting sail in the right direction and with the right supplies. In order to reach the destination, one must prepare and then actually board the boat and start sailing. Accomplishing our desires in 2014 should be approached in like manner. We have to be “intentional” with our preparation, our decisions, and ultimately our direction if we are to have a successful journey.
Time goes by so quickly. Before we know it, a month is gone – January is already behind us. Were we intentional with our time and energy in January? Did we check off items on our list? Or did we let the minutes and days pass by with our priorities being driven by others? Did we choose each day our direction? Of course, there is always work to be done, appointments to make, people to take care of, and many other events that take up our time. All of these are important in our lives. It is not about avoiding these things…but enjoying the journey and being intentional about our choices along the way. Many of us would rather sit back and blame all the things on our plate for not reaching our goals than to take ownership of our time each day and be accountable.
Think tomorrow when you wake up…what do I have the privilege to do today? Do you have a job that you are blessed with? Do you have the opportunity to make breakfast and spend time with your children before sending them to school? Make each moment count. Cherish the day and be intentional about what you do and how you think. You will be amazed what you can accomplish.