March is for progress. Progress in any area of life you need progress. I believe that every journey toward progress starts with awareness. Awareness means simply being alert to our need for improvement. There is no condemnation, though it is tempting to feel it. There is also no shame in awareness. If you feel either, treat it like a visitor you don't want to entertain. The visitor stays outside of your door. Close it and get back to awareness.
Awareness of our goals
If you set goals in January, you may want to read them. Be aware of the following:
• Progress - It is wise to start with what is going well. Oftentimes, we are too hard on ourselves. We aim for perfection and we dislike when we don't achieve it. Staring with progress will add a boost of energy and excitement to your goals. I was discouraged about my nutrition goals recently. By practicing awareness and looking for progress, I was able to see a better picture of what I needed to do to reach my goals. Ask yourself, in what ways am I making progress in this particular goal?
• Barriers - It's been said that being challenged is inevitable. I agree. Barriers are part of every goal journey. I believe we should be aware of our barriers so we can overcome them in wise ways. One of my family goals is to study the Bible with the kids. One of my barriers are a busy schedule most nights of the week. In order to overcome this barrier, I can schedule our study for nights we are not as busy. I can also try to include our study at a different time of the day. Small adjustments make a world of difference. Ask yourself, what are the barriers standing in my way?
• Action - The last step is to take action. The type of action I am proposing is a small, decisive step toward your goal. The action is based on your current progress and barriers. My small action is to find a day and a time this week to have Bible Study with the kids. Recently, I noticed my nutrition needed some tweaking. I was tracking my intake in an App but it wasn't enough. My barrier were the extra calories I ate here and there without tracking. My small step was to buy the first journal I could find. I purchased one at 6 am on my way home from CrossFit. That small decisive step made a world of difference. I can say I am going in the right direction.
Progress is painfully slow but powerfully sufficient to land you at your goal.
I encourage you to be aware of your goals. Celebrate your progress. Observe your barriers. Take decisive action. You and I have what it takes to make this our best year til the next one.
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