Grow, Risk, Thrive 4
“I have come that they may have life and have it to the full”
John 10:10.
Choose a Positive Attitude
What's the difference between viewing a situation as an opportunity or seeing it as an obstacle? ATTITUDE! Choosing your attitude is the single most important daily decision you make. What you do with your years on earth depends on your attitude. A positive attitude, not circumstances, enables you to experience the abundant life Jesus came to give you. Do you find yourself negative and rigid at times? Here are some ways to fight this:
Ask yourself: What is positive in this person, in this situation, in me?
Ask yourself: What opportunities for personal growth are hidden in this situation?
Pray: Lord, help me catch those negative thoughts that surge into my mind when I’m facing tough or discouraging situations--before they poison me!
Pray: Lord, help me to consciously mull over what is truthful and positive, even if it’s a struggle.
Choose to verbalize positive and encouraging thoughts to others: Your family, the person you work alongside, your neighbor, others at church. Everyone needs building up. By your cheery attitude maybe God will use you to help them grow.
Choose to Keep Learning
When did you last take a class--on anything? I’m a Certified Life Coach but there’s always more to learn so I’m taking another course online and loving it! What book or article have you read recently that made you think? I’d love to know and maybe add it to my stack of current reading. To feel intensely alive, we need to feed our minds with God’s Word, as well as stay aware of what's happening around us. For this to happen, we must choose to keep learning. Researchers say that mental decline is not inevitable, but rather a result of not using our brains to learn, think, and make decisions. To give your brain a workout:
Tackle a challenging book, class, or skill. Then try to explain it to someone!
Master something new that is difficult.
Practice learning to concentrate.
Come up with a dozen ways to stretch your mind. Don’t be scared to try. Take a RISK, start working on your list, and watch yourself THRIVE!
Choose to Work at What Matters
Do you find yourself listless, bored, or depressed? Are you feeling somewhat aimless? For good emotional health, we all need to be engaged in some form of meaningful work. God created us with this need and He calls us to be productive with our one life. Work, whether it is paid or volunteer, is a gift from Him, not something to be avoided. It is a daily source of feeling useful, fulfilled, satisfied, and grateful for what we have and how we can bless others. Whatever you do, whether it’s:
Completing your household chores
Fixing a good meal
Running a business,
Teaching a skill
Serving in your church or community
Being engaged in something productive is vital for a thriving life.
If you want to THRIVE, which of these three choices will you make today? Perhaps all three? I hope so. Blessings,
Poppy
For further insights read my book, Go For It!: Make Your Life Count For God .