Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - October 6th

 Don’t confuse your path with your destination. Just because it’s stormy now doesn’t mean that you aren’t headed for sunshine. – Anonymous

 

Every struggle is a reminder of the question “How Bad Do You Want It?” - https://i.pinimg.com/736x/76/cf/64/76cf64e4efe7dae2ce333329ad831a41--fitness-inspiration-quotes-fitness-quotes.jpg

 

One last story about the 30-day challenge from the author.  Throughout the 30 days, the author continually heard the statement “How bad do you want it?” in podcasts and CDs she listened to.  Many times, she would have a feeling that she needed to take this quote to heart and hang on to it.  For the author, she wrote it on a piece of paper and placed it on her dream board.  Every day while working during this time of teleworking, the author looked up and saw the quote, which challenged her to keep pushing forward because of her dreams.

 

The author has tried many times to go without watching television especially during this time of being at home.  One of the 30-day challenges for the author was yet again to not watch anything that she did not learn something from.  For the author, she made it almost all 30 days and only had a couple days at the end of the challenge that were really bad and just sat on her couch and binged watched a couple Hallmark movies. 

 

As the author has talked about, she is a person that needs to be challenged and reminded how badly she wants her dreams.  Does she want it enough not to watch television and read instead?  Does she want it enough to not watch television and go hang out with friends?  For the author, it is a daily decision she has to make to keep persevering.   

 

ACTION:  How badly do you want your dreams?  What changes are you willing to make to prepare for your dreams to come true?

 

Resource

·       How Bad Do You Want It – Joel Osteen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9VXPazXesk

 

 

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - September 29th

Never give up hope. All things are working for your good. One day, you'll look back on everything you've been through and thank God for it. - Germany Kent

 

As we come to the end of the 30-day challenge, the author was reminded of something valuable during the challenge.  Talking with someone about her 30-day challenges, this person said that the author should not do what she had chosen to do, but focus on something different.  At first, the author was surprised that anyone thought they had a right to say the author was wrong in planning for a future event in her life.  The author contemplated if this person was right and then was reminded of a pregnant woman.  When a woman is pregnant, she prepares and plans for the birth of her child.  The woman may not see the child, but she knows the baby is growing inside her.  In the same way, a dream is birthed in us and we do not see how the dream will come to pass, but daily we must prepare for the dream to come true.

 

Perseverance means keep pushing. - Lailah Gifty Akita

 

For the author, she made the decision that she was going to live expectantly for her dreams to come true and not listen to what others said.  She continued on with her challenge.  Even though she did not complete this particular challenge, the author will continue to work on this challenge even after the 30 days are over because she is living expectantly.

 

ACTION:  Did anyone discourage you from completing one of your challenges?  If so, how did you handle it?  Would you handle it differently next time?

 

 

Resource

·       https://joycemeyer.org/everydayanswers/ea-teachings/what-to-do-when-youre-waiting-on-god 

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - September 22nd

If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again.  – Flavia Weedn

 

As we are coming to the end of September, the author wanted to give an update on her personal 30-day challenges.  The author has talked about her job being challenging and the long hours she works.  For September, the author challenged herself to work from 7am-5pm Monday through Friday.  However, the month of September has been crazy at the office and she has ended up working longer hours than previously due to projects and deadlines. 

 

When the tide gets high, Sail on.

You'll make it safe to the shore,

...And all the hidden treasures will be Yours!”

― Chinonye J. Chidolue

For the author, she made the decision that even though work was difficult and she was working long hours she would be resilient and persevere in life.  As she has stated before, this opportunity is preparing her for her dreams and she must be resilient. 

 

You’re going to experience pain in life. But if you choose to do the hard thing right now and put in the effort and discipline to learn, grow, become strong, and mature, then later in life you get to benefit from all of that. – Rick Warren

 

Even with her long work hours, the author decided she would take time for herself and has taken on a new goal.  Over the weekend, the author purchased an annual pass to the Virginia State Parks.  Previously visiting some of the parks, she discovered the beauty of the state she resides in and decided to set a goal to visit at least 10 of them in the next year.  For the author, she has to set a goal, which will prompt her to take action.    

 

This is not what the author desired from this challenge for herself, but she decided to persevere, take time for herself and experience the beauty of the great country we live in. 

 

ACTION:  Out of a possible setback in one of your 30-day challenges, what good came from it?  How will you incorporate the good into your life going forward? 

 

 

Resource

·       https://pastorrick.com/choose-short-term-pain-for-long-term-gain-2/ 

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - September 15th

 

Growth and comfort never coexist. —Craig Groeschel

 

Comfort and convenience run the lives of unsuccessful people. – Brian Tracy

 

Less than 2 weeks ago, the author celebrated her one-year anniversary at her job.  Last year, the author wrote about her unemployment journey and it was not an easy time.  As she thought about her first year, she thought about the journey she has gone through.  Every aspect of this job has been a learning experience.  Starting to working in a completely different industry, the author has often had to think about her dreams and remind herself that this is moving her towards them. 

 

The author thought back to the time of her unemployment and the lessons she learned.  She was rejected many times for positions in the industry that she had been in for over 15 years.  Being nudged into a different industry has taken her down a different path and pushed her a step closer to accomplishing her dreams. 

 

A rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success. - Bo Bennett

 

As we continue on our 30-day challenge, this has been a great reminder for the author.  One of the challenges she gave herself was not to be negative.  She defines negativity as seeing the negative side of things and the author’s goal is to always find the sunny side of a situation. 

 

ACTION:  After reading today’s post, what rejections have you encountered and later realized set you up for success?  How will you implement this idea to stay positive and look at rejection as just another step towards success?

 

 

 

Resource

·       I Tried These 30-Day Challenges… here’s my results. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADSZZvbrRVk

·       The Month of “YES” |”You Never Say YES to Anything!” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7doZZlm5SzU

·       Calling Over Comfort – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2YrNnRp2kY

·       http://meaningring.com/2014/07/23/the-law-of-the-rubber-band-by-john-c-maxwell/

 

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week- September 8th

 

Study the habits of the people you want to be like and then imitate them. If they are succeeding, they must be doing something right. - Dave Ramsey

 

You'll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine. - John C. Maxwell

 

To change bad habits, we must study the habits of successful role models. - Jack Canfield

 

If the reader followed Terri’s Tuesday Tip of the Week throughout the month of August, the reader experienced the author’s journey to simplify her life.  During that time, the author enlarged one of the pictures she took while listening to the ocean in Virginia Beach and hung it on her wall and relocated pillows from her living room to her bedroom.  Those simple actions changed the whole style and view in her bedroom.   

 

Last week, the author challenged the reader to start a 30-day challenge to push themselves out of their comfort zone and accomplish their goals in 2020 and their lifelong dreams.  As Dave Ramsey, John Maxwell and Jack Canfield’s quotes stated above, learn what successful people are doing and incorporate those into your daily life.  Simple changes can change the trajectory of a person’s life just like simple changes made a difference in the style in the author’s bedroom. 

 

Who are the individuals that have accomplished the goals or dreams that the reader has?  What simple changes can be incorporated into the reader’s life to help accomplish his/her 2020 goals and dreams?

 

ACTION:  How is your progress on the 30-day challenge?  What small changes have you learned from successful that you will incorporate into your life?

 

 

Resources

·       I Tried These 30-Day Challenges… here’s my results. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADSZZvbrRVk

·       The Month of “YES” |”You Never Say YES to Anything!” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7doZZlm5SzU

·       Calling Over Comfort – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2YrNnRp2kY

·       http://meaningring.com/2014/07/23/the-law-of-the-rubber-band-by-john-c-maxwell/

 

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - September 1st

 Don’t let the comfortable keep you from your calling. – Joel Osteen

 

Act on your purpose, not on your fear. – Joel Osteen

 

You will never fulfill your purpose staying comfortable. – Joel Osteen

 

  

This year has been unique to say the least.  2020 could be called the year of uncertainty, which most people will not like.  Uncertainty is scary and most people like to remain in their safe, reliable, consistent, comfort zones.  However, surviving 2020 should teach each of us something. 

 

In John Maxwell’s book The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Their Full Potential, he discusses the “Law of the Rubberband”.  Rubberbands are only useful when they are stretched and we are only going to grow and develop when we are stretched.  Has the reader been stretched this year?  The author knows she has.  This situation has been uncomfortable, frustrating and depressing.  However, the author has taken the opportunity to continue to develop, grow and focus on things in her life she can control.

 

With only four (4) months left in the year, what does the reader still want to accomplish or do this year?  How can the reader stretch themselves?  Terri Savelle Foy discussed this on her podcast called “I Tried These 30-Day Challenges…here’s my results”.  The author spent time over the weekend determining what her 30-day challenges will be.  This was a great opportunity to reignite the passion in the author as she has been in a rut since her birthday due to little progress on dreams and in the middle of a pandemic her dreams seem to be going backwards.  However, taking time to analyze what she wants to see happen before her next birthday, she created new challenges for herself.  Also, she updated her vision board and it is now in her living room to remind her each day as she works why she is resilient and daily returns to push herself to accomplish her dreams.  

 

As long as you are comfortable, you are not growing. – Terri Savelle Foy

 

ACTION:  What are you challenging yourself to do for the next 30 days to push yourself out of your comfort zone to grow?

 

 

Resource

·       I Tried These 30-Day Challenges… here’s my results. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADSZZvbrRVk

·       The Month of “YES” |”You Never Say YES to Anything!” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7doZZlm5SzU

·       Calling Over Comfort – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2YrNnRp2kY

·       http://meaningring.com/2014/07/23/the-law-of-the-rubber-band-by-john-c-maxwell/

·       https://www.embracepossibility.com/blog/15-invaluable-laws-of-growth-by-john-maxwell/

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - August 25th

 Elegance is elimination. – Cristóbal Balenciaga

 

Minimalism is not a lack of something. It’s simply the perfect amount of something. – Nicholas Burroughs

 

Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance. – Coco Chanel

 

Dictionary.com defines simplicity as the state, quality, or an instance of being simple; freedom from complexity, intricacy, or division into parts; absence of luxury, pretentiousness, ornament, etc.; plainness; freedom from deceit or guile; sincerity; artlessness; naturalness; lack of mental acuteness or shrewdness.

 

The author’s quest for simplicity started while watching the sunrise in Virginia Beach and then hearing a podcast by Patrick Lencioni.  In that podcast, Lencioni quoted Leonardo da Vinci:

 

Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.

 

Through the author’s journey to simplicity, the author has experienced more peace in her life as she has implemented the same ideas that she has written about: decisiveness, decluttering the mind and her apartment, simplifying her writing and many more things.  As the author wrote on August 11^th, she is creating a beach paradise in her apartment to provide simplicity and joy in her life.  Through this journey she has learned:

 Simplicity reveals the pure beauty of life. - Debasish Mridha

 

Simplicity is not about deprivation. Simplicity is about a greater appreciation for things that really matter. - Anonymous

As the author has made clear, this is a journey and there will be roadblocks and detours along the way.  Simplicity will be a goal that must be continually sought after and the author will have to continually be assessing progression towards simplicity like every other goal she strives toward. 

 

ACTION:  How do you plan to continue creating simplicity in your life?

 

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - August 18th

Clutter is not just physical stuff. It’s old ideas, toxic relationships and bad habits. Clutter is anything that does not support your better self. — Eleanor Brown

 

Clutter isn’t just in your home, attic, garage or office.  Clutter is also in your mind, and distracts you from the amazing things you are meant to do. – Katrina Mayer

 

The mind is a very powerful thing and what the mind thinks is what comes to pass.  In the mind, there can be mental clutter in the form of bad memories, fear, unforgiveness, poisonous relationships or poor habits.  When we have this mental clutter, it prohibits us from living a simple life and accomplishing our dreams.  Additionally, we encounter mental clutter by worrying about the situations we are encountering.  The “clutter” is not from the situation, but based on how we look at the situation and handle it.     

 

To remove the mental clutter, one must reprogram the mind with positive thoughts just like an individual declutters their home.  Removing the negative thoughts provides peace, joy and simplicity in life.   

 

Clear your mind of clutter, congestion and conflict. Free your mind of unproductive, nonessential thoughts about yourself and your life. – Anonymous

 

ACTION: Write a list of affirmations and review them daily.  We believe more of what we say about ourselves than anyone else. 

 

Resource

·       https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/make+a+mountain+out+of+a+molehill#:~:text=Exaggerate%20trifling%20difficulties%2C%20as%20in%20If%20you%20forgot,in%20John%20Fox%27s%20The%20Book%20of%20Martyrs%20%281570%29 

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - August 11th

 Out of clutter, find simplicity. ― Albert Einstein

 

Clutter may rob us of the life we imagined or prevent us from creating a new vision for our future. ― Lisa J. Shultz, Lighter Living: Declutter. Organize. Simplify.

 

As the author has been teleworking and rarely leaving her apartment, she has been greatly bothered by the clutter.  She keeps it clean, but she discovered there were many items she did not use anymore.  Over the last couple of months, the author had sparsely removed items.  However, the author recently decided that she does not know when she will be returning to an office for work so she had to take action and clean out the clutter and create a beach paradise in her apartment. 

 

When we throw out the physical clutter, we clear our minds.  When we throw out the mental clutter, we clear our souls. – Gail Blanke

 

In the last month when the author has been looking at different items, she has wondered if she would ever use some of the items again.  Talking to Mama Flow, the author came to the realization that rarely would she need anything that she was giving away.  After spending time decluttering, she has a car trunk full of stuff.  As she continues to create her beach themed apartment, she has purchased one item, which was a canvas of a picture she took while on her trip to Virginia Beach.  All of the other changes she made were simply moving items around to create a different environment. 

 

A simple life is not seeing how little we can get by with—that’s poverty—but how efficiently we can put first things first. . . . When you’re clear about your purpose and your priorities, you can painlessly discard whatever does not support these, whether it’s clutter in your cabinets or commitments on your calendar. (148)

― Victoria Moran, Lit From Within: Tending Your Soul For Lifelong Beauty

 

As the author has been creating her beach paradise, she has remembered her dreams and knows what brings her joy.  The author does not know where 2020 will take her, but she knows she needs simplicity in her life and needs to be surrounded by the things that bring her joy! 

 

ACTION: Spend 20 minutes a day this week clearing clutter out of your work and personal space.  Create spaces that you enjoy and are clutter-free to help you accomplish your dreams. 

 

Resource

·       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gea6zhnArmg

·       https://www.upnorthparent.com/simplicity-project-5-reasons-to-simplify-declutter/

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - August 4th

A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action.  If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.  – Tony Robbins Quotes on Making Decisions

 

Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach. – Tony Robbins Quotes on Making Decisions

 

It is in your moments of indecision that your dreams are destroyed. – Dr. Marc Dussault

 

Indecision is not part of the simple life and the author recently learned how indecisive she can be.  

 

As the author has been cautious with her excursions during this unique time in our society, she takes the opportunity to visit various locations when she can.  Last weekend, the author planned to visit Fort Washington National Park, which is a historical site she has seen many times driving down the George Washington Memorial Parkway.  When she researched the national park, she saw that they had been closed and planned to reopen the first weekend of August.  The author had a hard time making the decision when she would visit because she had told people she was going and she wanted to do other things on the weekends in August.  For a couple days, she waffled back and forth on when to visit.   

 

The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision.  – Maimonides

 

Finally, the author made the decision not to go the last official weekend of July and placed an appointment reminder on her calendar to visit the first weekend of August.  After all of indecisiveness, the national park was still not open, but she was able to see many of the sites. 

Many times, in life making a decision can be difficult and reasons for the indecision can range from not trusting oneself to make the right decision, afraid of making a mistake, not wanting to get blamed for something, etc.  While contemplating the decision, stress and frustration often set in.  It is during those times, to remember a quote from Benjamin Spock:

 

Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do.

 

ACTION:  Practice being decisive this week to help make life simpler.