Monday mornings seem to be hard on many people. Monday’s are the day many people begin their workweek, send the children back to school and get back to the gym. Well, today is Monday.
Take a moment and watch or listen to this two-minute clip of Jeff Allen discuss health clubs. I find myself feeling pretty much the same.
Monday after the Thanksgiving day is always a little more difficult than other Mondays. After waking from your “end of the week Turkey and Sugar Coma” you struggle to find the coffee pot before making your way to work.
This morning, allow me to share a video with you to give you some motivation to continue throughout your day. Get your week start on the right foot.
Today’s Monday Motivation is a video by Rick Rigsby. When I first heard this I ended up listening to it at least three times that day. I was intrigued by the words he speaks and the concepts he gives.
Take 10 minutes and be intrigued as well.
If you are interested in learning more about Rick Rigsby you can visit his website here.
Also, here is the book accompanying this video.
Enjoy your day!
Today we all realize we should be thankful, but why?
Why should you be thankful?.
Thanksgiving ushers in the holiday season where families gather together, huge meals are prepared and served, days are filled with shopping and time is spent reflecting on the past year. It is during these times, we reflect on the blessings of our lives.
If we are honest with ourselves, we understand we are undeserving of many of our blessings. Despite our choices, we are blessed in ways we cannot imagine. As Christians, there are many reasons we should be thankful every day.
We have been made in God’s image. In the beginning, God said to Himself, “Let Us make man in Our own image, after Our likeness.” (Genesis 1.26) God made us as everlasting people. Shouldn’t we be thankful that everlasting life has been extended to us? Christians have an inheritance reserved in heaven. (1 Peter 1.4) Being made in the image of God, and by trusting in the One God sent, I can be released from the fear of death (Hebrews 2.14-15).
We have a Savior who cares for us? It is a terrible feeling to think that nobody cares, and many suffer in their loneliness. As a Christians, though we may have our moments of discouragements, we can never say, “Nobody cares about me.” Peter writes we can cast our cares on God because he cares for us (1 Peter 5.7). We are blessed to have a Savior to understands our needs (Hebrews 4.15).
We have Jesus as our justifier. In a sense, when we obeyed the gospel, Jesus no long stood as our judge, but He became our justifier. Paul said, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? … It is God who justifies.” (Romans 8:31-34)
A few weeks ago, someone told me I looked tired. When they asked me why, I did not tell them anything, I just acted like everything was ok. It was not that I wanted to, it was I did not want them to think I was being a whining jerk.
The truth is, I am tired; very tired.
I go to the office in the mornings, sometimes early and sometimes later. I come home and work in the backyard trimming trees, clearing brush or working in the garden. Some days I find myself in the chicken house working to organize all the things there or to build something odd. The truth is those things are fun. I enjoy manual labor. I hated it growing up, but now I have found value working with my hands to get things done. I enjoy working with my hands and getting calluses, cuts and bruises. It’s just fun.
None of that makes me tired.
What makes me tired is people.
Seriously, people make me tired. My family, who I dearly love, does not make me tired. I get tired when I see people on social media.
I get tired hearing people talk about unity, then promoting disunity. I get tired of seeing people tell me there is only one race, the human race, then post things of the exact opposite. Instead of trying to bring people together, they add fuel to the violence of the current worldly chaos. I see people, friends, tell others one life is better than another. If you believe one life is better than another, you make me tired.
I get tired of people talk about religious unity, then practice isolationism. I get tired of seeing people tell us how great Christ is and we are all one, then they divide each other into congregation types. They talk about being one, but they actually, divide among the many. Christians are part of the same team; stop dividing people under the rug of manipulation.
I get tired of people talking about politics who only vote for people based on gender, race or who their friends vote for today. If you fall into that category, you are part of the problem and you make me tired. Why not find your values and then find your political party? Doing that usually leaves you as an independent. If you vote for a person because of race, gender or only their political party, you have lost the common sense that our founders wished future generations possessed.
I get tired of selfies. I am tired of a new generation, who will probably have to work harder than the previous because of our bad choices, finding themselves taking a new picture of themselves every five minutes. Stop it. Put your phone down and go do something for someone else. Stop worrying about you and go serve others. Service to others leads to greatness; selfies lead to selfishness.
I get tired of people wanting others to fix their problems instead of fixing it yourself. There is a whole generation of people who want everything then whine when they do not get it. There are those who have no work ethic, yet want people to give them everything. The generation before me worked and made something; people today need to do the same.
I get tired of people believing something just because someone said it. These days, everyone has an opinion and we need to be very cautious believing everything we hear. I have seen the quote from Abraham Lincoln that says, “Do not believe everything you read on the Internet.” (Think about it.) Just because someone says something you think is important does not make it right.
I get tired of people complaining and not doing anything. Personal drama and complaints are the black hole of social media. Anyone who gets to close and be pulled into the chaotic world of complaints. I know it might seem like I am complaining, but I am just verbalizing my long-held views on this topic. Stop complaining and do something good.
After a very few short years of this life, I have begun to figure out where I must be daily. I must be in the lives of my family. I will not change the world through the government, through a blog post or through an inspiring message. I will change the world through small things done consistently over time passed from one generation to the next.
OK, so here is what we are going to do.
By “We” I mean anyone who I tired too. By “We” I mean anyone who is willing to take a stand against the foolishness of the world and start creating a life for the future.
We are no longer going to stand by and watch the fading of opportunities, but we will hold ourselves accountable to each opportunity that comes before us.
We are no longer going to let the foolish demands of the world take the place of our divine purpose.
We will no longer be used as pawns by a worthless world, instead we will rise up and see our value not as a number, but as a living human being who has a successful legacy ahead.
We will no longer going to talk about doing something, but we are going to do something.
Beginning August 1st, I will issue you a 31 day challenge. 31 days to the beginning of a better you. The purpose is to get a group of individuals who want to begin living better but do not know where to start.
I am not perfect, but I would like to help you. For the month of August, I want to challenge you to begin creating habits leading to a great life and a greater legacy.
Each week there is a teleconference call to get everyone moving in the same direction.
Each week there are a series of articles to read and make a part of your daily routine.
Each week there are steps to take to begin creating a better you from Day 1 to Day 31.
What will you need to do?
I am looking for a select group of committed people. Each individual needs to commit a few minutes each day to begin developing habits to lay the foundation for a better life.
I am looking for a select group of people who will be dedicated to living better even when times get hard and people want to bring you down.
You will need to invest part of your time each day into becoming better.
You will need to follow a planner of items to schedule throughout the day to begin laying the foundation of better living.
It will take a small time investment each day to follow through with beginning to create new habits.
It will take a small time investment to call in to the Sunday night teleconference and get your encouragement for the week. It will take time to begin creating habits.
Do you want to be part of the 31 Day Challenge? It is simple, there is no cost and the benefits will be amazing if you are willing to take your life to the next level.
Simply go to 31daychallenge.christophermgallagher.com and sign-up. There is an application there to begin the process of being a part of the 31 Day Challenge. More information will be mailed to you shortly.
I hope you will think about taking on the challenge.
Today you have a list; whether a big list or a small list, you have a list of things to accomplish today. Some of you are reading this right now instead of working on your list. Others have already begun working on their list and they are halfway done. Still others are retired and there only list is golf—if so, enjoy your day.
Each of us awake to a list of things we are going to accomplish in a given day. I wanted to share some tips to get your list done. A list of suggestions are below to help you “Get it done!”
How to “Get it done!”
Turn off social media – Take a break for a set period of time and get away from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, etc. The biggest, at least for me, is not getting taken into the “YouTube Vortex” of countless videos.
Get away from your computer – Write in a journal or legal pad then come back and type it. Getting you away from the computer allows you to get away from those email popups.
Work 30, Off 10 – Take 30 minutes and work on one item from your to do list and then take a break for 10 minutes. Work 30, Off 10. Walk away from your desk and take a break, but remember work an honest, hard 30 minutes.
Start small – Start with the smallest item on your to-do list and work to the largest. Small victories gain momentum.
Give these simple steps a try and let me know what you think. How did they work for you?
Since the beginning of #MondayMotivation I have watch countless videos and read countless articles but this one might be one of my favorite. The speakers have a passionate way and sharing their thoughts and the story at the end brings the thoughts to a conclusion worth remembering.
I believe all of us have been given a gift; and the gift must be used. Let us decide today to being using our gift in a purposeful life.
