May Goals + Inspiration!

Hello everyone! It’s May, and it feels so good to be back on the blog! My break was so amazing, and I learned so much through it!

But first, a recap …

Most of my goals from April were routine-based, and I was surprised to find that I’ve been doing really well with all the goals! Currently, I’m reading through Numbers, am on Lesson 52 in History and English (woohoo!), and I have a way better morning routine! Lately, I’ve been doing my schoolwork at the kitchen table, which has been an interesting switch and a bit of a jump start to help me get into the mindset of “okay, I’m working on my new routine now!” XD

• Finish History and English Lessons 50-80.
• Finish reading through Numbers and Deuteronomy, and then read through Joshua, Judges, and then my very favorite book, Ruth!
• Get through 5 Math “Lessons”.
• Walk every morning (every morning I have off from work)
• Add affiliate links to my website. (I made a website!! (With a lot of help from others, including time-generous friends!) On it I’ll be posting articles related to the Ron Paul Curriculum, and why you should sign up! Here I go sounding like some internet freak who just wants to make a buck, but seriously y’all, I’ve been recommending this curriculum even before I got my affiliate website set up. It may not work for all students, but it sure has a lot of advanced and interesting courses and materials, and I definitely recommend checking it out!)
• Practice piano for 1 hour, 5 days a week.
• Nitrotype. Every day. 10 min. *sighs the greatest sigh in the existence of the universe* If you know me personally, you know that I have an extreme non-like for video games. Nitrotype, however, is what my family recommends for my, shall we say, less than satisfactory typing skills. 😉 So, its car-racing I go … but only as much as I absolutely, positively must. *sighs an even bigger sigh*

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I’ve got a lot of goals this month! Never mind the busyness of life, or the unexpected day to day happenings, now I’ve got personal and educational goals than before! I guess this is where my word of the year comes in … Determination. And that’s part of where my motivation post (read it here) will come into large play this month, because not only am I lacking motivation, I am also feeling procrastination – a lack of desire to do the work in order to succeed – which is a killer of hopes and dreams and everything in between.

In addition to that, I’ve also been feeling a lot of pressure coming at me, career-wise. Well-meaning people asking me what I want to do after high school, telling me to go ahead, that God would keep me from that which wasn’t his Will … but that doesn’t sit right with me. I feel a pull to do something I don’t want, and every time I read a passage about surrendering my life to God, I feel as though I haven’t yet.

I’ve found myself wishing and wishing that God would somehow yank me out of the now and place me into the then. Impart His Will without me having to worry about whether or not I’m doing the right thing. But God doesn’t impart His Will without consent. We each have to CHOOSE our way of life, and try our best to align it with what God has said to us all that He wants us to do, and what He wants us specifically to do, personally. So, that part of my life (my future) is kind of “on hold” right now, and while I’m thinking and preparing and praying and waiting for a sign, God is still preparing me for His Plan. I just need to trust Him.

So what does the Bible have to say about these struggles; not knowing where you’re going, and procrastinating in carrying out the steps? I found plenty of sayings in Proverbs which really seemed to hit the nail on the head.

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

Proverbs 16:9, NKJV

“Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.”

Proverbs 16:3, NKJV

“There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.”

Proverbs 19:21 NKJV

“But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.”

Isaiah 32:8, NIV

” For as he thinks in His heart, so is he.”

Proverbs 23:7, NKJV

These verses serve to remind me that my thoughts are powerful, that God’s plans are better, and that, in time, all will be resolved. But, as I’m sure many of y’all know and understand, it’s still hard! 😌

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(I know, really motley bunch they are, don’t judge! XD)

That’s it for today, everyone!! What are some of your May goals? Have any future/life advice for me? And, most importantly, how has God worked in your life recently? Feel absolutely free to share in the comments below!

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Getting Back on Track

Do you remember when you were smashing your goals every day and felt overwhelmed but amazing? I remember. I’d like to say that everything has been peachy with me the past few weeks, but I’ve really let myself go! A lot of things have been changing in my life, and many have acutally been positive changes, but I’ve allowed that to become an excuse for discarding habits that I didn’t feel that I had time for. Now, looking back and examining those habits I’ve almost lost, I can see how much happier I was with them.

Ever feel like your productivity has just gone down the drain? Not everyone can hold themselves to an amazing and responsible schedule non-stop. Don’t stress about it – give yourself a little grace, and feel free to start over and get back into a routine that refreshes you, whether that includes adding more of your passions to your life, or taking out some energy-suckers that aren’t worth the time you put into it.

So, because everyone loves lists, here’s a checklist for getting your lifestyle back on track with your happy place!

• Hold yourself accountable to your goals! I’ve stopped myself from pursuing a goal so many times, because I “didn’t feel like it”. When other people know and will check up on you, you feel pushed to accomplish it (or merely slug your way through it!) so you don’t disappoint them or get publicly embarrassed. Sharing my goals with all of you on blogging may not have helped you very much, but it has been a TERRIFIC motivator for me, to, as Nike says, “Just Do It!” Mah fans are watching … 👀
• Re-evaluate what you want in your life. If your plans, schedule, or priorities have changed, that goal you made last month might not be relevant to your life anymore! Being conscious of your long-term goals, lifestyle, and future plans can keep you from working on a goal that doesn’t satisfy you, or direct you towards a new goal that will take you closer to what you want!
• Make a plan. Diving in is great, but make sure you take the time to elaborate on specifics, mark up a schedule, and set boundaries for yourself, so you are fully prepared for the changes you want to make, and the struggles you’ll encounter on your journey.
• Pray for strength and guidance. I don’t know about you, but it lifts me up so much to know that my Heavenly Father is rooting for me in something, and gives me the will to do it. It might seem trivial to ask Him for help in chores, or selfish to pray for some alone time, but your Heavenly Father hears you and knows what you need, and is willing and loves to give good things to the children He loves.
• Force yourself. It’s going to be very hard to get back into a good habit, possibly harder than it was to enter it in the first place. Don’t go easy on yourself, because if you do, you’ll never get around to the concrete-smashing mold you need in order to firmly cement that habit. These days, its incredibly hard for me to pull myself away from something I desperately WANT to do in order to do something I desperate NEED to do. Take the unnecessary things off your “to do” list, and get out and force yourself to ACTUALLY do the important things.
• Consider what matter most to you in life. This is something I’d really encourage all of you to do. I have friends and family who have struggles going on, and I’d just really advise you all to get down to the basics – think about what REALLY matters to you in life. (For me, #1 is Faith, and all that it entails – but personality-wise, I really treasure friendships, writing, health, being active and in nature, and adventure-ing.)

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I hope y’all really enjoyed these tips! I compiled them one at a time, coming back to them every once in a while to add something. Let me know if you think I should add anything, and lets chat in the comments! 👏