Monday, February 16, 2015

8 Goals To Live By---#5 Be Present

I am presently babysitting my nine month old grandson and I would not be writing if he were not taking his nap right now.  When he is awake I get on the floor and play with him.  We read books, play with his various toys, or he walks around the room with me while being safely secured between my knees, his soft little hands grasping mine.   When I was here two days ago I took him for a walk in his stroller.  We ended up sitting on the grass for almost thirty minutes.  No toys, just the texture and the scent of the grass and the various sounds all around us.  Together we enjoyed looking up at the trees as their leaves rustled in the gentle breeze.  

I didn't have one of these when my children were small!

I babysit my grandson because I love him and I love my daughter and her husband.  I do something for them but they in turn do so much more for me.  If we let them, grand babies can teach us how to be present, without any distractions or interruptions.  It's totally different than when my children were small because at that time I still had to do my laundry, keep the house clean, prepare meals, and try to keep caught up on my other work.  Thank God I didn't have a cell phone or a laptop back then or who knows what other responsibilities would have beckoned!  Grandchildren are a different story.  When I am with Christian I do nothing else but be with him.  I don't answer my telephone, I don't check my emails, or my Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, etc, etc.  I am fully present with him and this is the gift he gives to me.  I'm convinced that our times together are even better for me than they are for him.  Being in the present moment with someone allows a connection that some of us are missing.  It is a time when we can concentrate on what is real and what is lasting.  Love, shown in time spent with someone is a special gift which creates memories that outlive any other gift you can give.  I am so thankful that I have been given this opportunity to show love in this way.

We can all practice living in the present. Wouldn't it be nice if the next time you are with a friend or a family member you put down your telephone (everyone will survive if you don't answer that text in the next hour or so), turn off the t.v., stop all of your business, and just sit and try to really hear what the other is trying to say to you.  I'm talking about being truly present

A friend of mine passed away a couple of years ago yet I will always remember him as the one who carried a little poem with him 24/7.  You could always count on Tom Harken taking out his little card and reading it to someone in the room.  He often gave away a copy and I have one that he gave to me. The poem goes like this:

I have only just a minute,
Only sixty seconds in it.
Forced upon me, can't refuse it.
Didn't seek it, didn't choose it.
But it's up to me
to use it.
I must suffer if I lose it.
Give account if I abuse it.
Just a tiny little minute,
but eternity is in it.
         Dr. Benjamin E. Mays

As a goal for this year make it a point to be totally present for your friends, family, and anyone you come in contact with .  When you are sitting across the table at lunch with a friend please don't take your cell phone out of your purse, or your pocket-- not even for a minute.   The message to the other person is that the one calling or trying to get in touch with you is more important than they are.  If someone needs to reach you it won't matter if it's thirty minutes or an hour later when they do.

If you don't have a grandchild then find someone to help once in while.  Spending time focusing on the needs of another will get you out of your ruts and help you be a more grateful person.  There are plenty of people who need your minutes to help them get through some really tough hours, days, weeks, and years.  If you need advice knowing where you might be needed please contact me and I will try to help.   I have network of amazing friends who run some awesome non-profits and they are always looking for volunteers.    ...Or it could be as simple as helping the person who lives nearby who can no longer go to the grocery store by themselves.

Gotta run....time to be with Christian!

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.  Psalm 90:12



To contact me: Donna@DonnaSchuller.com


Friday, February 13, 2015

Goal #4-Be Healthy



For updates re: my father-in-law, Dr. Robert H. Schuller please go to: www.RobertSchullerMinistries.org

The Employee Health Promotion program


 Health Definition
dictionary.search.yahoo.com
n. noun
  1. The overall condition of an organism at a given time.
  2. Soundness, especially of body or mind; freedom from disease or abnormality. (Hmmm? Where’s the spiritual?!)<note by me!
  3. A condition of optimal well-being.

 A lot of my formal schooling is in nutrition so people can instinctively think my main goal in coaching is to critique diets and assign strict exercise regimes.  Although physical health is an important aspect of overall health, truly being vigorous and strong involves so much more than just eating right and exercising.  I have met many people are in great shape physically while on the inside they are dying emotionally and spiritually.   The reverse can also be true.  One can be in a great place mentally or spiritually but they neglect their bodies, thus are out of sink with life in many other ways.  There are those who are “so spiritually minded that they do no earthly good.” 
 In my book,   "Healthy Family, Happy Life: What Healthy Families Learn From Healthy Moms" I outline various characteristics of health which include specifics of spiritual and emotional well-being and their integral roles in helping you live as a whole and a healthy person.  Some of these would include:  being honest with others, having clear-cut goals, striving through hardship, forgiving and loving yourself and others, and knowing where you stand with your relationship with God.   I believe all of these, and more, play a very important role in how healthy you are and how peaceful you live your life as a result of the thoughts you think, the attitude you have towards others, and yes…what you put in your body and how much physical activity you get (certain hormones released as a result of exercise and choosing the right fuel for your body have a huge influence on your emotional and spiritual health) Everything we do effects every part of us since we are laced together and “created in the image of God,” body, mind, and soul.  

It’s the middle of February so by now you should have written down your goals: physical, emotional, and spiritual.  You should have a clear understanding of where you want to see your social and love life, your family and friendships, and whether or not your work is or will be satisfying.  If you need help with your 2015 goals please refer to my post on Goal Setting from last year.  You can read it here.  If you are feeling overwhelmed with this process or if you need help evaluating your life and the direction it’s going, you can always talk to me.  I can coach you for just one session or for as many as you need.  To reach me you can email me here.

Your life should burn brightly with passion and purpose.  You should embrace good health by giving your body everything it needs and your should be in touch with your emotions and your past, and be able to forgive all of your past mistakes.  Last but not least, you should have a clear understanding of being a “spiritual being on this physical journey” called life.

 “For I will restore health unto you.  I will heal your wounds.”   Jeremiah 30:17  


To reach me:  Donna@DonnaSchuller.com