Feed Your Focus

Feed Your Focus

Starve your distractions, feed your focus. – Unknown

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Thought for today – Be focused. Be persistent. Never quit. One day or day one. You decide.

It’s time to focus on what really matters, right? Life, family, careers, households, hobbies, etc. Whether you are trying to focus on some personal goals for yourself or trying to pursue a new career, it’s important to:

• Set Goals
• Stay Motivated
• Be Productive
• Change Your Mindset

A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory. – Arthur Golden

Set Goals

• Evaluate your current situation – What do you want to change?
• Determine your goals – What do you want to improve?
• Write down your goals and revisit your goals daily
• Write down a plan to reach your goals
• Establish a reward system when you reach milestones
• Check your progress and readjust your goals as necessary

Stay Motivated

• Recite positive affirmations and quotes
• Read inspirational and motivational books
• Pick a healthy habit to work on daily
• Join a supportive group to receive encouragement and feedback
• Determine weaknesses and strengths
• Think positive and remind yourself of your goals
• Track your progress throughout the week

Be Productive

• Strive for consistency while working on projects
• Observe how you plan your days – Use a daily To-Do List
• Define your priorities – What’s important to you?
• Have a positive mindset daily
• Define your focus

Change Your Mindset

• Positive thoughts equal positive outcomes
• Admit that your thinking needs to be adjusted
• Seek positive support from family, friends, support groups
• Immerse yourself in personal growth – Read inspirational books or listen to positive speakers
• Forward thinking will move your focus away from where you don’t want to be to where could be

The secret to change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. – Socrates

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My Journal Prompts – Time for Reflection

MIND

• What is your favorite memory or life experience?
• Write about an obstacle you overcame today.
• When was the last time you listened to your intuition, and what was the outcome?

BODY

• Name one area of physical or emotional health you excel in, and one you would like to improve.
• What is your priority in life at the moment?
• What are you proud of yourself for today?

SPIRIT

• How do you respond to setbacks and failure? Why? How could you change this from within?
• When do you feel most confident?
• Write down 5 ways to relax and commit to doing at least 1 each day.

GOALS

• What is your ultimate goal in life?
• What is a habit you want to develop? How will it help your long-term goals?
• Identify your biggest time management mistake.

FOCUS

• What are your 3 biggest distractions, and how do you plan to reduce them in your life?
• What are 3 areas of your life where you are the weakest, and how do you plan to strengthen them?
• Today I showed focus today by _______________________________.

Remember, improving your life starts with improving your mindset. Here’s some suggestions to help you feed your focus throughout your journey:

• Write in your journal every day.
• Write thank you notes to people who help you throughout your journey.
• Read positive affirmations and quotes.
• Write a Wins Checklist based on your best experiences and accomplishments.
• Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Look at how you sleep, what you eat and how much/little you exercise.

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I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
How do you plan to feed your focus? Will you consider journaling to help you feed your focus? I look forward to reading your feedback!

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Copyright © 2018 – Renew Inspiration – All Rights Reserved

Be Thankful

Be Thankful

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Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1)

Thought for today – Be kind. Be thoughtful. Be genuine. But most of all, be thankful.

Welcome back to Renew Inspiration! Here’s to another week that our Heavenly Father has given us. Take a moment to think about how blessed you are on today. Did you thank God for waking you up this morning, for giving you the activities of your limbs, for shelter, food, clean water, the beautiful sunshine? Unfortunately, there are a number of people who did not wake up this morning. Don’t take your life for granted. Be thankful for everything that you have and for everything that God will bless you with in the near future. Remember, there is always someone who has less than you or is worse off than you are, so stop complaining and start appreciating all that you have in life.

My To-Do List for Today (tinybuddha.com)

• Count my blessings
• Practice Kindness
• Let go of what I can’t control
• Listen to my heart
• Be productive yet calm
• Just breathe

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)

For those of us who have received another opportunity on this Earth to get our lives back on track, let’s get started today – No Excuses, No Procrastination. No matter what your personal goals are, it’s important to set yourself up for success throughout this journey. Well, I know you are probably wondering how to get started, right?

Helpful Tips to Get Started

• Make it up in your mind that you want to make positive changes in your life.

• Determine what the changes will be and what the changes will look like.

• Determine what you want your goals to be, then write them down.

• Make plans to reach your goals every day by creating a To-Do List.

• Start keeping a journal to track your progress and include both successes/failures.

• Re-evaluate your goals and make challenging adjustments throughout the process.

Remember, whether your goal is to lose weight or write your first book, this process always begins with a thought. In addition, it’s important to hold yourself accountable throughout this process so write about it often.

Take it day by day and be thankful for every breath.

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My Inspiration and Success Guide

• Create some personal goals for yourself and track your progress
• Find some ME TIME and do something that you enjoy
• Start a gratitude journal and write what you are grateful for each day
• Read an inspirational book and write your thoughts about the book in your journal
• Take a long walk and enjoy nature then write about your experience in your journal
• Try a new exercise and stretch afterwards
• Just do nothing or take a power nap
• Take a hot bubble bath, relax and clear your mind
• Find some time for self-reflection and meditate on your successes/failures

At the end of the day I am thankful that my blessings are bigger than my problems.

My Daily Pep Talk

Look in a mirror today and say these words out loud:

I love myself today because I am beautiful, I am strong, I am powerful, I am fabulous, I am unique, I am blessed, I am smart, I am worthy to be loved, I love my smile, I choose to shine on today, I will rise and not fall, I will work toward my dreams and/or goals, I believe in myself on today. Repeat 3 times.

Now, be creative and create your own person affirmations to describe yourself. Allow this to be your pep talk in the morning, repeat it throughout the day, and you can even post them at home or at work.

My Journal Prompts – Time for Reflection

MIND

• What takes your mind away from God, thus robbing your peace?
• What is your biggest dream and/or goal?
• What has prevented you from going after your dream and/or goal?
• What thoughts have I been repeating in my head lately? Are they true?

BODY

• List 5 ways you’ve become stronger and more courageous this week.
• Lord, please strengthen my heart when it comes to ________________.
• When I’m in pain, physical and emotional, I find strength in ________________.
• How can I make more space in my life for the things I love and enjoy?

SPIRIT

• Where do you see the unmistakable mark of the creator? Thank and praise God for it.
• How is God trying to get your attention to stop, treasure, and ponder how he’s working in your life right now in this very moment?
• When have you seen God use something small to produce a big outcome?
• What can I do to nurture my spirit more throughout the week?

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

So, grab your journal and write down at least 10 things that you are thankful for. As the day goes by, review your list and add to it as you see fit. Make sure to set some goals for yourself and plan to reach those goals every day. What are some of your obstacles throughout this process? Do you struggle to get started with new projects or to stay motivated? Did you practice the Pep Talk this week? If so, how did it help you throughout your day? Did you try any of the journal prompts? If so, how did they help you begin your journaling process? I look forward to reading your feedback!

Renew Inspiration is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and Target Affiliate Program which are advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and Target.com

Copyright © 2018 – Renew Inspiration – All Rights Reserved

Journaling to Excel

Journaling to Excel

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Your life only gets better when you do. Work on yourself and the rest will follow. – Unknown

Welcome back to Renew Inspiration! Believe in yourself. Be brave and take risks. After all, nothing can substitute an experience, whether it is positive or negative. In today’s session, I want to talk about Journaling to Excel. Let’s take a moment and think about the following questions.

• Why do I write in my journal?
• What do I want to learn about myself?
• What am I exceptionally good at?
• How do I shine from day to day?
• Do I have any talents or special skills?
• How do I stand out in a crowd?

Well, I hope you have your journal and something to write with. I love to write in my journal because it is a safe place for me to put my feelings and emotions into words, then put my words into action. Journal writing is a form of personal expression. Journal writing can be whatever you want it to be. Remember, journal writing is your very own personal journey throughout life, your ups and downs, your successes and failures.

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So, when you first read the title Journaling to Excel, what were you thinking? What does the title Journaling to Excel mean to you and your current situation? Whenever you make the decision to excel at something, you must put in some hard work and dedication. Let’s face it, most of us did not just wake up one day and have a successful career, a beautiful home, respectful children, a healthy fitness routine, etc. You had to first decide what you wanted to work on, then you had to plan, then you had to execute your plan into action. In reality, most people fail many times before they succeed so never give up on your dreams.

You have the power to heal yourself, and you need to know that. We think so often that we are helpless, but we’re not. We always have the power of our minds. Claim and consciously use your power. – Louise Hay

To take yourself to the next level, let’s look at the following concepts:

Goal Setting
Goal setting is important in every aspect of your life. To pursue new ideas or strive to reach your dreams, you must have a plan to do so. Here’s some steps to follow when goal setting:
• Identify what you want and name your specific goal(s). You can brainstorm each area of your life and identify one or two things you want most and set these as your beginning goals, such as weight loss, exercising more, building stronger relationships, being a better person, etc.
• Write your goal(s) down and write the steps needed to facilitate the goal(s). Make sure to include changes in habits and lifestyle that must take place.
• Take each of the steps you wrote down and incorporate them into your current lifestyle. You may need to rearrange your work schedule, ask for help around the house from family or friends, etc.
• Begin to visualize yourself after your goals are achieved. Take a moment and ask yourself what life looks like after the goals are reached, then spend a few minutes every day picturing yourself in that very same life.
• Evaluate your progress as you move through the steps you’ve identified as necessary to reach your goals and adjust your efforts as needed.

Self-Confidence
Self-confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of our lives, but if we are honest with ourselves, we sometimes struggle to find it throughout our every day lives. Did you know that gaining the confidence of others is one of the key ways in which a self-confident person finds success in life? Unfortunately, people who lack self-confidence find it difficult to become successful. There are two main things that contribute to self-confidence: self-efficacy (when we see ourselves and others mastering skills and achieving goals) and self-esteem (we cope with what’s going on in our lives and know that we have a right to be happy). Here’s some ways for you to build self-confidence:
• Prepare for your journey. Look at what you’ve already achieved, think about your strengths, think about what’s important to you, and where you want to go in life.
• Set out on your journey. Build the knowledge you need to succeed, focus on the basics, set small goals and achieve them.
• Accelerate towards success. By this point, you should feel your self-confidence building from within. Keep yourself grounded and always aware of how you feel throughout this process.

Self-Reflection
Self-reflection is a process of examining one’s own thoughts, feelings, and sensations to gain better insight of one’s life. Self-reflection allows you to:
• Notice negative patterns in your life.
• Keeps you focused on the bigger picture.
• Prevents you from worrying about things out of your control.
• Helps you face your fears.
• Allows you to clearly define happiness on your own terms.
• Allows you to make decisions based on your conscience.

Self-Care
Prioritizing everyone else in your life may seem honorable, but the reality is, totally neglecting yourself isn’t good for anyone. In order to take care of others, you first need to take care of yourself. Here’s some great ways to practice self-care:
• Make time for exercise or yoga.
• Read an inspirational book or read positive affirmations.
• Listen to soothing music with your eyes closed.
• Create a relaxing routine (warm bath, meditation, reading, writing in your journal).
• Get out in nature (go for a walk, run, or hike).

Spiritual Foundation
Without a strong spiritual foundation, you cannot withstand the storms of life that you may be facing, whether they are financial, emotional, or relational. Although society and culture may offer many solutions to help you brace against the struggles of daily living, here’s the three essentials needed in your spiritual life to weather any storm you might be dealt:
• Praise and Worship
• The Word of God
• Prayer
These spiritual essentials will help you build strength (your spiritual foundation) and begin to experience a powerful new sense of God’s presence and purpose in your life.

My mind is focused, my body is healthy, and my spirit is calm. – Unknown

Mind – Your mind will always believe everything you tell it. Feed it faith. Feed it truth. Feed it with love.

Body – Your body is healthy and beautiful.

Spirit – Everything you need is within you.

Journal Prompts – Journaling to Excel
• Name at least five things that you love about yourself.
• What are my short-term goals and long-term goals?
• What are my strengths and weaknesses?
• What is my proudest accomplishment and my biggest failure?
• What matters most to me right now in this very moment?
• What am I ashamed of and/or what do I fear?
• What brings me the most joy and how can I make time for it?
• As of today, what is my vision for my life in one year, two years, three years?
• What stresses me out? What can I do to reduce the stress?
• What is overwhelming in my life right now? How can I reduce this overwhelming feeling?

In addition, here’s some suggestions of things you can do to help you connect deeper (www.simplystepping.com). This process will help you stay grounded and become more comfortable with yourself while doing various activities, then writing about them throughout your journaling process.

• Walk a long distance or hike. Realize what you’ve accomplished in the end.

• Stand in the rain and let it wash you clean. Feel grounded in the Earth.

• Plant a tree or start a garden. Place labels where you planted, with words that encourage you to move forward.

• Imagine what a new beginning would look like or how it would feel. Create a vision board with images and words capturing what you what.

• Wear new, special, comfortable shoes that represent your bravery and willingness for simply stepping one step at a time forward in life!

Believe in yourself today, tomorrow and forever!

Renew Inspiration is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Copyright © 2018 – Renew Inspiration – All Rights Reserved

Leave the Past Behind

Leave the Past Behind

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In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:6

Welcome back to Renew Inspiration! I am starting over today, right now in this very moment. Yes, as I type these words to inspire you, I am also being inspired. I want to erase all negative thoughts and feelings from my inner being. I want to replace all negativity with a new pattern of positive thoughts and feelings; a new wave of emotional balance and well-being; a new connection to my life as I know it, think it and feel it. There will be a new belief system inscribed within me.

The beauty of life is, while we cannot undo what is done, we can see it, understand it, learn from it and change so that every new moment is spent not in regret, guilt, fear or anger but in wisdom, understanding and love. – Jennifer Edwards

How many times do you think about the past? It could be past events, death, thoughts, people, relationships, choices, successes, failures, etc. While it is not against the law to think about the past, be careful not to get caught up in an emotional web or bondage that may keep you from moving forward. Each day I wake up, I thank God for allowing me another chance to get my life back on track. What do I mean by that? Well, we are human and last, I remember, all humans make mistakes. We should live and learn from our mistakes, not dwell in them.

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Face each day with a positive attitude. Dig deep inside to strive for new opportunities that surround us every day. Focus on right now and not what ifs. Believe it or not, even as I type these words, it seems easier said than done. I realize it will not be easy for some, but to move to a better place in life, we sometimes need to place ourselves in uncomfortable situations and/or conversations. Involve yourself with like-minded individuals who build you up and not tear you down.

Here’s some ways to help you leave the past behind:

• Write your thoughts and feelings in a journal
• Share your thoughts and feelings with a trusted family member or friend
• Seek professional help from a licensed therapist
• Read and be grounded in God’s Word
• Meditate and be prayerful
• Practice yoga and stretch routines
• Read inspirational and spiritual books
• Set some attainable goals for yourself
• Post positive quotes where you can read them daily
• Recite positive affirmations throughout your day

The only way to get over the past is to leave it behind. If you spend your time re-living moments that are gone forever, you might miss the special moments that are yet to come. – Susan Gale


Mind – Meditation
The thing about meditation is: You become more and more you. – David Lynch

According to the Wikipedia, meditation can be defined as a practice where an individual focuses his or her mind on an object, thought, or activity to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state. It’s important to start with good breathing techniques when doing your meditation. In addition, create a peaceful and safe place where you will not be distracted during your meditation. Remember, to let go of all frustrations throughout the meditation process. Then, you will feel refreshed, renewed, and at peace.

• Has your mind spent more time today focused on the past, present, or future?
• What are your priorities in life? What helps you to stay on track?
• How do you keep your thoughts in check throughout the day?


Body – Set Attainable Goals
Set goals that are well balanced. – M. Russell Ballard

First, you must set attainable goals for yourself. Second, you need to write down your goals to clarify and strengthen your daily intentions. Hold yourself accountable by maintaining focus and discipline throughout your journey. Rewarding yourself will help reinforce the positive actions you’ve taken so you can continue doing it every day. Effective systems and habits make it easier for you to accomplish your goals on a regular basis. Simply put, your success is found in your daily routine.

• What do I want to accomplish in my life today? Tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Next year?
• What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses?
• Discuss one way you would like to grow in the next year.


Spirit – Self-Reflection
Time spent in self-reflection is never wasted. It is an intimate date with yourself. – Paul TP Wong

Self-reflection is a humbling process. It’s essential to find out why you think, say, and do certain things, then better yourself. I think of self-reflection as making time for ME. Similar, to meditation, you are going to a quiet and safe place away from distractions. Then, you are taking short breaths and paying attention to what is going on within you. Your thoughts, feelings, emotions, all moving to the same rhythm.

• What did you learn about yourself today? This week? This month?
• What are you inviting into your life with your actions or thoughts?
• How can I create more acceptance and happiness in my life?

Don’t close the book when bad things happen in your life, just turn the page and begin a new chapter. – Unknown

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I want to hear from you – Don’t be afraid to start over. It’s a new chance to be creative and to rebuild what you want. Begin to look at your life as a story being written on paper and you are the author. Train your mind to think differently. Train your body to react differently. Train your spirit to feel differently. This will be a process that will continue for a life time. Out with the old and in with the new. Leaving your past behind, old habits, negative thoughts, old relationships, failures, etc.

Please share your thoughts in the blog’s comment section concerning the following questions:

• How do you plan to leave the past behind?
• What methods of release do you use? For example, do you write in a journal, write blogs, read inspirational books, talk to someone, meditate, go for a walk outdoors, etc.

Believe in yourself today, tomorrow and forever!

Renew Inspiration is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Copyright © 2018 – Renew Inspiration – All Rights Reserved