Map Your Month Monday

I thought you might enjoy this blog from www.coachlindabush.blogspot.com!

It’s the last week of September already. Wow, time has flown, hasn’t it? Looking back over September, have you reached any goals that you set at the beginning of the month? Did you even think about goals? Well, if you haven’t/didn’t/never even had a minute to think about it, don’t sweat it. That’s one of the nice things about the end of a month – a new start is just around the corner!

You probably wouldn’t take a month-long trip without lots of planning, maps and directions, right? So why go into a new month of your life without making some plans and setting a few goals – having a plan makes sense, doesn’t it? You have five days to think about a few goals before October 1st. You want your goals to be S.M.A.R.T., which stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. For example, if I had a goal of saving money next month, that’s not really specific, so I have no way to measure my success come November 1st. However, if I say I’d like to save $100, here’s how I would do it.

S – specific – yes, $100 is a very specific amount

M – measurable – yes, I can see all month long how I’m doing

A –Achievable – hmm… can I save $100? That would be about $25/week, or $3.22/a day. Okay, if I brought my lunch a few days a week, didn’t go to Starbucks and made my coffee at home, pick up a lot of pennies, and made a few minor changes, I could probably save that much a day without feeling a crazy amount of sacrifice.

R – Realistic – Yes, I think saving $3.22 a day could be reasonable for me to do. Okay, maybe I have to do some couch-cushion hunting here and there, and shake out the bottom of the old pocketbook, but it is do-able.

T – Timely (or tangible). Yes, I can fit it in a timeframe, with a specific beginning and end.

Now that you have the goal-setting tools to use, how about gently stepping out there, taking a deep breath and make one target October goal for the following areas:

1) Physical goal (example: I’d like to lose five pounds)
2) Financial goal (example: I’d like to save $X amount)
3) Personal goal (example: I’d like to read that book)
4) Career goal (example: I want to get info on a seminar or college course that will help me in my career, or I want to leave 15 minutes earlier each day)
5) Relationship goal (I want to have a date night with my man this month, or spend some one-on-one time with a child or friend this month)
6) Spiritual goal: (example: I want to read one Proverb a day, or read the book of Galatians, or memorize four Scripture verses, or pray daily)
7) Dream goal: (I always wanted to visit the Grand Canyon. So this month I’m going to get information on traveling there – maybe visit a travel website, find out how much it would cost, get some brochures, etc.)

That gives you one goal a day to work on. They’re not big bahonkin’ crazy I’ll never reach them goals. They are baby steps, I can do this goals. Grab your calendar, make a note, break each one down into bite-size once a week bits, and mark a big red “GO FOR IT” on October 1st!!!

Share your comments here on what you goals will be – and email me if you have any questions at linda@coachlindabush.com. I’m off to get an empty glass jar so I can drop $3.22 in it each day in October and watch my goal grow!

Blessings,

Linda

Healthy Eating

This is from my blog post today on www.coachlindabush.blogspot.com. It seemed to be appropropriate for our Walking in Grace blog as well. I hope you enjoy it, and look forward to seeing you tonight at our session! Blessings!

Healthy eating doesn’t mean you have to be resigned to a life of lemon water, celery sticks and steamed veggies! Many of you know that I believe in eating clean, while enjoying all your favorite foods – in moderation, and as long as you have no medical/allergic reasons for not being able to eat a certain food. For example, if you love pizza, have it – but have a big salad with it, and only eat a maximum of two slides, while keeping it within your daily calorie range. One of my favorite “trim-it” tips that will save 50%, yes HALF, of your calories, is to immediately ask for the take-out container when you go to lunch, and divide your meal in half and pack it away before you even start eating. Have the other half for dinner, or take it to work the next day for lunch. You’ve halved your intake, and doubled your pocket change by having another meal ready! Or… just split a meal with a friend.

Also, you need to be careful when you are enjoying some of those fancy lattes that are so yummy but can be loaded with fat and sugar. Take a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte – one Grande (16 oz) cup has 380 calories (120 from fat – that’s 13 grams), and 49 grams of sugar!!! OUCH! But if you order a small 8 oz. cup instead, with nonfat milk, and no whipped cream, it’s down to 130 calories, ZERO from fat, with 24 grams of sugar. That’s a whopping savings of 250 calories!!! Keeping in mind that one pound is 3,500 calories, if you made this one change daily, in two weeks you will have lost one pound – simply by trimming up this one choice.

Exercise your choices! Now that was pretty painless, wasn’t it?

Blessings,

Linda

Well, here we are in day two of our study already. How are you doing? Have you spent time with the Lord each day, and lifted up your “temples of the Holy Spirit” to Him? Have you asked Him to help you make good nutritional choices?

A habit takes 21 days to make or break. As you look at the next 21 days think of at least one habit you would like to break, and one you would like to make. Write these down, date them, and commit both of them to the Lord, asking His help to strengthen you and give you courage to stick to those commitments.

Slowly take a deep breath in to the count of five, then hold it for the count of five, and release it to the count of five. Do this several times -- it is relaxing and sends oxygen to your bloodstream. Thank God for beautiful YOU, right this minute, exactly as precious as you are NOW. He loves you SO MUCH right this very second, in whatever situation/circumstances you may be in -- you are unique and WONDERFUL! Each day in His grace and by His strength, together we will get better and better, growing closer to our Lord, and becoming healthier and stronger in body, mind and spirit.

As is written by Paul in Philippians 1:2, I wish you grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank God for each of you and rememjber you in my prayers with joy!

"He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

I praise Jesus for you!