How to Create Momentum to Get You Unstuck (Part II)
Check out Part I before you read on
Before we start experiencing momentum in those areas where we feel overwhelmed, paralyzed and stuck, we must be willing to accept a few basic “truths” before we hit the ground running.
Truth 1: Wanting change and making change happen are NOT the same.
Truth 2: If you want to do something new with your life, you cannot keep doing things in the same way. You must embrace change and the process that goes along with it.
Truth 3: “Nothing happens until the pain of remaining the same outweighs the pain of change” (Arthur Burt)
I’ve been there, maybe you have too.
Big goals, big dreams, lofty intentions…Coupled with…
Poor follow-through, a cornucopia of excuses and everyone and everything else is to blame.
Sound vaguely familiar?
My Personal Struggle With Momentum
This has been the anthem of my life for the last five years. Am I proud of it? Nope.
Have I started and stopped the cycle of trying to make change more times than I can even count? Yup!
Who has made a New Year’s resolution every year for as long as one can remember and has resolved to dissolve the resolution before February 1st…YUP…THIS GIRL RIGHT HERE!!!
I’ve been there and as much as we try to make fun and laugh about it, it hurts…and the hurt runs deep.
When life happens, and we find ourselves in those all too familiar trenches, our tendency is to retreat, wave the white flag in surrender to our life and give up on pursuing our spirit’s desire to move, change…transform.
Newsflash! The sun is going to continue to rise and the sun is going to continue to set on your God given 24 hours whether you choose to champion change or you choose to kick back and keep rocking in place.
There is no magical moment in time when the stars are perfectly aligned to begin pursuing personal change and lasting transformation.
We must be resolute in our desire not just for short term change, but lasting transformation. As God’s daughters, we must see ourselves as He sees us.
We are…
Brave. Strong. Courageous. Radically Loved. Treasured. Worthy.
Meaningful Momentum is a Life Long Pursuit
Choose Yourself:
Make you, your needs and godly desires a priority. God has already chosen you to do something only you can do for Him and the advancement of His Kingdom. Commit to partnering with Him on this journey to move you from where you are right now to where He intended you to be.
God is waiting on you to respond to His call. You are required to show up in obedience and do the work. As wives, moms and caregivers, we cannot continue pouring from an empty vessel. We are trying to serve and live out of the reserves when God didn’t create us to merely just survive on the left overs. We are to rely on His strength. When we have the gift of his Holy Spirit living inside of us, His resurrection power that is available to each one of us is limitless.
Establish Boundaries:
We were not created to be everything to everyone or to do all things at all times for all people. Healthy boundaries need to be put in place to protect our commit to God and to ourselves.
We cannot keep saying ‘YES’ to everyone and everything at the expense of continually saying ‘NO’ to ourselves!
Pedal Your Own Race:
God broke the mold when He made each one of us in His own unique image and likeness. We are not to look around and let the temptation of comparison creep into our hearts. Satan will use comparison to crush your spirit, deflate your motivation and squash your sense of worth. Christ is the only standard to which we should strive for or care to compare.
Everyone’s journey towards transformation is going to look and feel differently. The timetable or course will never be the same.
I love this quote from Jon Acuff:
“Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.”
Change Perspective and Relationship with Area of Interest:
For example, if you are trying to transform your relationship with food, try looking at the process of eating as a way of “fueling” your body vs. “feeding” your body.
Make a plan that works for you:
For change to lead to sustainable transformation, you must find a plan, a strategy, a time, a place that works for you and your family. Consider your needs, your likes/dislikes, goals, restrictions, etc. and come up with a roadmap that will take you to where God is leading you to go.
Be content and accepting of imperfection:
Strive for progress, not perfection.
Focus on taking baby steps, not giant leaps:
Pursuing godly transformation is all about making small, consistent changes over time until they become a part of who we are. As one of our Pastors puts it so brilliantly, we must keep our feet “chopping.” At first, we are making very small, subtle, consistent movements. But over time, we get faster, our strides get longer and before we know it, we have momentum!
Celebrate all victories:
Offer gratitude and thanksgiving for all victories (big, small and in between) Small progress is still progress.
Treat yourself
Extend yourself grace and keep going!
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