So many of us are setting New Years Resolutions but I wanted to share a bit on why GOAL SETTING and ACTION STEPS are so important and valuable for you to reach your destination. I posted a live video I did talking through some of these ideas and knew that I couldn’t be the only one who struggles with this!
How many times have we started a new exercise program January 1st or FINALLY decided to go on a much needed diet to shed some holiday cookies? SO MANY TIMES!
But what happens? We start with excitement and vigor… but life settles in, the pounds don’t melt off as fast as we want and keeping to a new program or schedule is plain HARD.
Ugh. I hate it when things are hard. YUCK.
But it doesn’t have to be really REALLY hard if you do it right!
What if you took your goal… say loose 10 lbs… and broke that down into bite sized pieces!?
Make it realistic and reachable.
If you want to lose 10 lbs in 3 months then you would need to lose on average 3.33 lbs a month! WOAH! That seems pretty manageable! What if you THEN broke that down into weeks? All you would have to so is loose .83lbs a week! TOTALLY DOABLE!
Now break that down AGAIN into ACTION STEPS!
If you are trying to lose weight, what will help you get there? If 80% of weight loss is the type of FOOD you eat and 20% is building lean muscle (ditch the treadmill babe and pick up those weights!!) then you might need to focus on eating foods that will shed body fat. You also might want to cut the soda and increase your water. These are all the beginnings of action steps!
Now for the big kahuna. Lets take it one step further.
PUT. IT. IN. YOUR. SCHEDULE.
That’s right. Whether paper or digital, schedule it out.
Meal prep? Put it in the schedule. Lifting weights? Put it in the SCHEDULE. Need some better groceries so you can kick fast food? PUT IT IN THE SCHEDULE!
Those who fail to plan, plan to fail” -Benjamin Franklin
If you don’t actually PUT IT IN your schedule, it is most likely NOT going to happen. Don’t let perfection keep you from the progression. These things DO NOT change over night and you will NOT be perfect. That right all my recovering perfectionists… YOU CAN’T DO IT PERFECT. But there is hope in your growth! Even if you reach your goal 40… yay 60% of the time, that is a HUGE victory!!!
CELEBRATE THAT!
Don’t let another year slip right on past you.
SO friends, join me in the journey of the JOYS of goal setting and don’t let them fade in February. Lets stay focused and make this year full of abundance and discovery!
p.s. Click HERE: POWER OF A FOCUSED LIFE and check out the worksheet and schedule! Comment below with some of the areas you are looking to grow in this year!
Oh HI there!!
I know I know, I might seem a little bruised and beat up but I have a secret!
2016 might have tried to crush me to pieces but something amazing happened.
I finally let go. The surrender of finally breaking.
I finally found a peace I never knew available.
Been a hard year beloved? Yea… Me too.
I feel like we have gone from one traumatic tragedy to the next…
2 miscarriages. ER & ICU visits for me and different family members. Financial struggles, relational challenges, depression, hopelessness… You name it! OH and this week a LOVELY car accident to put a little icing on the top… My natural tendency is to panic and FREAK OUT!
But I feel the Lord whisper that there is another and a better way.
What is it you ask?
GRATITUDE.
Yup. That’s right.
Gratitude.
Oh man… there she goes… giving us the “lets all just ignore whats going on and walk in the opposite direction talk”… But Rachael my life has been HARD!
Yes friend.
It HAS been hard.
But did you know that He has been with you the whole time?
I know… I didn’t realize it either till I finally let myself BREAK.
Its inside out and upside down, but gratitude is a beautiful weapon of our warfare against the schemes, trials and assaults of the enemy.
To overcome obstacles, walk in gratitude.
Tired of fighting depression and anxiety, declare gratitude.
Want to wake up in the morning and not stay in bed ALL DAY, SHOUT OUT GRATITUDE.
GRATITUDE:
The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Seems easy enough. Right?
Well, that is till your world come crashing down!
Yet in the midst of all the trials and heartache we have gone through this year, something has shifted inside of me. I find myself telling God what I am thankful for in the midst of the pain. His mercy really is new every morning. The fact that I have 2 beautiful babies waiting for me… PRAYING for me in heaven. The miracle that I didn’t slip into a coma or die in that ICU room. The depth of love and trust that has been built through trial by fire in my husband and I’s relationship. All things that could have been brushed aside.
BUT GOD.
What does it even look like have a heart alive in love, trusting completely and knowing that His Word says…
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him,who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (emphasis mine)
ALL THINGS.
Not some things.
Or just the GOOD things.
Nor the I perfectly pinterest packaged together things.
ALL THINGS.
Do you believe it friend?
That even when you feel broken, He can see the end from the beginning?
He knows the end of the story and is creating something beautiful in you?
When things were easy and effortless it never stuck as deep.
Oh I looooooove Jesus… but didn’t really NEED Him.
OUCH.
The beauty of brokenness causes us to see that through the good & bad, broke & beautiful, bruised and battered, He is forging gratitude in me.
Gratitude in ALL THINGS. Not just the promotions, but the trials.
So to you dear heart, HOLD ON.
Hold onto your faith.
Let your heart fall into His and know that He has you.
Don’t force a thankful heart but look at what He HAS DONE.
For you are BEAUTIFUL.
Breathtaking.
Loved.
Cherished.
Fought for.
Let gratitude rest in your heart and carry you through the storm.
He’s not about your breaking in this season but MAKING you into something beautiful.
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, that means only ONE THING… EVERYTHING CHRISTMAS!
With Holiday Cheer, family gatherings, mounds of gifts and sleigh bells ringing, make sure that you have ALL the beautiful wintery Oils handy!
WHY DO YOU NEED OILS DURING THE HOLIDAYS?
From Cassia to Clove, Citrus Bliss and Frankincense your house will smell utterly delicious! The BEST part is by diffusing these happy oils, you will be purifying and cleansing the air, boosting your mood and emotions while supporting your immune system! WIN WIN WIN!
Here here for Oily-Holiday CHEER!
Breathe in deep, get creative with these blends and have a VERY MERRY OILY CHRISTMAS!!!
Want to know what one of the TOP SELLING essential oil is!? HELLO LEMON! Meet your daily dose of sunshine!
Lemon has TONS of benefits and uses and is an amazingly powerful cleansing agent, naturally purifying the air and surfaces. Looking for a non-toxic cleaner that is safe to use throughout the home? GRAB SOME LEMON!
One of my favorite ways to use Lemon DAILY is by adding 1-2 drops in my water to add a healthy and delightful boost throughout the day!* Many people love to use this beautiful oil added to food, enhancing the flavor of so many yummy dishes! Lemon is an oil that is safe enough to take internally and provides natural cleansing benefits, supporting the digestive system as well as boosting respiratory function.*
Lemon is also a FANTASTIC oil to diffuse as it blends with so many other oils! It is an uplifting, bright, happy and awakening oil that boosts your mood and brings that inner HAPPY!
USES:
– To assist with occasional seasonal/respiratory support, you can take 1-2 drops internally.*
-For a safe and easy non-toxic cleaner, add 10-20 drops of lemon essential oil into a spritzer bottle and fill with water. Shake well and use on counter tops, bathrooms, floors and hard surfaces.
-Lemon essential oil makes a great furniture polish. Add 1-3 drops to pure olive oil and apply with a damp rag. This cleans and protects your furniture while creating a natural shine that lasts!
-Lemon is an amazing oil to get rid of sticky messes! Place 1-2 drops onto damp rag and rub onto surface. Perfect for stickers, kitchen clean up, oil and grease.
-Saturate a hand towel in a mixture of lemon and water then ring till damp. Use on leather furniture of other leather surfaces to preserve and protect material. Remember a little oil goes a long way so start out with a few drops at a time.
-Diffuse daily to boost mood and release a natural HAPPY!
DIRECTIONS FOR USE: –Diffusion: Place a few drops in diffuser of choice and breathe in the benefits throughout the day
–Internal: Place 1-2 drops in 10-12oz of water and drink. (Make sure to use GLASS and not plastic!) You can also place 1-2 drops in an empty gel capsule for internal support.*
–Topical: Apply a few drops to needed area and dilute as needed with a carrier oil to minimize potential skin sensitivity. (See additional safety precautions below)
LEMON: Citrus limon APPLICATION: Aromatic | Topical | Internal |
Neat (skin sensitivity minimal & no need for dilution) PLANT PART: Lemon Rinds (peel) EXTRACTION METHOD: Cold pressed/expressed AROMATIC DISCRIPTION: Clean, fresh, citrus, bright MAIN CHEMICAL COMPONENTS: Limonene, B-pinene, y-terpinene
Comment below with ONE WAY you want to try using Lemon Essential Oil in YOUR home!
Are you ready to feel great and help your kids feel good too!?
I want to help you get started with these amazing oils TODAY! CLICK HERE and lets go!
As always, HAPPY OILING!!!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product in not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. **This oil could have a possible skin sensitivity. Keep out of reach of children. If pregnant, nursing, or under a doctor’s care, always consult with your physician. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears and sensitive areas. After applying topically, avoid sunlight or UV rays for up to 12 hours.
It all comes at us like a hurricane. Winds of testing and winds of refreshing… yet some seasons seem to hurt more than others.
A little over 3 months ago we lost our second baby to the ache of miscarriage.
No one warns you about how its going to affect you.
I mean, honestly, how could they?
Yet as I share my story, I’ve come to learn that so many other women have gone through the same thing. SO many have not had a capacity to process or feel known, grieving in silence and sometimes even shame. And that breaks my heart.
No pain has touched us deeper yet no trial has drawn us deeper.
The very thing that the enemy meant for evil… for tearing… for offending our hearts was the VERY thing that drew us closer to the Father. He who formed us, held us. He who called us and our child by name wept deep tears with us and drew us close.
You want to know what actually anchored my heart these past few months? Hope in the promised restoration of ALL things.
He WILL make all things new in that day.
He WILL wipe away every tear.
He WILL vindicate all that the enemy has stolen.
My hope, my anchor and my rest is in the reality that I will be forever united with the Father and restored to my 2 beautiful children. They are IN HEAVEN now with perfect understanding. They are WITH GOD now, praying for my husband and I to stand firm and hold fast to faith.
I don’t always understand why things happen the way that they do but I know that He is working ALL things together for our good.
I trust that He is perfecting me in love and my life doesn’t end in this age.
I get to live FOREVER with God.
That my dear friends has been the very thing that has given me my voice back.
He will make ALL things new, just in time.
My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come… Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away. O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.”
-Song of Solomon 2:11-14
If you have walked through grief and feel the weight on your shoulders, know that this is not going to last forever. The Father will declare the time of singing has come.
If you are weighed down with every pressure and burden of life, know that this season will end. The Father will declare the time of singing has come.
If you are lost and without hope, take heart! He has promised that there will be a day where the winter is over and past! The time of singing will come.
Arise, beautiful one, and run to the arms of Love.
Run into the arms of the Father and weep on His shoulder.
He is big enough to carry you through the darkest storms.
Trust Him today and know that He sees you, hears you and sings a song of love over you.
