Is it really the last day of 2017? Why is it that, once again the year seems to have to passed so quickly?
365 days.
8,760 hours.
525,600 minutes.
31,536,000 seconds.
I hate to break it to you, but you guys, this is actually quite a lot of time. And since we're not guaranteed any of it, consider yourself blessed that you are here to talk about it 😁
But I'll let you in on a little secret... though time is finite and you CAN'T make it actually last longer, you CAN live more intentionally with the time you are given.
One thing that has helped me over the last year was to set goals! I know, it sounds simple and somewhat cliche, but it works.
Let's take a look back at the beginning of my 2017 and the goals I set for myself ...
- Start a blog ✔️
- - Run a half marathon ✔️✔️
- - Run a full marathon ✔️
- - Become a Beachbody Live instructor/Group exercise instructor 🚫
- - Run a race with my husband and kiddos ✔️
- - Read every night to my kids 🚫
- - Go on a date night at least once a month with my husband 🚫
- - Participate in more church activities ✔️
- - Continue to help people on their fitness journey as a health and wellness coach ✔️
No, I didn't achieve everything I set out to accomplish, but I know that if I wouldn't have challenged myself at all, I wouldn't have ANYTHING to check off a list. And just because I didn't exactly achieve these as written doesn't mean I didn't make strides toward getting there.
When you set goals and are striving to reach them, your actions become more intentional. You aren't just "getting through" each day, but rather living in the moment and not letting the days just pass by. Have you ever gotten to work or your destination and wondered how you got there?!? That's what I mean. Be present.
I encourage you as this year comes to a close to take a moment and reflect back. How did you spend your days? What do you value most? Does that match up with how you spent your time?
Here are 7 steps I encourage you to take as we close out 2017 to help you live more intentionally and have a great 2018:
1. Acknowledge your blessings, even ones that seem small.
( Food in your belly, the clothes on your back, a vehicle to get you where you need to go)
2. Find your peace from any hurt you may have experienced.
( Acknowledge your pain and get help by talking with a trusted friend or professional)
3. Set your goals and determine who will be your accountability partner.
(If you're overwhelmed by yearly goals, break it down into weekly or monthly goals and share those with someone you can trust to hold you to them.)
4. Set priorities based on these goals and spend your time accordingly.
(Don't overextend yourself and know it's okay to say no to things that don't match up with your goals or values. Also, use the calendar on your phone to set reminders to help keep you on track)
5. Know that perfection is not achievable.
(You'll have good days and bad days. Acknowledge them both, learn from your experiences and move on 😊)
6. Ask God to be with you to help encourage you and to guide you on the right path.
(We are all human and therefore capable of slipping up. But God is perfect and loving and wants to be invited into both our triumphs and struggles. Don't forget he is always with you and listening even when you feel abandoned by others)
7. Be hopeful.
(Life is hard, but when we lose hope it becomes even harder. Keep your eye on the prize: (Heaven ✝) and continue to pray and give thanks always)
Happy New Year!!! Wishing you and yours peace and blessings for anything that comes your way in 2018 ❤️
Alicia
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