“BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ!” Your alarm goes off every morning. Same time, all the time. Your feet hit the floor, you wash your face, you do your thing. Eat some breakfast (maybe you don’t because you just run out with your coffee mug 😉) Mornings. Amirghttttt?! We all have them.
These past few months I’ve been very bad at focusing my day. What do I mean? Basically, thinking about my day, before I walk out my front door, which is filled with responsibility, accountability and people. I’ve realized more than ever that focusing your day before you step out the door is so important. My day looks so different when I don’t. I look different when I don’t. How I impact the people around me looks different when I don’t.
Do you want to keep what matters, matter? Want to live life with purpose? Want to stop kicking yourself for saying, “yes” when you should have said, “no?”
I get it. Me too! Sometimes we just need to slow down and think. That’s why I started doing this, after my own personal morning devotion time.
Get out a notebook. Get out a pen. Don’t have time? Give yourself 5 minutes every morning and talk yourself through these three questions:
- What do I value the most?
Most people think they know what they value but if you ask them, they have to shuffle around for the answer. Think, what do I value most. My calling. My family. My education. Choose your top 3. What do you value most? Write it down! Seeing it in front of you can make a difference.
2. What has God called me to do today?
This isn’t, “what has God called me to do” in general (macro). Think micro. Being faithful with the little things that add up to the macro. It’s not “what do I think I need to do today.” It’s, “what has God called me to do today.” These two can look very different sometimes. As you reflect on your day ahead, realize what you are called to do. The things that only you can do.
Show up to my kid’s baseball game.
Have that conversation with that employee.
I’ve been negative lately. Today I will not take for granted the people around me.
3. What has God asked me NOT to do today?
Asking yourself, “what am I NOT supposed to pick up today” is just as important as question #2. What do I need to put down so I can run with what I’ve picked up, unhindered. We shoulder things we were never meant to shoulder or get involved in. What you do and what you do not do are tied to your calling and what you value most.
I’m not picking up un-forgiveness.
This certain responsibility- it’s not mine to carry.
Today, I’m not picking up worry.
Squeeze the BEST out of each day.
Basically, pick things up and put things down. This totally reminds me of that Planet Fitness commercial! The dude that “picks things up and puts them down.” You need to figuratively do that!
You’re welcome.
As the year goes on, sometimes we find that we’ve picked things up… and put nothing down, leaving us scatterbrained and missing our purpose. OR we’ve put everything down and feel passionless because we’ve picked nothing up.
These answers to these three questions can adjust over time in moderation too. So take time at the beginning of the day to ask God, what do you have for me. Invite him into your day to day. It makes a difference.
