Project 141: RELATIONSHIPS (Part 2..."The Worksheet")

 

It is absolutely necessary for you to read Part 1 BEFORE you get into this article. Get it? Got it? GOOD! I "set the table" for this continuation of those thoughts found in that article.

This part is going to be a little bit different than I had originally planned to incorporate into this section on "Relationships". I do that. My mind says, "Hey, let's delve into THIS a little more" and, next thing you know, I've started making my article longer than planned.

I did record a podcast yesterday that combines both parts 1 and 2 of this part on "Relationships". You can find that podcast HERE. 

Right off, let me emphasize that I am NOT an "expert relationship counselor" or anything like that. I have done quite a bit of marriage counseling from when I was in ministry and I also have 39 years of marriage that brings with it a lot of "first-hand" knowledge in this area.

Again, be sure to go back and read the first part of this series before going any further. This is simply another suggestion that you may want to take a look at and consider in the area of doing something to improve your relationship with your spouse. 

KEY THING TO CONSIDER: Should you go through the information for this "worksheet" by yourself or with your spouse? Here's what I suggest...

If your relationship is currently in a "contentious state" (problems) then I suggest that you do this on your own and be completely honest in all of your answers. Make sure you understand that this exercise is an "inward focusing" exercise. In other words, this is not something for you to do to "point fingers" at your spouse and play the "blame game". If you are not willing to look inwardly during this exercise then, friend, I suggest that you just move on and do some serious thinking about how serious you really are about your relationship.

Blunt, huh?

Now then, IF the two of you are working together on improving your relationship then, you may consider doing this together as long as you still understand that this is an inward-looking exercise and not something designed to "lash out" or try to hurt the other. 

So, here we go and I do suggest that you listen to the podcast on this as well. The verbal along with the written many times make things a little clearer and easier to understand.

Take a few minutes, get out a piece of paper and divide it into 3 columns. First, write down on the left hand side of your paper (1st column)  all of the things that you remember about your spouse that caused you to "fall in love" with them. Then, make a "middle column" and simply answer "yes" or no" to the question: Is this the same? Are those traits still there? (or however you want to word it). NOTICE: I did not say do you FEEL the same way about that...I asked if those traits were actually still there. BIG DIFFERENCE.  Then, make a 3rd column and answer the question if the "change" that has supposedly taken place is due to your spouse or you. In other words, IF there was a change, WHY was there a change?

 Here's an example I put together just to help you out. Make this YOURS and make sure it applies to YOUR situation and, again, MAKE SURE YOU ARE TOTALLY HONEST WITH YOURSELF!

Let's just use the first entry as an example. In the example above, one of the traits that is listed as something that you "fell in love with" early on was the fact that they were "good looking". Great! Now then, in the 2nd column the question is asked, "Does this trait still exist" or "Is this still true?" The answer I listed - purely as an example - was, "Yes, but different". In other words, "Yes, they are still good looking but in a different way" which leads to column 3 asking, "If there IS a change then, What changed? Who changed? Why the change?" and the very simplistic answer I listed was, "AGE caused the change". 

I'm not trying to over simplify this but to simply give you some ideas. Your "reasons" as to the "why/who/what" may go much, much deeper and that's o.k. Use as much space as you need to write down what you honestly feel and think on this (and ALL of these areas). But, it is very important that you also look at yourself in this and also ask if YOU have changed in this same area as well. In other words, "Hey, have YOU looked in the mirror lately?" This is both PHYSICALLY (you've gotten older as well!) and also taking a look at who you really are on the inside (has your love matured over the years or are you still stuck on things such as "good looks"). 

The real "dig down deep" part of this worksheet is column 3. If you are filling this out by yourself, then say absolutely whatever you feel without worrying about hurting the other's feelings. If you do this, make sure that they DO NOT read this right now!

But, if you are going to do that then, friend, you MUST zero down and look inwardly and ask WHY you feel this way and you may want to do a LOT of "self-examination" on this and see what YOU need to change in this relationship. 

Bottom line: NEITHER OF YOU are the same person that you were when you first met. And, to be honest, you should be glad that you are not, IF you have matured and grown in your life. 

When you do this exercise, I suggest that you ask God to help you "see with new eyes" as you look at your spouse. In other words, sometimes people get fixated on how things "used to be" and, once again, as a reminder, NEITHER of you are the same person that you were before. It's easy for us to get critical of our mate due to things that have taken place over the years that also have impacted us as well. 

Let this worksheet be a GOOD thing in and for your life and relationship. If you approach it the way I suggest and, if you ask God to guide you and help you through the process, I believe it can do just that.

Until next time, remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

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Project 141: RELATIONSHIPS

 

RELATIONSHIPS. They come in all "shapes and sizes", don't they? You have your relationship with your spouse, your parents, your in-laws, your kids, their spouses once they get older, your siblings, co-workers, your boss and just friends, in general. 

I will try to cover several of these areas over the next few blog articles but, as you can probably tell from the picture above, I'm going to start off talking about your relationship with your spouse. Yes, you can re-word that however you want and apply it however you want, but I think you get the idea.

That picture is actually the shadow of my wife and I from a couple of weeks ago when we were out on a day trip. We were actually taking a "selfie" with some beautiful scenery behind us when I noticed the shadow and decided I wanted to take a picture of that as well. 

We will have been married for 39 years toward the end of this coming May. Wow! She's getting old! Yeah, yeah, I know. Anyway, that's a long time to be with someone but, at the same time, her parents have been married for 70 years!!

Straight up...it has NOT been easy! There have been times over the years that both of us "got lazy" and took each other for granted. We have been separated on two different occasions (5 weeks was the longest) and were even on the brink of divorce during that longest period.

But, we are still here and, to be honest, we are STRONGER than ever before...but not by accident. It has taken determination, patience and, plain old WORK!

That is the purpose of talking about my "Project 141" application to this area of RELATIONSHIPS.

With the application of the idea behind "Project 141" be sure to do at least ONE (1) thing every day FOR (4) ONE (1) full year. Yes, every - single - day. At LEAST once a day!

Look at the graphic I put together a few years ago to get a few ideas of a few questions that you might want to consider...

Again, I know some of you would want to list "RELATIONSHIPS" in my list further up the list and that's o.k. Like I've already stated, I put them in this order for a reason and, as a way to recap, here's is my reasoning behind the order of this list.

In my opinion, your SPIRITUAL life/connection should always be #1 on your list. Want to know how to have better relationships? Check your "owners manual" (the Bible) for your directions. Want to improve your "PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT"? Again, check the "owners manual" which, if you go back and read, I pointed out over 3 articles on that specific area on this list. Why did I not put "relationships" in front of either of these. An improved spiritual life/connection will improve every area of your life. In my opinion, working on improving yourself (personal development) and your mind, mindset and attitude will do nothing but improve all of your relationships as well. 

Test me on this and see what you discover.

You CAN NOT take your relationships (ANY of them) for granted! I know it may sound corny but, yes, you need to treat your relationships as if they were a tender plant that needs your attention. Specifically, as we talk about your relationship with your spouse, you must take DAILY care and NEVER take it for granted. If you see this relationship starting to "wilt", don't wait! Let this be a "warning sign" to you that it is in need of some "nourishment" and get at it, friend!

A few years ago, I began writing little notes for my wife and leaving them around for her to find. Actually, this began when we were separated and I knew I had best figure out a way to get her attention and let her know how much I DID love her and how much I DID cherish her and NEED her.  Guess what? After a little while, she started leaving me notes as well.

This might be something that you consider doing for YOUR spouse. Get creative as WHERE to leave the note to surprise your spouse.

Let me emphasize this point. Yes, it's GREAT to leave notes like this but DO NOT allow these notes take the place of you VERBALLY telling your spouse that you love them. SAY the words, "I love you!" no matter how uncomfortable that may be for you at first --SAY IT!

Remember, CHANGE IS NOT EASY and, as "silly" as it may seem to some that are already in the habit of doing things such as this, if you are NOT used to doing so, it WILL take effort and discipline to do SOMETHING every single day!

Here's another suggestion for you if you are finding that you "don't feel" the same way that you used to when you first met. For one, understand that NEITHER of you are the same person that you were when you first met! THIS IS KEY! 

In my next article, I'm going to continue this discussion and share with you a suggested "work sheet" to really "break this down" (the idea stated in the last paragraph) and hopefully help you and your spouse strengthen your relationship.

Until next time, remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

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Project 141: HEALTH

Don't worry, I'm not going to give you a routine of exercise and a diet to follow in this blog article. Hopefully, you have already discovered that in my approach to expanding "Project 141" to these areas of your life. It's not about HOW MUCH you are doing but, simply, getting into the habit of doing SOMETHING in these areas each and every day for the course of a year. 

Some may feel that I need to put "health" at the top of the list but, again, I put them in the order that I have for a reason. It really doesn't matter how physically fit you are or how good of health you are in if you are missing out on your connection in your spiritual life and if you are not working on your personal development. Oh, I know it makes a difference as far as how long you MIGHT live. But you still won't be living the life that you COULD live, friend.

I'm not a dietician and I struggle with my weight. I've had success in the past, even losing 100 pounds over a 13 month period but, like many, about half of that slowly came back on me. Hey folks, I LIKE TO EAT! And, on top of that, the kind of stuff I like to eat tends to be your "southern-type" foods...fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fried catfish, fried, fried fried. 

I also have diabetes and high blood pressure as a result of eating this way for most of my life. I am doing better than I have done in the past but I still have to really focus on improving what I'm doing with and for my health each and every day. 

The #1 "New Year's Resolution" has to do with weight loss and maybe you are one of those people that have hopped on that same bandwagon year after year after year with little to no success. Truth be told, most of the time you never really put a lot of effort and/or determination into the process, right?

I do know this for a fact: What you put into your body and how much you "work" your body (exercise) makes a BIG impact on how you think and feel. Again, that is a fact!

I suggest you make a decision to do ONE thing in the area of exercise per day and ONE thing in the area of "making a better choice" when it comes to your diet. Nothing major, nothing difficult....just one thing.

Let me prepare you with this right up front...CHANGE IS NOT EASY!

Here are a few suggestions and I'd love to hear YOUR suggestions as well...

     In the area of exercise: If you are able to park your car further away from the door at work, do it. If you can, park further away from the main entrance at any store, the post office and basically, anywhere and everywhere that you must park. It's really a simple task but, friend, let me tell you, the "old you" is going to keep telling you that you don't really want to make that extra effort. But, come on...you gotta' get started with something!                                                                                                                            Also, if you do have some exercise equipment that you've turned into a place to drape your clothes, clean that sucker off and start using it! You don't have to "go crazy" on it but just start doing a little bit of time on it...do SOMETHING! For example, I have a "Total Gym" that I bought several years ago and was really doing good using until I hurt my back one day and had to stay off of it for a while. But, I didn't need to stay off of it for as long as I did. It was hard for me to convince myself that I needed to actually DO something instead of just telling myself that I "needed to". When I was working out on it before, I would spend about 30 minutes on it and, to be honest, now with a different job, I really didn't want to get up 30 minutes early to do that and I sure didn't want to come home after a day of work to do my workout. So I decided to reduce the amount that I had done before and simply get up 15 minutes earlier for my workout. The main thing is that I am forcing myself into getting into the habit of doing the exercise and, on top of just getting into the habit, I know it is doing me some good physically.  There are all kinds of things that you can do just to get into the habit (that's the key, do not let this be a 1 or 2 week effort) of doing something once a day over the next year. Just get up and walk around your office during the day. Yes, take the stairs instead of the escalator even though your "old you" will tell you not to do so. Hey, you CAN do this and it WILL make a difference!

   In the area of making smarter food choices: Again, remember, I struggle with this BIG time! Like I've already said, this does not have to be something dramatic that causes you to get stressed out but it does need to be something. For example, popcorn is not that big of a deal but I was eating at least one bag - and sometimes two - every night. I stopped that a long time ago. Interestingly, I did have a bag a couple of weeks ago and, guess what? After I finished it, I really wished I hadn't eaten it. It didn't taste that good to me and I actually felt "blah" when I was done.                                                                        I like sweets! I haven't restricted myself completely from that but I am trying to do better with that (remember, I am a diabetic) than I have in the past. A few years ago I had my wife cut her cake recipes in half so that I wouldn't be tempted to eat so much cake when I asked her fix me something sweet. And now, I've even gotten to where when I ask her to do that, I will eat some on the first night and end up asking her to take it to her mom and dad. I don't want it any more.  

Things that you may consider small are really what I'm talking about here. Just like the exercise, it's all about getting in the habit and THINKING about what you are doing. Are you in the habit of going through that coffee shop drive-through in the morning and getting one of those "milkshakes-disguised-as-coffee" drinks? Maybe start off not doing that for even one day and then two and...eventually you will break the habit of that expensive (money and physical) habit. 

Here's another for you that may be hard for you at first because of how "addicted" you may be to it...cut out colas of any kind. Sure, you may need to do the gradual reduction thing like I mentioned in the previous paragraph but, at the same time, you may want to just drop it "cold turkey" and see how quickly you begin to feel better.  Again, you CAN do this and it WILL make a difference!

This expanded use of "Project 141" is designed to help all of us operate at the "best us" level that we can and doing better in this area is a vital part of that process.

I want to hear from you. What things can you help add to the list of "doing something once a day" that would help and maybe even inspire others? If you would, you can leave a comment here but I would prefer for you to go to my Facebook page and leave your comments there. 

Next, I will be discussing this approach with our relationships. I hope you will join me.

Until next time, always remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

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Project 141: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (Part 3: REFILL)

 

 Again, if you've not done so, be sure to go back and read parts 1 and 2 of this article. Part 1 can be found HERE and Part 2 can be found HERE.

In the last article I discussed the "RELEASE" part of the "Release and Refill"  concept found in the following scripture. Be sure to go back and read it so that you can make the "connection" on these two parts.

 Philippians 4: 6-8. Here is that passage again:

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

 

 

So, understanding (or at least acknowledging) the idea that we must RELEASE the worry from our lives in order to help improve our mind, mindset and attitude we must also understand/acknowledge the idea that we must then REPLACE that "void" that has been left by removing that habit of worry from our lives. And, verse 8, tells us EXACTLY what we need to be using to REPLACE that "void".

In order to develop ourselves, personally, we must improve and, usually, CHANGE our mind/mindset. Before we can change our life we must first change us - ourselves. And it all begins with this change of mindset and attitude.

Instead of focusing our thoughts on those things that we tend to worry about, we now need to begin to focus on things that are TRUE. Obviously, we want to avoid focusing on things that are untrue (lies) in our world. We are SURROUNDED by these lies from all angles and in regards to just about every area that we encounter each and every day. But, as we think about changing our mind and mindset and, as a result, our attitude, we must understand that we must reject the lies that we may believe about ourselves and our abilities.

Again, you don't have to agree with me friend but, in my opinion, there is no better way to do that than to spend time in the Word and to allow God - your Creator - to tell you what He thinks about you. The TRUTH and not the lies that we may want to believe instead. One of my daily affirmations that I created several years ago states this fact: "I AM ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AND DO GREAT THINGS!" while one that I added later also states, "I AM A CHILD OF GOD, THEREFORE I AM AMAZING!"

It is important to focus on this TRUTH in and for your life!

 

Paul then encourages us to think or focus on that which is NOBLE. Simply put, think of it this way - choose to think and focus on what is BETTER and ABOVE the "normal" activity and thoughts that surround us each day. We must "rise above" the negativity that surrounds all of us and begin to focus on BETTER thoughts and ideas. Don't allow yourself to "think and act" like everyone else. Friend, you are NOT "everyone else" and, to be blunt, you are BETTER than everyone else because "everyone else" tends to just "go with the flow" and THAT AIN'T YOU!

Now then, it is also important that we fill that void with what is "JUST" or, maybe better understood as what is "RIGHT". Wow, just typing those words may even stir up a hornets nest with some people because many in our world today do not like ANYONE pointing out the fact that, indeed, there IS right and wrong in our world. Yes, all of these things are very closely related and, again, the main point of this is the fact that, in order to improve your mind, mindset and attitude (which means you are improving YOU overall) we must discipline ourselves to THINK DIFFERENTLY than others. And, most likely, differently than you have focused your thought before. Don't be thinking of ways that you can take advantage of people in your work (this applies in a LOT of ways, friend) but, rather, by thinking about what is true, noble and just (right) you begin to think about how you can help others and be of service to others. WOW! What a change in mindset, wouldn't you agree?

And, finally, think on things that are PURE, LOVELY and of "GOOD REPORT". It's a mind shift! Get rid of all of the "garbage" that you have allowed into your mind (this is a DAILY process, by the way) and allow your mind to begin to think and focus on what is PURE and LOVELY! Also, again being closely related is the encouragement to think/focus on things that are of "GOOD REPORT" or things that are positive, uplifting and encouraging. The other side of this? You already know.

I know I've already said it but let me say it again. You may not believe in God or the Bible, but I do and I believe that it is my calling to share with you how this can help you in every area of your life. 

When I started this section on PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT I did not plan to have 3 parts on this but I felt that I needed to share with you as much as I could in this area. As I discussed in part 1, "personal development" is closely connected with the Spiritual aspect that we talked about in part 1.

Bottom line, as I discuss my "expanded" use of Project 141, I encourage you to do SOMETHING (at least 1 thing) in the area of "personal development" every day for the next year and see what happens in and for your life.

I'd love to get some feedback from you about what you've read so far in this new series talking about this "expansion". I always love to connect with my readers and I'd love to do that with you.

Always remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

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Project 141: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (Part 2: RELEASE)

 

 If you've not done so, be sure and read part 1 in the last article that I posted. I didn't want to make that article too long and decided to break it up in a couple of posts. You're welcome! :)

What I want to do today is break down some phrases and words that I highlighted in yesterday's article from Philippians 4: 6-8. Here is that passage again:

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

I want to break down a couple of things from these verses that may help us all understand the importance of what we allow into our mind and, as a result, our mindset and attitude.

1. Stop Worrying!  Do you find that you worry a lot? If so, take a moment and write down the things that you tend to worry about most often. Is it your job? Is it finances? Your kids? Your marriage? Whatever it is that you seem to spend a lot of time worrying about, write it down and then take a good hard look at that list. The next question on this is simply, "WHY do you worry so much about these things?" Is there anything that your worrying is going to do to help the situation? Likely not! And, truth be told, the majority of the things you worry about never come to be anyway.

So, I like to look at and label verses 6 and 7 as: "Release and Refill"  It's not enough for us to simply remove the things from our mind that worry us. You know what that does? It leave a big ol' hole in our mind that WILL be filled by SOME thought and, more often than not, they will be other negative thoughts. So, first and foremost, RELEASE your worry and, verse 6 tells us all exactly how to do that! "...but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God..." So, go to God in prayer (that's simply spending time talking with him about your life and your needs). "Supplication" simply means to "humbly ask". But here's the kicker - with THANKSGIVING! In other words, take a few moments and take your eyes off of your list of worries and make another list of things that are in your life for which you can be THANKFUL! Take note, this is of GREAT IMPORTANCE in the area of personal development...you MUST develop an attitude of gratitude.

So, RELEASE the worry from your mind. Pay attention and be THANKFUL for the things in your life that are good (friend, no matter what is going on in your life there are more things than you think in this area) and just talk with God and "release" your cares and concerns as you do so. Just do it friend and see what begins to happen with your mind, mindset and attitude. Read a little further and you find a promise from God about the level of PEACE that will enter your life and power that you now have to help GUARD your mind.That's part 1...RELEASE.

Again, remember, it's important to make sure we now fill that VOID that has been left by those things that we have released with something powerful and positive. First of all, get in the habit of being aware of what you have that brings about THANKS in your life. I cannot stress that enough!

Again, so as to be sure that this article does not become too long, I'm going to save the second part of this ("REFILL") for the next article. 

Friend, take some time and really consider the things that I have discussed here today. These are things that can literally change the direction of your life and, yes, it IS a part of personal development. I would say that this is actually the FOUNDATION of what we now refer to as "personal development".

-----------------------------

As an added bonus today, here is a great article by Jim Rohn on the importance of personal development...

The Miracle of Personal Development by Jim Rohn

One day my mentor Mr. Shoaff said, “Jim, if you want to be wealthy and happy, learn this lesson well: Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job.”

Since that time I’ve been working on my own personal development. And I must admit that this has been the most challenging assignment of all. This business of personal development lasts a lifetime.

You see, what you become is far more important than what you get. The important question to ask on the job is not, “What am I getting?” Instead, you should ask, “What am I becoming?” Getting and becoming are like Siamese twins: What you become directly influences what you get. Think of it this way: Most of what you have today you have attracted by becoming the person you are today.

I’ve also found that income rarely exceeds personal development. Sometimes income takes a lucky jump, but unless you learn to handle the responsibilities that come with it, it will usually shrink back to the amount you can handle.

If someone hands you a million dollars, you’d better hurry up and become a millionaire. A very rich man once said, “If you took all the money in the world and divided it equally among everybody, it would soon be back in the same pockets it was before.”

It is hard to keep that which has not been obtained through personal development.

So here’s the great axiom of life:

To have more than you’ve got, become more than you are.

This is where you should focus most of your attention. Otherwise, you just might have to contend with the axiom of not changing, which is:

Unless you change how you are, you’ll always have what you’ve got.

Until next time remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube  Project141

Project 141: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (Part 1)

 

 

Today, as I begin to write this blog article I just want to state that I don't know why you are here but I do believe that you are here FOR A REASON. I absolutely do believe that. I do not believe that it is just a coincidence that you are here, now, reading this blog article.

That being the case (and, again, I believe that it is), it is very important that you PAY ATTENTION to what I share with you today. You are here for a reason and there is something that you NEED to read in this article. Or, perhaps, something in this article will cause you to decide to read my previous article or...? 

As I continue my discussion on the "expansion" of Project 141 let me first call your attention to the original concept of Project 141...and that is the financial aspect of the program. You can read, listen and watch everything I've done about that by going to www.myProject141.com .

In the "expansion" of Project 141 I wanted to approach the fact that each of us can do SOMETHING every single day to make a difference in our lives as well as in the lives of others. The numbers in Project 141 represent doing 1 thing per day (or week) 4 (for) 1 year. This is more than your normal "New Year's Resolution" that most people start and stop consistently each and every year. This is more of a "strategic" approach to making actual change and improvement in our lives.

But you MUST be committed to doing this for ONE FULL YEAR!

In my last article, I discussed the importance of spending time in God's Word (the Bible) at least once a day. Again, you may or may not believe in God. That's besides the point. I DO believe in God and I'm simply sharing with you MY thoughts, ideas and suggestions. Whether you believe it or not, I do believe that YOU are a child of God...that you were created by God and, that being the case, you have an absolute need to "connect" with your creator - your Father - every single day. If you've not read that article yet, you can do so by going HERE. 

Closely related to the importance of your SPIRITUAL strengthening each day is your need to also focus on PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT each and every day. Do SOMETHING - (read something, listen to something) in the area of personal development every day for the next year and see what happens in and to your life. Whether you realize it or not, the area of "personal development" is closely related to what I've already discussed - the SPIRITUAL life based on the words of the Bible. That's right, the majority of the things that you read and hear from those that specialize in the area of personal development use thoughts and ideas that come straight from the Bible. 

For example, one of the key components with "personal development" (positive mental attitude, positive attitude, etc.) is that of "guarding/protecting your mind or your mindset". Look at the next graphic and read how the late Jim Rohn put it...

 

I've talked about this for years! The world is FULL of negativity and is more than willing to dump all of that negativity into your mind and mindset. You already know that, right? That's my goal and my purpose with everything that I have done with Future You University since it all started on March 2, 2009 and it still is the focus even now. 

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to hear Jim Rohn speak in person on a few occasions while he was still alive. Notice the very strong word that he uses here: GUARD! This is serious business friend! Also notice how often he stressed that we "stand guard at the door of (our) mind"...EVERY DAY.

A guard is to be AWAKE, ALERT and diligent in his duties. He is not to take the task lightly and he is to PROTECT whatever it is that he is guarding. Get the point?

Now, along those same lines, follow along with this passage from the Bible...

Philippians 4:6-8

New King James Version

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

 

 Do a little research on those words if you'd like, in Part 2 of this section I will get into the ideas and meanings behind those words and why they are so important as we continue our discussion on PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT.

But, even for now, PAY ATTENTION to what you let into your mind and mindset. BECOME AWARE of the need for YOU to "stand guard at the door of your mind."

Until next time, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube  Project141

Project 141: SPIRITUAL

 

 www.MyProject141.com

 First of all, let me point out to you that I have "connected" my new domain name for Project 141 to the blog article that I have used to post EVERY update about Project 141. All links to blog articles, podcasts and videos can be found there. Just click on the link above OR go to that web address.

In the last blog article I began to tell you how I went through the thought process of applying "Project 141" to every area of my life every day. In a nutshell, the whole idea behind "Project 141" is to do ONE THING ("1") FOR ("4") ONE YEAR ("1") = 141.

With the "financial" application that I developed, it is the idea of getting ONE person to work with you each day or maybe even it would be 1 per week or 1 per month but with the idea of COMMITTING to doing so for ONE FULL YEAR. Too often we give up too quickly.

So, as we still make our way into the first full week of a new year (1.8.2021), it is also important for us to understand that most "New Year Resolutions" are a complete waste of time because most people do not actually plan to follow through. They expect to fail and they will fail.

Although this is not part of any "New Year Resolution" that I have put together for myself, I did recently sit down and plan out some goals for my life over the next 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and even 3 years. 

But it all starts with what you do TODAY...one day at a time.

I do ask that you COMMIT yourself to this process. DO NOT QUIT! No excuses, no "reasons" (many - if not most - "reasons" are excuses in disguise)...NOTHING!

The list you see above is the one that I came up with while "brainstorming" ideas for Project 141. I mentioned in my last blog article a shorter list that I used while planning out the next 3 years in and for my life. 

Right off, I do not know you or what you believe about God. It doesn't matter. I know who I am and I know what I believe about God. If that offends you, I cannot apologize for that...that is something that you need to work through in your own life

Here's the thing - whether you know it or not or believe it or not, YOU are a child of God! Maybe you are reading this right now because you NEEDED to read this right now. 

I do believe that you are reading this article for a reason and I invite you to also listen to the podcast on this same topic by going HERE. I just know that I feel that God wants me to "step up" and "speak out" about my belief in Him and my dedication to allow myself to be use by Him and for Him.

So, above all else, I have listed "spiritual" at the very top of the things that I want to be sure to improve and strengthen in my life. The way I look at it, it doesn't matter what other "success" you may have in any of the other areas or even ALL of the other areas, if you are not "connected" to your Maker and you are not seeking and living His purpose for YOUR life then it just really doesn't matter. 

That's also why I have "wealth/financial" at the very bottom of the list. Again, it doesn't matter how much money you have if these other areas are out of line. Sure, you'll have money but you will be a miserable person with money.

Here is what I recommend to you in the area of doing something daily in the area of spiritual growth:

      1. Spend time with God. Talk to Him (pray) and hear from Him as well (read from the Bible). I drive about 40 minutes one way to work and this is my "prayer time" each day. God WANTS to hear from you, he WANTS to hear you call out to Him and He also wants to speak to you through His Word (the Bible).

     2. Express THANKS or GRATITUDE: Hey listen, no matter how rough things may be at the moment we ALL have SOMETHING for which to be thankful. This "exercise" is important because it forces us to "dig" deep sometimes to realize that, indeed, we DO have things for which we should express thanks. This can be done as a part of your "prayer" or you can just express it as you go throughout your day. GET INTO THIS HABIT ON A DAILY BASIS!

If you are not used to praying it may feel "weird" and uncomfortable at first. Listen, there is no right way or wrong way for you to talk to God. He created you and wants to hear from you. As with just about anything else, the more often you exercise this activity (just like a muscle) the easier it will become. (Note: Please don't mimic someone that you've heard pray using some big words that don't mean anything to you. YOU talk and express YOUR thoughts from the heart).

Find a "version" of the Bible that you can understand. I actually say a prayer before I read my Bible and I ask God to open my eyes and ears to read and hear what it is He wants to say to me through the passages that I will be reading.

     3. CONNECT TO A CHURCH FAMILY! I can hear some of you now saying "They are all just a bunch of hypocrites!" or "I was a part of a church once and they treated me badly and hurt my feelings." Yes, you are right, the church if full of hypocrites because the church is full of humans just like you and me. Sure, I wish some people took their beliefs more seriously but, you know what, God is in control and He knows. Believe me, on the "I got hurt" thought about being a part of a church family, I won't even get started. I was a minister in the past and, like I said, I could spend a lot of time discussing that fact. Contact me if you are really struggling with that and I will be more than happy to share some thoughts with you on that but let me just say this for now - someone out there needs YOU.  That's right! In Hebrews 10: 24-25 the Christians are encouraged NOT to skip out on meeting together but rather to make sure they do so and to "consider" (think of ways to do this) how to "stir up" love and good works. GOOD STUFF, in other words! Take advantage of the time you have together with others and figure out a way to do all that you can to "stir up" (not stir up drama!) good things! WOW!

So, bottom line, overall, it may be reading one Bible verse a day and/or saying a one sentence prayer. Just do something each and every day in this all-important area and see what happens in your life. Open your eyes to what is good all around you and, as one old church song says, "Count Your Many Blessings" every single day.

Feel free to contact me at any time and I always invite you to leave a comment especially on my Facebook page (link below). I'd love to hear from you. 

Until next time, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube  Project141

Every Area Every Day

Relationships (spouse/kids/family) - Spiritual - Physical - Financial

 

On December 15, 2020, I wrote out my plans for the next 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and 3 years. Notice the date that I listed. The above graphic (from Dave Ramsey) came across my social media feed just a few days ago and, as I type this article it is January 6, 2021 - a time difference of about three weeks. 

Why do I bother mentioning that information? Because I always find it interesting the way things like this work. The heading line that you see below the "wheel" above are the areas that I listed on my paper on the 15th of December that I focused on in my plans over the next three years and the items in the "wheel" from Dave Ramsey listed items to focus on for the New Year just a couple of days ago. 

Coincidence? I don't think so.

For years as I have done my podcast, blog articles and videos and shared my thoughts and ideas I have always been amazed when I would read something from people like Jim Rohn, Bob Proctor or others that said basically the exact same thing. 

WOW!

But I've discovered that when you focus on powerful and positive things as others do (like those that I listed along with many more) you will find a similar mindset...a cohesiveness of thought, so to speak. 

For me, it is an acknowledgement that I am on "the right track" in my thinking about such things. 

So, as a continued discussion about my Project 141 and also as a way of introduction of how I am "expanding" Project 141, I want to encourage you to take into consideration HOW you can make improvements in the areas mentioned above every single day of your life. 

Yes, the items listed in Dave Ramsey's "wheel" expand on my thoughts a little more, but specifically, I will be sharing this approach for the following areas in your life, as well as mine: Relationships (spouse/kids/family) - Spiritual - Physical - Financial.

 

Why not start brainstorming these things ahead of time? Why not start NOW thinking about how YOU can implement something on a DAILY basis to improve these areas of your life TODAY...right now!?

Until next time, when I begin to discuss how we can use Project 141 in our relationships, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

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