Category: motivation

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motivation

Being Intentional

Is it time to get up?

It takes a lot to be intentional and wake up early in the dark, especially on a cold Monday morning. The age-old question, “What gets you up in the morning?” rings through my head. Some mornings, I’d be fine staying in bed, thank you very much!

But the question is useful if you have something intentional to do. What gets me up early in the morning? It’s my desire for a quiet devotional time and to start the day without the rush that will come soon enough. A brewing pot of coffee doesn’t hurt. Thank the Lord for a timer on the coffee maker!

The workday is coming, and I will have plenty to do. But for now, I can be intentional and get up on my terms. I can thank God for another morning and listen. I can read and ponder.

For me, it’s far better than rushing into noise at a high pace. Let the morning come in the quiet dark, and I will ease into it.
Those are some of the intentional reasons I get up early.

What gets you up?

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motivation

Stubbornness or Tenacity

a person stretching
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I could have been stubborn and refused to stop and heal my leg. And through this month, I’ve been tempted to get back out there and run, though my knee isn’t fully healed. But I know that further damage could force a longer recovery.

Tenacity has gotten me through some challenging circumstances. Crossing that line into stubbornness can only make things worse. I still believe I can train for a half-marathon in the future. There is still time. But refusing to change plans when setbacks happen is only going to delay my goal.

Be tenacious. However, don’t cross the line into simply being stubborn.

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motivation

Seeking Light in the Dark

photo of woman using mobile phone
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Nobody likes to be in the dark. Maybe that’s why most of us are hooked on our screens. We are addicted to the information they provide.

Whether big or small, screens dominate our lives. When a notification comes through, we can’t help but pick up our phones. We get a dopamine hit, then wonder if it was really worth it. Why did we fall for that clickbait again?

The more information we consume, the less certain we are in the light. One source says this method works, while another says the exact opposite. So we turn to artificial intelligence to sort through the mess and hope the algorithm doesn’t steer us wrong until it hallucinates and makes us wonder if it is any better.

Aren’t we all in the dark searching for a light? Maybe a fulfilling light isn’t found on our screens, but outdoors in the sunlight.

Screens give artificial light. Frequently, it’s about as satisfying as artificially flavored candy. It may taste sweet, but it isn’t the real fruit. We need the real thing.

Let’s put down our phones and turn off the TV. Go outside in the sun, maybe read an old book of wisdom or scripture. The artificial never truly satisfies.

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motivation

The Present and the Past

back view of a child in a yellow coat on bike in an autumn park
Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels.com

The good news is we don’t have to be defined by our past. Yes, it was important, and it made us who we are today. But each morning gives us a restart.

That’s good news for those of us with regrets (and if we have no regrets, we played it too safe).

The challenge for today is to learn from the past and make it the best possible day. We can be defined by what we do today. There is no resting on laurels here. Sure, we can take our past skills and what we’ve learned from the past. But let the regrets go.

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today.
Let us begin.—Mother Theresa

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motivation

Detours and Roadblocks

orange and black signange
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Nobody likes them, but we all experience them. They seem to hold us back from reaching our goals. They may stop us from getting what we want or need. But maybe they are an essential part of our lives.

Without detours, we might miss out on discovering something vital for our growth. We could even realize it was the turning point in something incredible.

But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee.
And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth.
Matthew 2:22–23

Joseph and Mary experienced them too. They must have been annoying at the time. But the detours were all part of the plan.

You never know what a detour might reveal. As Ryan Holiday maintained in his book, the obstacle might be the way.