Are you "in your moment"?

No really, are you in your moment?  It's ok if you haven't figured this out yet!  I know I haven't got it all figured out, but that's ok!  We'll figure this out together.  Expect great things!  Don't worry about the unexpected - celebrate it!  Yes, setbacks may happen (and probably will), but we will push through them!  We will empower each other to be the best we can be by encouraging each other to step out of our comfort zones.    How will we do this?  I have a few ideas, but I'm certainly open to feedback and other ideas.  

A few weeks back my husband encouraged me to sit down and set some goals for myself.  It was an eye-opening experience.  It made me more centered and ready to embark on a new adventure.  So, let's begin by setting a few goals: physical (healthy and fit); family (relationships, family activities, environment); spiritual (personal commitment, biblical understanding, church); leisure (travel, reading, gardening, walking on the beach); career (ambitions, fulfillment); financial (income, investments, retirement).

1.    Physical:  What do you want your body to look like?  For me, I want to be healthy, strong, and fit for life.   How do we do this?

• Get plenty of sleep - ladies, we need 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
• Eat a well balanced diet - fruits , vegetables, grain, protein, healthy fats and dairy in the right proportions for you to lose, maintain, or gain weight.
• Exercise - walking, running, zumba, strength training, or yoga for 30 minutes a day.  Make it an exercise you enjoy and will continue.
• Maintain annual doctor visits - our health affects every aspect of our life, so we owe it to ourselves to be as healthy as possible.

2.    Family:  Great relationships don’t just happen, it takes time and effort to develop and maintain these relationships whether it is with your spouse/significant other, your children/grandchildren, your parents or your grandparents.  How would you like your family relationships to look?

• A better relationship with your spouse/significant other – give your marriage/relationship some thought and attention.  What did you do when you were dating?  Did you go dancing; have picnics; walk in the park?  Maybe you can go away for the weekend?  Find an activity you enjoy doing together and do it.
• More quality time with your children/grandchildren – with hectic schedules this can be difficult.  Dedicate at least one night a week as family dinner night.  Rather than watching TV take time to find out how your children’s day went.  Play a game with them or read with them.  Young children only want your time.  Teens still want to know that you love them, take the time to tell them.
• Maintain relationship with parents and grandparents – for those living close, be sure to spend time with them.  Include them for family dinners and special occasions.  For those of us far away, be sure to stay in contact with them – call frequently, visit as often as possible.

3.    Spiritual:  What do you want your spiritual life to look like?  For me, I want to live a purposeful, God-inspired life.    How do we do this?

• Attend your place of worship regularly – whether it is Christian, Catholic, Jewish, Buddha or whatever your faith be an active member.
• Be a part of something bigger than yourself – volunteer in your community.
• Trust in your dreams and be inspired.
• Meditate and become one with the universe.

4.    Leisure: What do you love to do in your spare time?  There are many leisure activities I enjoy and I’ll list a few here:

• Reading, sewing, crocheting
• Painting and gardening
• Traveling – either close to home or  far away
• Walking on the beach

5.    Career:  To quote Dan Miller in his book Your Dream Job, “Your career should be a reflection of the LIFE you want.  Once you decide on the life you want, it becomes obvious what kind of work embraces that.”  I love that!  So take a look at what makes you unique:

• What are your skills and abilities – the ones you like to do?
• What gives you passion?
• What do you value?

6.    Financial:  Remember, nothing is unrealistic when you have a solid plan.  How much do you want in:

• Earnings
• Savings
• Investments
• Retirement

Well, that’s certainly a start don’t you think?  When we put our goals in writing, our brain goes to work to figure out how to reach our goals. Our job is to listen to the gentle prodding the brain gives us to get us moving to reach our goals.  This is just the beginning of living “in your moment”.  Let's have some fun with this and encourage each other along the way. What would help you live in your moment?