Hello 2016, I am very happy to meet you! I am coming into 2016 with a very different attitude than I have my last 50+ years on this earth. In the past, I have done the resolution/goal/word thing but we all know how that goes, if we last til February we have succeeded. This yea,r I am grabbing 2016 by the horns and for the first time I have a plan. We all know that if we fail to plan then we plan to fail, but this is more than that. This is a concrete direction or, filter even, that has pervaded my life lately and on New Year’s Eve morning it all came together when the Lord showed me a verse, my verse, for 2016.
I had spent the time between Christmas and New Year’s evaluating my life and my work. I did some reading on goal setting and planning and after spending time finally reading articles I had pinned on Pinterest, I came across Intentional by Design. This site by Leigh Ann Dutton is a wonderful resource and her free ebook Planning 101:How to be Intentional with your Time was exactly what I needed. I know how to plan and organize, that is in my DNA, what my planning was missing was, purpose.
I do a lot of things and most of them are good. I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, aunt, and mother-in-law. I run 5 small businesses. I volunteer at church in both music and kids ministry, and anywhere else they need me. I “do” a lot, but especially in my businesses, I’m not seeing the results I should. The reason I’m not seeing results is that I have lacked purpose, I’m often spinning my wheels, not growing or learning.
Not any more! 2016 will be a year of asking “Why am I doing this?” Is this advancing God’s kingdom? Is it providing for my family? Is it growing my community both online and off? I have already started learning more about ways to improve in my 3 top businesses. Soon my longest running business will close and another is teetering on closing as well. I am fine with doors closing. My plate is full and there is no room for new adventures with old stale things still on the plate. As an entrepreneur, it might help a ton to learn details such as the great business electricity guide by About Manchester.
There will be changes around here too. I believe most of them will be for the better and I know, if you don’t like them, you will let me know 🙂
When I shared my verse for 2016, I shared it from the New Living Translation. I also really like the way it reads in The Message Bible:
“So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.” Ephesians 5:15-17 The Message
What does the Master want? Figure that out and do it!
Happy New Year!
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