Boundaries and Affirmations – #SelfAffirmationDay/FunFriday

Boundaries

A year ago I learned something shocking about myself: I was a boundaryless person. I found myself focused so much on being loving and unselfish, that I forget my own limits and limitations. 

I was exhausted from never saying no out of fear. I felt I did not have the freedom to express my own thoughts and opinions. I was unable to manage my own feelings and detach from the manipulative emotions of others. Sadly, I had not taken ownership of my life.

Soon, I had to learn how to apply boundaries appropriately to achieve the relationships and purposes that have been intended for me. I wanted to live a life of love, freedom, responsibility, and service.

The ability to set clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. 

In relationships, boundaries define who we are and who we are not, which impacts every part of our lives.

Fences are physical boundaries with the message: this is where my property begins. Boundaries define what is me and what is not me. They show me where I end and someone else begins. This leads to a sense of ownership, which gives us freedom. Boundaries indicate what we are responsible for and what we are not responsible for.

Boundaries help us:

• distinguish our property so that we can take care of it;
• to “guard our heart with all diligence”;
• keep the good in (what will nurture us) and the bad out (what will harm us);
• guard our treasures.

Whether it is a dysfunctional family, the world, your own religious self-righteousness, or the brokenness of being lost. That way, you can come   from being an unhealthy person without boundaries to a healthy person with boundaries.

Seek the Devine help to protect your heart and to guide you with wisdom. Find that you too can have the ability to say no when it is beyond my limit.

*Concept from the book Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

Affirmation

Our desperate search for answers can sometimes blind us to the ultimate answer – the source of all things. Allow me to borrow some wisdom from the great King Solomon who was wise to acknowledge the source of His blessings. If we believe whole-heartedly in the source, there is then no room for fear or doubt, for we know that “from Him and through Him and for Him are all things”. 

With the pursuit of a goal comes obstacles, challenges, mistakes to be made and lessons to be learned. 

This journey is no different. 

The process of seeking wisdom entails being aware, asking for assistance, receiving advice, being cautious with assumptions, practicing acceptance, and perfecting application – all these actions must be performed deliberately and diligently, with focus and intention. That being the case, another “to-do” may not seem appealing; but you will be happy to know that when it comes to affirmation, the only action required is that we receive it with open hearts. 

So to you, friend, you can stand affirmed, assured and secure in the knowledge that though the answers to some questions remain uncertain, Devine supply of wisdom, strength and guidance is certain. It is vast and abundant, and knows no bounds. That promise, is a clear picture of Devine limitless resource of wisdom, which is yours to claim. 

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The Zig Ziglar Effect – #SelfAffirmationDay/FunFriday

One of the greatest spiritual giants in the corporate world remains a man named Zig Ziglar. He bridged the boundary between secular and sacred, and in the process, led many people to Christianity. 

His greatest attribute was to be a living example of humility and love. His catch phrase that became the culture-transformation motto of many organizations, was: 

You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.

As a beneficiary of his assistance, I remember him once agreeing to shorten the time given to him on a program so that someone else could be added to the program. I was dumbfounded by this act of generosity. 

Let’s agree, in most cases, our cultures and traditions are hindrances to our own progress. 

By assisting that individual without any strings attached, he relieved them of the burden of false guilt, which usually accompanies lack of effort. He never expected anything in return, for that would defeat the purpose of assistance. 

The Australian missionary Graham Staines, labored for the same cause, far away from the luxury of his own roots. In the heart of Orissa, India, far removed from the luxury of the gold coast of Australia that he left behind, he lived a life that went from a simple calling to an illustration of assistance. He paid the ultimate price of his life after laboring for others for thirty-five years. His two sons Philip and Timothy paid with their lives, as they assisted their dad.  

His widow, Gladys, and daughter, Esther, forgave the assailants, and their example assisted others in understanding the God they served. Today, find someone with a greater burden than yours and assist them, have fun with it; you will feel the Devine wisdom exemplified through you.

#YouArePossible

Awareness is Key – #TransformationTuesdayds

In the pursuit of fame and in the search for significance, the material world consumes our pursuits and fatigues our desires. Every morning, people wake up and evaluate their past hope and their present situation, creating a mortal comparison that leaves them feeling more empty than full. The question you may have this morning is why your own efforts leave you wanting more. 

The answer is in seeking to have a worthy vertical relationship. 

He who created the heavens and the earth sought it wise to make Himself the only end of all pursuit. 

A. W. Tozer once said, “God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which He must work.” Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves. 

Today, as you plan for the rest of the week, reflect on your spiritual wellbeing and cherish it through whatever means available to you; this is the correct use of the knowledge you were created with. 

Remember: To be an agent of wisdom, you must not exhaust yourself by seeking a new definition of God’s will; rather, enjoy yourself by showing a new demonstration of His will. 

Pablo Cassals was a world famous cello player, and at the height of his fame, was asked why he kept practicing. His response was that he thought he was making daily progress. Genius has been described as the ability to focus on the task at hand. 

Becoming aware of your strengths and limitations is only possible through a deep awareness the purpose for your life. David, the shepherd king of Israel, said: “I am constantly aware of your unfailing love. Awareness of this unending love is the beginning of wisdom.” 

To be aware requires focus, and to be focused requires awareness. 

As you meditate today, seek to open your mind to possibilities and probabilities that you never even dreamed about. May your eyes be closed to all that distracts and your heart open to the abundance and provision, which will set you on a new course.

#YouArePossible 

Here’s what you’re not doing right – #FunFriday/SelfAffirmationDay

​I am by no means a caffeine junkie, and I’d much rather go with green tea rather than black sugar-free cup of coffee… For the loads of caffeine benefits, anyway.

So imagine me with a full mug of green tea, right before a “long day”.

Having got in late and made plans for the next day: my eldest daughter and I would crank up five nice songs and do a dance routine, for workout purposes early at our rooftop and head on to begin the day. I’d reply to texts and emails, do my mommy duties, and not too long after that, drift off back to bed.

Alas! My eyes shot open, burning and tired. Morning already. I was jittery and agitated, as I often am when I have an early wake-up call. I had overslept! I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard the phone call. I tore off the covers, got dressed, and reached for a hot huge mug of green tea, and well, sipped it down, all the while burning my tongue along the way.

Women at work – #SelfAffirmationDay/#FunFriday

This was submitted to me by Lelanie Basson: Contributor, Lelanie Basson is a best-selling author, entrepreneur and boardmember, ‘even though she’s a girl’. and a really good friend (posted as is on Huffington Post).

Enjoy!

Women At Work – Flexing Our Muscles

Submitted: 03/30/2017 06:06 am ET | Updated and Published here on July 21, 2017.

In my previous post I talked about why I believe that women not only ‘deserve a seat at the table’ but should be looking at building their OWN tables, and running the world from there, instead. I honestly feel that the planet we co-habit has rotated away from its previous patriarchal, masculine nature – win at all costs – to show its more feminine side, where we all win together.

 

In this new world, certain aptitudes are more highly prized, because they deliver divergent results. I believe we, as women, should start to build on them. They are our competitive advantage after all.

A small caveat: I love men. I do. They are amazing creatures, without whom the world would be a dull and lackluster place. This post was not written while my bra burned in the corner. Any comparisons are designed for the sake of humour and, if I’m honest, also because they’re mostly true. A second small caveat: much of this is based on generalised assumptions about the basic nature of womanhood. It will not apply to all.

 

If you haven’t yet read ‘Now, focus on your strengths’, maybe it’s time to do so (even if just to add weight to the argument you’re reading here). In it, the authors advocate the building of the core, unique strengths of a particular individual, to maximise the potential to excel – after all, we enjoy more, learn faster and execute more efficiently things we’re naturally designated to do.

This flies in the face of what many of our mothers taught us about ‘working on our weaknesses’, which, inevitably, leads to everyone being ok at most things. Each of us have our own USP, which should be bolstered and encouraged, in order to separate us, by our innate gifts, from the listless pack of mediocrity.

 

If you apply this to our gender, rather than ourselves, there are certain characteristics that women are genetically and psychologically ‘stronger’ at. If we can bring these to play in our lives, and our work, not only will we spin the globe faster, but we will also win faster, climb higher and have a longer lasting impact on the greater society in which we live. There are three I’d like to focus on.

 

1. Inclusiveness:

Women tend to consider everyone, rather than just the one. We look at a bigger picture, and consider the implications on everyone around us. It’s this that has allowed us to better raise children, being more likely to explain the potential outcomes of a wrong action to an errant child in order to alter behaviour, rather than just spitting out “Because I said so!”. Heck, we will put our lives on the line for our offspring and often become care-givers to our ageing parents. We tend to think about the whole village, because we’re the ones who are left to fend for it when the blokes go off to war (or the cigar club). As creatures with comparatively weak shoulders, we know how much we need each other, and we realise therein lies our strength.

 

Unfortunately, many of us spend so much time trying to replicate boys, rather than compete with them on our own terms, that we end up creating division where we could, rather, so easily create unity. Teams. We are adept at communicating a shared worldview, and galvanising individuals around it. The world needs more teams, which multiply their effectiveness through an amplified body-count, working in harmony. And we’re the ones who can bring people together and make it happen.

 

2. Sensibility:

Sensible is not ‘boring’. Nor does it refer to those dreadful shoes… Being sensible means we consider the consequences of our actions, which allows us to see the true value of (or lack of) that action before taking it, rather than simply leaping in, balls first. Could you imagine the William Tell story happening if Mrs. Tell had the crossbow?

 

While men just do things because they ‘feel right’, because they’re ‘in the gut’ or because they haven’t thought of a good reason not to (one of my personal favourite characteristics of men, by the way, but if I had a dollar for every stupid decision I’ve talked a man out of, I’d be writing this on my yacht), we can make smarter, long-term decisions because we’re not as goaded by our id. We can ask ‘What will happen if this goes wrong, and can we prepare for that?’ without getting towel-whipped in the bathroom afterwards. If it weren’t for women, many men would likely survive on hot dogs and peanut butter, because they never think about ‘the list’. We do. Call us anal, or call us overly fastidious, but the devil is in the details – and that makes him our bitch.

 

This is an important trait to have when making decisions that could make, or lose, millions of people millions of Dollars. It’s equally important when considering acquisitions, mergers and directional shifts in our organisations. Clear thinking, and a wider lens of consideration, makes us exceptionally good decision makers. After all, it wasn’t a woman who almost started a war, potentially killing hundreds because someone “couldn’t keep their potatoes out of my damn pig!” (Check out the Pig War of 1859.)

 

3. Empathy:

Empathy, simply put, means that we get the way others feel and, because our motives take those feelings into consideration, we can create products, solutions, systems and businesses that will leave the world in a better place than we found it. This world has, and always will be, a world of people – which is our forté, thank you very much.

 

The ability to identify with others makes us uniquely qualified for positions in marketing, because we sense buying motives clearer. It makes us powerful managers since the Dark Side-style Darth Vader leader has been widely discredited (it worked before; it doesn’t now). We are more likely to find solutions to personnel problems and, because we see underlying intentions, we are able to encourage the best from those with whom we work. This makes sense on so many levels.

 

This empathy also impacts on what we can create better, because we’re concerned with more than just profit. Bethlehem Alemu started soleRebels, which is the fastest growing footwear company on my continent (Africa), in order to provide green jobs for her community, and made a fortune doing so. Lorna Rutto has saved massive areas of natural forest from annihilation with her company EcoPost, and will create around 100 000 jobs in the next few years. Our ability to put purpose before profits is exactly what makes us so likely to be profitable.

 

And so there you have it, my two cents worth of wisdom. The world of work in particular is changing at a staggering pace, and for women this could not be more true. If we dig deep, we can truly galvanize our intrinsic genetic and psychological characteristics to make valuable contributions in society. But to empower women and girls – to win faster, climb higher and flex those muscles – we need to search within ourselves to play at our core strengths. Inclusiveness, sensibility and empathy … I say.

Master your strengths ladies, for that is where your true girl power lies.

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©2017 Phenomenal Magazine cc

Wellness in wetness – #WellnessWednesday

Smoothies are a great way to curb your appetite between meals, as well as get a lot of fantastic nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber into your system.

They’ve come under fire for their calorie and sugar content, but here are plenty of healthy smoothie recipes you can make on your own so you have total control of what goes in, and what doesn’t.

Ways to de-stress at month-end #LifehackTuesday

What’s your stress “tell?” For some, a quickened heart rate or a slight feeling of queasiness is enough to let them know they’re getting anxious or overwhelmed.

But just as a slight from your boss or bad news from a family member can get your stress hormones pumping and your blood pressure rising quickly, you have the power to reset almost instantly.

Boost your inner self – #MotivationMonday

Many people have trouble with their habits because they don’t follow a morning routine “system” for sticking to them.

It’s easy to forget about a new routine when your day is full of dozens of tasks and personal obligations.

Fortunately, there’s a simple solution to this problem.

If you follow a “morning routine” every day, you’ll create a short ritual (under 30 minutes) where you can complete a number of small habits that can improve your life.

The trick here is knowing which habits to include in your morning routine.

In this post, we’ll go over 22 ideas that take under five minutes apiece.

Let’s get to it.

The Importance of a Morning Routine

Before we jump into the habits, let’s take a moment and talk about the benefits of a morning routine. For starters, people are the most productive when they wake up, and setting up a routine ensures that they maintain that level of productivity for longer periods of time.

Following a system when you first wake up, means you’ll have more time to reflect in a quiet atmosphere (less hustle and bustle) and it gives you the opportunity to be organized for the rest of the day. More importantly, this daily habit helps you create energy and the right “mindset” to tackle the challenges of a busy day. (For more on this concept, check out my book Wake Up Successful.)

• For more on this concept, check out my book Wake Up Successful.

Waking up early is a success habit that nearly all leaders follow, notes Sujan Patel in his blog post on the routines of fortune 500 leaders. Noting how early many high powered leaders start their work days.

The good news?

Everything in the following list can be accomplished in as little as five minutes. A morning routine does not necessarily mean you need to be up at 4:00 am. It only means you need to set aside a little bit of extra time every day.

These quick routines mean you can stack one habit on top of another and complete a lot of important things in a single block of 30 minutes.

Simply look at the following list and choose the habits that make the most sense for your lifestyle.

1. Fix Your Broken Windows

2 min.Required Time

No, you don’t have any actual broken windows, but you probably have a number of small things that add to your stress levels if you don’t address them early on.

Some common broken windows include:

• Unmade beds
• Cluttered mail
• Unsorted laundry
• Messy kitchen
• Trash that needs to be taken out

Most of these can be fixed in a matter of minutes, yet we allow ourselves to ignore them and let them sit in the back of our minds for the rest of the day. Take care of your broken windows and then you’ll see a dramatic decrease in your levels of stress.

• Check out this link for more broken window ideas:
  Why “Broken Windows” Cause You to Feel Overwhelmed and Out of Control

2. Weigh Yourself Every Day

1 min.Required Time

I know, this isn’t something that you want to hear. But, weighing yourself on a regular basis can help you establish clear health and fitness goals. Also, it’s important to know that your weight will fluctuate on a daily basis, so you don’t have to be bummed if your weight goes up for a day or two. Finally, be sure you weigh yourself at the same time for the most accurate results.

3. Practice Rebounding

3 min.Required Time

Rebounding is a trendy new exercise routine that is changing how people start their day. You need a small trampoline (here’s one that I have personally used).

There are numerous benefits to rebounding:

• Cleared sinuses
• Toned muscles
• Stronger lymphatic system
• Increased creativity

One of the best things about rebounding is that it doesn’t take up a lot of space. Whether you live in an apartment or a home of your own, you can start rebounding right away.

4. Have a Glass of Cold Water with Lemon

2 min.Required Time

Start your day by drinking a 16 ounce glass of lemon water. (Make sure your drinking water is clean and safe by using a quality water filter pitcher). We’re not talking about putting in a whole lemon and juicing it. Instead it’s better to do just a few drops.

This habit helps you:

• Wake up faster
• Freshen your breath
• Get large amounts of vitamins
• Reduce the feeling of hunger
• Aid your digestive system

This is a lot easier to do than it seems, and it’s a great way to start your day. All you need to do is pour some water into a glass and add a couple drops of lemon juice. Easy, right?

==>>Learn more about lemon water benefits: 10 Benefits Of Drinking Warm Lemon Water In The Morning

5. Take Daily Vitamins

2 min.Required Time

Daily vitamins are a must for anyone, and you’ll feel better about your day if you take them on a consistent basis.

Vitamins are essential because they:

• Help build a stronger immune system
• Increase awareness
• Ensures your body gets essential nutrients
• Build stronger bone

Vitamins can give your body the boost it needs to get started and help your mind stay focused throughout the day. Be sure to read the directions on specific vitamins so that you are taking them properly.

==>>Learn more about the benefits of taking vitamins daily: Potential Benefits of Multivitamins

6. Maintain a Food Journal

5 min.Required Time

This is another aspect of your morning that you probably don’t want to do, but need to do if you want to lose weight. Maintaining a food journal helps you see exactly what you’re putting into your body and how much you’re eating. You’d be surprised at just how much you consume in a given day.

Food journals are effective because they:

• Make you responsible for what you eat
• Give you a physical representation of your daily habits
• Encourage you to avoid little “snacks”
• Help you meet your health goals

Food journals might seem like a negative thing at first, but you’ll soon be able to take pride in recording what you eat.

==>>Check out this site to learn more about food journals: The Benefits of Keeping a Food Journal

7. Review Your Goals

5 min.Required Time

Everybody has goals. Whether they are big or small, we all have things that we want to accomplish. Sadly, the daily hustle and bustle of life can make us get off track.

You need to review your goals so that you can:

• Create plans to reach those goals
• Put your day in perspective
• Know what’s important to accomplish