Friday, November 30, 2012

Life Lessons—Living on Purpose

by Reba J Hoffman, PhD


I talk to people everyday who say they would like to do this or that but just can’t find the time. I understand their plight.
There are some days when I feel as though I need to hold my breath to open up a spot in my day.
It’s a wonder we get anything done in our busy world. Remember when summer days seem to stretch into infinity? You could lay in the grass for hours on end watching the upper winds blow puffy clouds by.

John Maxwell says life is like a roll of toilet paper: the closer you get to the end, the faster it goes. That has proven to be true in my own life. I’ll bet for you as well. In today’s action dense world, if you are to accomplish those things you wanted to in life, it’s critical that you live your life on purpose.

That means you have to be intentional about how you spend each day. Here are some things that will help you get the most out of life and live your dreams.
Practice the Rule of Fives.
I got this from John Maxwell and live by it with great fervor. Here’s how it works. If you wanted to chop down a tree and each day you went out and took five swings at the tree with an ax, eventually, you’d chop down the tree. Guaranteed.
You must determine what five things you must swing at each and every day that will get you where you want to be. Then, each day do those five things. Here are my five:
  • Pray. Without that, I’m sunk.
  • Read. Not just anything, but rather those things that will enrich my life and journey.
  • Write. That’s why I write a daily blog. It keeps me centered around that which is important.
  • Alone. In order to be at my best, I must spend time alone with my thoughts each and every day. If I’m on a trip with others, they know I will steal away for that intimate time with my thoughts and ideas.
  • Journal. It is cleansing for me. If I’ve had a bad day, I get it out onto paper and away from my tender heart. It’s also a great way to monitor my progress toward my goals.

I also don’t live my day until I’ve planned my day. Without a roadmap I will wander aimlessly through twenty four hours and wonder what happened to them.
Planning my day also helps me take advantage of the little snippets of time that open up between other happenings. I can dive into a little task and conquer it quickly IF I have planned for it.
Granting you the gift of life each day is on God. Living on purpose is all on you. Spending your day intentionally will help you live a fulfilling life with no regrets!
Do you live on purpose? How so? Share it here.
Reba J. Hoffman is the founder and president of Magellan Life Coaching (www.magellanlifecoaching.com). She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Counseling and is a natural encourager. She serves as Member Care Coach for My Book Therapy and is the author of Dare to Dream, A Writer’s Journal. You can connect with Reba through her motivational blog, Finding True North, or by email at reba@magellanlifecoaching.com. You can also follow her on Twitter at @RebaJHoffman.

11 comments:

  1. Great reminder this morning as I'm struggling with caregiving for elderly parents and grandchildren as well this week. But your words remind me that no matter how crazy things get, I must find time to stop and listen to the Father. Otherwise, I'm simply jerked from one crisis to another, tossed around by the next need.

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vonda, you have so much on your plate right now. I'm praying for you and for God to multiple your peace (and your time). Blessings, E

      Delete
  2. Good thoughts, Reba. I consciously try to live in the moment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anne, thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings, Edie

      Delete
  3. I am working on this. Just recently I have started concentrating on Bible memory verses as my cup of water heats in the microwave for my morning coffee or tea. That is time I previously neglected, but now it has been redeemed for God's purposes. It is only a minute or two, but that is all the time it takes to repeat and cement a verse in the brain.

    Blessings, Janice

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Janice, this is a great idea! I have several minute-long blocks of time during the day when I could use this tip. Thanks so much for sharing! Blessings, Edie

      Delete
  4. Replies
    1. Thela, I'm right there with you. I definitely needed this post as well. Reba and I don't ever talk about what she's going to share in her Friday post, but it always resonates with what God is trying to show me! Blessings, E

      Delete
  5. Wonderful, wonderful post, Reba!

    I try to live on purpose. I think when it gets hard is when it feels like some aspects of life are outside my control. But that's just life. I don't get to choose every piece of my day, but I can make the conscious effort how I respond to each thing...for instance, 8 hours of every M-F is filled with my day job. But in those eight hours, I have opportunities to pray quietly to myself, to take negative thoughts captive, that kind of thing. So yeah, I can live life on purpose even in my day job.

    Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Reba!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa, thanks so much for stopping by and especially for sharing how you try to live on purpose. It helps so much to see how others do it. Blessings, E

      Delete