Feb 16 2016 Baby Steps Part One

Have you dropped your New Year’s Resolutions already? Or are you pressing on? Maybe you don’t set goals because you know they won’t come to pass.

Our family loves the movie “What About Bob” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3JPa2mvSQ4  Bob learns that future success awaits him; he decides to follow the “Baby Steps” philosophy prescribed by his Psychiatrist. Yes, it’s a funny movie scene, but when I watch Poor Bob, I see a nugget of Psychology that makes sense. I become overwhelmed by an entire goal, project, or assignment. You too?  Dr. Leo Marvin knows Bob has a LONG way to go toward his mental health healing. Instead of tackling it all at once, the doc encourages Bob to take one tiny step at a time.

I’m a resolution kinda gal. I’ve been a planner and list-maker since childhood.

But I’ve resolved to make different resolutions this time. I’ve made small, measurable goals instead of throwing out lofty hopes that may or may not come to fruition by the end of the year. Baby steps.

Are you a goal-oriented person? Maybe you are more casual and like to ride the waves of life instead of telling them how to get to the shore. Either way, we all have dreams and heart-filled plans, don’t we? Something we’d love to see happen or even need to see happen? Perhaps it’s a broken relationship healed? A chunk of debt chiseled away? A successful step in your weight-loss journey? Or even tackling that ridiculously junked-out closet?

Yet, how do we get there?

Start by picking just one area of your life that needs change. I know you have more than one. So do I.

“The First requisite for success is to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem incessantly without growing weary.” ~Thomas Edison

These last thirty days, my one focus has been on clean eating. Specific goal: 80% of my diet will consist of unprocessed, organic, real food. Before I began, I had to ask myself some questions. I urge you to do the same.

Questions:

• What is my ONE thing? 
• Why is it essential that I choose this goal at this time?
• Do I sense God’s prompting here?
• If I meet this goal, how will it impact my life? On the lives of those I love?
• Why haven’t I had success in this area?
• What (or who?) is holding me back?

Many of us struggle with procrastination and laziness. Just yesterday, I had a pathetic conversation with a friend in which we both listed why we hadn’t cleaned our closets. We covered all the bases in Excuse Land.

But what is at the core of our excuses? especially when we know the Lord is nudging us towards His best for us (which may or may not include cleaning out closets), nudging us to trust him, nudging us to step out in faith for Him.

Take some time to think about these questions. Reflect on where you are today and how much progress can happen in this area in one day, one week, and one year from now. Time passes in a blink, and no one will come along and complete our mission for us.

Friends, we are here on purpose and for a purpose.

 God points us in the right direction.

Join me “next time” as we tackle Baby Step Number 1 and beyond in Part Two.

PC: free google images