“I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.” ~ Lucille Ball
Do you ever feel like you’re on a hamster wheel?” Running and tumbling, hoping to get off, but not sure where, as the circle continues to spin out of control?
Life can certainly feel that way — in some ways, mine does now. But the fact is, if anything is going to change, I have to start somewhere, or I’ll wear myself out running in the same rutted circles. Things will never change if I don’t take steps to change my circumstances.
I’ve experienced my share of emotional upheaval in the past few years, but I’ve resolved not to let it keep me on the hamster wheel. So the first hopping off place begins with my mindset. In my 2015 Experiment in Living More, I need to re-set my brain in order to motivate my body to act. I’m coaching myself.
“How,” you might ask?
Creating a strategy and tactics list helped me hop off the wheel yesterday. It only took me ten minutes to brainstorm a list of areas I need to focus on in 2015. As new ideas come, I can simply add them to the existing list. I won’t try to tackle every goal all at once, I’ll take one thing at a time, but putting them on paper tells my subconscious, I’m serious, you’d better prepare to back me up.
Sharing my voice in some of these areas may cost me friends and/or business, I hope not, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take. My life is getting shorter, not longer, and I have to live in order to please God, who I will someday soon stand before and give account. Besides, doing things His way always leads to a better result, trying to please people does nothing but wear me out.
If you could peek at my list, this is some of what you’d see:
- Use my God-given gifts to help others more
- Seize each day and take more of everything life offers now
- Do the things I know are good for me more
- Mind map more
- Clean more
- Organize more
- Eat more nourishing foods
- Cook more
- Take more natural vitamins and minerals
- Get off the couch and move more
- Budget more
- Say, “No,” appropriately more
- Enjoy family more
- Let others be who they are more
- Show gratitude more
- Express appreciation more
- Tell the truth more
- Deal with my emotional baggage more
- Believe God more
- Praise God publicly more
- Do random and anonymous acts of kindness more
- Laugh more
- Look for miracle more
- Sing more
- Give more
- Think of others more
- Celebrate good news for others more
- Shine more (Shine is the One Word focus God gave me for 2015)
My actual list is longer, but you get the gist. For all of us, we get one whirl on Earth. One chance to do all the more we are made to do. To be all the more we are created for. I don’t know about you, but I accept that I was made for more, and I intend to get off this wheel. I won’t get anywhere by running in circles.
Are you running in a rut and ready to get off the hamster wheel?
Anita Fresh Faith
Philippians 4:8-9 (The Message)
Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Anita Brooks is a Business and Inspirational Coach, international speaker, and author. Her latest book, Getting Through What You Can’t Get Over releases April, 2015. First Hired, Last Fired — How to Become Irreplaceable in Any Job Market is currently available at all major bookstores.
Anita is passionate about work with integrity, healthy relationships, issues of identity, and living abundantly. She fulfills her mission to help 21st century women and men make fresh starts with fresh faith by sharing what she’s learned through experience, interviews, and research. Anita will inspire you to believe as she does — it’s never too late!
Anita’s favorite pastime is watching sunsets with her husband, Ricky, while they laugh and dip their toes in a lake or river.
You can connect with her on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, or Twitter. Keep up with Anita’s latest happenings at anitabrooks.com. Email anita@anitabrooks.com to request information on having Anita speak or train at your next event.
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