It’s time to start fresh, set new goals and work toward new successes and process new challenges.
Last year I did one thing that made my year very successful, it may surprise you but…
…I didn’t get skinnier, smarter or become a super successful business woman.
More the opposite of that!
In fact, it was a very challenging year for my family, especially financially…
…I made zero money in my business, in fact, I am currently red-lining in my business. I didn’t get any new clients. I’ve lost over ¼ of my subscribers and followers. My husband made less this last year than he has in over two years…
It was a huge flop financially for us.
Yet I sit here confidently telling you that it was truly my best year yet!
How can I POSSIBLY say that last year was my best year yet when by the world’s standards I was a big failure?
Because my success didn’t come from new clients, bigger dollar signs, or mind-blowing analytics.
My success looked completely different than what the world accepts as successful.
The one thing I did, and have never done before, was pick a word to STICK to and focus on for the year.
By focusing on one word I was able to become a strong, confident woman for Christ – full of thankfulness and blessing.
God used one word to help me…
Become a dedicated morning person (which I NEVER believed possible!)
Write an entire book!
Finish two 154 page journals!
Read the first five books of the Bible!
Find life’s purpose!
Read over a book a month!
And heal from the bondage of addiction!
Is there ANYTHING that you think is impossible for you to overcome?
I am here, living proof to tell you it’s not impossible.
You can truly change – no matter what it is you need to change – and I am going to share with you how.
Ready to learn what that one word was?
Intentional.
God used the word intentional, to help me learn and focus on what is really important in my life.
You see, I thought that success came from a ton of money in the bank, online popularity and huge follower numbers, a steady flow of clients – basically fame and fortune.
I really believed that to be a success I had to look perfect, be perfect and share perfectly.
Do you ever feel this way?
Here is why I believed perfection equaled success. Social media. No, I’m not going on a social media rant, I love it and use it daily, but here is what happens to me…
I believe what I see – I see someone who appears to have their life all put together, and I think to myself, “It must be nice, but I’ll never have or measure up that!”
Deep down I know that success does not happen overnight. But when I am taking a moment waiting for something to upload or I’m sitting in the car waiting for a kiddo to finish a lesson I admittedly distract myself with Instagram. For a few minutes I sit there and SEEing, but I don’t take time to process what I am seeing.
The important bit I am trying to share with you is…
The battle of perfection that goes on over on social media sites is terrifying. It can be completely consuming. In a mere thirty seconds, after seeing perfection scroll past my thumbs, I want to place my treasures on earth.
Do you find yourself feeling jealous, not good enough and as if your life stinks because of what you see on Social Media?
What does Jesus say about making the world your treasure chest?
“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:20-21 NKJV
Yes, I completely admit it! My treasures have been on earth. More money, more stuff, more followers, more business, more, more, more….
(Just in case I am about to lose your attention – I have to say I have ZERO problems with people having money. Hey, it’s a goal of mine to own a Chanel bag, travel the world and live in NYC someday! Having money is not the problem – but focusing only on money and perfection is a problem – and that was my problem.)
…God knew that if he gave my husband and I a record year in our businesses that my heart would never change. That I would do more damage than good for His kingdom.
So God had plans to give us a challenging year but not to hurt us…
To GROW my heart. To BRING me closer to Him. To show me His true PLANS for my life.
He knew what hardships would come.
He also knew that if I chose to listen and obey Him in his leading that I would get to the end of the year feeling more full, successful and amazing, then I had ever felt – no matter what challenges I had endured.
And, no surprise, God was right!
God showed up and showed off in my life.
What do I value now as opposed to a year ago?
Finding true fulfillment through God. Taking His love and light that He puts in my life and shining it out to others. Reflecting God’s grace, love and mercy to those who are feeling broken, are hurting and lost.
By focusing on one word, and with God’s help, I’ve been able to work on overcoming laziness, greed, perfection, and addiction.
I asked God to lead me, to help me stay focused on being intentional. So He gave me many lessons, challenges and chances to become intentional.
I lost money in my business, battled the alarm clock at 5 am, caught sickness, upheavals in schedules, major financial setbacks and a complete change in course, walking away from the business I was building to put everything on hold to write a book. A book that I didn’t even know what I would say in it. I had to walk completely and blindly in faith with God.
Am I perfect at intention? Nope. But I try daily to focus on my intentions. And you can see just by what He accomplished in my life how beneficial the focus on that one word from God was!
Do I still long for a successful business, a remodeled home, to travel and be completely debt free? Oh yes, most certainly!
The difference now is the longing for the things of this earth is no longer an obsession. It’s a want, not a need. I have found my happiness in trusting God, not in having a possession, position or experience.
God’s love is our possession, where he leads us is our position and what we do with Him is our experience.
Now my word is Abundance.
My heart is overflowing with thankfulness and blessing. I want to relish in and share God’s love abundantly to everyone I can. I want to see where God is showing up abundantly in my life and where I need to implement more abundance so I can shine brightly out toward others for God.
My purpose – to share the light and love of God to other women so they can be intentional, authentic and confident in Christ.
What will your one word be?
Not sure? God will tell you, spend time in the Bible, in prayer and reflection, and He will reveal the word to you. It will most likely be obvious, and if not you may have to dig a little deeper.
When I pick a word for the year it becomes so clear I begin to see and hear it everywhere!
Keep in mind that the real change comes not from simply picking a word. Change comes with how you apply this word and by making sure it is in alignment with the plan God has for your life.
Over the next few weeks, I will break down how the word intentional helped me become a morning person, finally start reading the Bible from the beginning, create a journaling habit, read more books, find my purpose and overcome addiction – my addiction happened to be spending money.
I will be sharing this in hopes that I will inspire you especially if you struggle with any of these things or if you doubt picking a word will work for you.
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Your Turn!
It’s time to pray, do a little soul searching and sharing! Tell me in the comments below what your word is so I can pray for you and cheer you on!
Blessings!
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Simplify is my word.
I love it! You may enjoy my dear friend Kelsey’s site Simply Life on Purpose, go check her out http://www.kelseyvankirk.com xo