Hope Inspires You Through!

In the midst of drastically different times. I am inspired to reblogged a post I wrote in 2015.

During this Pandemic as we get use to new words and phrases such as, ‘social distancing’,  ‘lockdown’, ‘quarantine,’ ‘social isolation.’ We are all having to adjust to a ‘new normal’. Knowing that things have changed and certain things will no longer be the same.

Yet this is just a season, and it to will pass. How things look on the other side of COVID-19 and the year 2020 currently is anyone’s guess. But Hope is what you always must walk with. Its the light before you. 

If you believe in God then you must see hope in tomorrow. 

Keep dreaming. Keep bringing your dreams and plans to The Lord.

Dare To Be Different

Be the change you want to see. Until my next post.

 

Gloria – Aquene7 

Internal Boundaries

As in all things in life , there are always two views. The good and the bad. The positive and the negative. As a Coach  mindset is everything to me because if your decisions are right and let’s not discount timing in this (for this is also key), the right outcome will follow.

So my thoughts today are on internal boundaries. How important is this and why?

How I came to this subject was through an amazing conversation, so I thought I would put it out there to the blogging world to see if it resonated with anyone and hopefully would help.

Brenè Brown Quote – Boundaries.

‘No one is an island’ as they say, and to get through life we serve others in one way or the other and in so doing, give of ourselves. Whether you are an employer, mother, father, sister, brother, friend, mentor, coach, employee, business owner, etc. Relationships are unique and have their own individual demands. Some Relationships have a good balance, in that they work both ways bringing benefits to both parties. Whilst others can feel draining and/or destructive.

Often when we look at the importance of boundaries we view it as purely an external activity. A protective activity in order to identify what is your personal space and who should be in it and who should not. Or as a demarcation line for roles and responsibilities.

But boundaries can easily become blurred or non existent when your perspective, understanding and appreciation of self is wrong.

A river flows along its boundary.

Self-Love is a beautiful thing and something I will be writing alot more about in future posts as it is a huge thing yet so easily overlooked and neglected. Especially by us lovely ladies who so easily end up over giving and over serving. Hence my subject matter. Internal boundaries. Are you aware if yours? Do you have them? Are you loosing to much of yourself and if your not careful you could so easily loose who you are at the expense of giving to others.

My tadah moment 💡occurred in the midst of a purposed conversation I was having with a very discerning and analytical friend whose insight I valued and respected. We all need wise counsel in our lives. People who don’t speak what you want to here all the time. But people who call it as it is and speak truth into your life whether it makes you comfortable or not.

Change is often uncomfortable and resilience is not gained through comfort and the easiness of life.

So, internal boundaries are both important and necessary. They cause you to pour out of yourself wisely, instead of haphazardly everywhere. Trying to meet every demand because you see a need.

Just because there is a problem or there is a need, it doesn’t mean you have to be the solution to it. Just because you are getting great results, doesn’t mean it’s what you should be doing?  I have heard it said, every need is not ministry. In other words just because you have the skill or gift for a situation doesn’t mean you should be involved in that situation.

Every need is not ministry!

This really got me thinking. As often times I equate success as confirmation it is what I should be doing. But as my friend said. God will bless the gift but it doesn’t meant you are operating wisely with it. He used an aspect of the story of Moses to reflect this.

Moses was so successful that he got to a point where he was trying to listen to every complaint and meet the needs of a growing nation. This meant from morning until night he had no time for anything else and it took the wise counsel of his Father-in-law to say to him ‘enough’ this is not wise nor is it sustainable. Time to stop doing what you are doing. Find other people to do the bulk of what you are doing and you only get involved with the most complicated issues which your new leaders cannot resolve.  This brought about the first judicial system in Israel.

Moses’ internal boundaries had become lost over time. Because the people grew in numbers and so did his capacity and capability. But, he ended up in a position of service through leadership that was demanding to much of him and depleting him. He was loosing who he was and becoming ineffective as the leader he was designed to be.  Because he was no longer using his time and gift in the most efficient and effective manner.

So I have had to recalibrate me. Step back and ask where am I pouring out and it’s not required of me? Where is it no longer my place to do so? Where have I lost my internal boundaries and they need to be re-instated? This is not an easy truth.

What about you? How are your internal boundaries doing?

Are you being as effective as you could be or are you feeling somewhat overwhelmed? Is there something you have not started because you are to busy giving to others and in so doing neglected something that’s fundamental to you? Like your own dream?

Is it time for some self-care and self love?  Time to exam your internal boundaries? Are they in place and functioning well? Be aware the challenge is dealing with the answer.

Be the person you want to see. Until next time.

 

Gloria

Mindset Is Everything!

Mindset! Mindset! Mindset!

Personally I believe your mind is the most important thing. Because your life is shaped by it.

It was the thing my grandmother valued the most, and she prayed that God would keep her mind, especially during her old age. I never fully understood why she thought this when I  was younger but over the years and as I have grown older  myself, it too has become the most important thing for me also. Why? Because it is the centre to your thoughts, actions and habits. It forms your perception of the world and formulates the decisions for your life both good and bad.

Our mind separates us. Because it shapes who you are in our life.

I love this photo because it depicts a transforming mindset.

Many years ago, like many young people in the early 1980’s, I left school with average grades during a time when unemployment was high and it was extremely challenging for young people with no work experience to document, in order to get a job. So I signed up for a training/skills course and we were given JSA  (Job Seekers Allowance) of £23 per week to cover travel and lunch expenses.

My course was to learn office skills, including touch typing, so that eventually I could apply for office work. I must admit looking back, it did equip me to find my first job and I met some lovely people at the time. But I can’t say I loved the course. However, I met one young lady at the time who was so different to all of us. Let’s call her J.

J was not into fashion or clothes. I personally thought she could be alot more attractive as a female if she took more pride in her appearance. (Yep, as a young person I had my own stereotypical  view of how us girls should be.)  But J was very unkempt. We became friends though, because she was infectiously different and fiercely independent. She danced very much to her own beat and being popular was not on her radar. She had her own goals and working in an office wasn’t one of them.

I found out she loved horses and she worked in stables and had somehow purchased her own horse, which she worked hard for in order to look after it. Her JSA money was used towards that to.

Her mindset was totally different to all of us at the time. She had the responsibility of maintaining something she loved and had worked hard to obtain. I remember being amazed that someone so young could have bought a horse and that her life wasn’t about being in an office job.  I met up with her years later and she look great. She still had that powerful drive and independent non compromising spirit. But she was by then a business owner for more than one business and she still had her horse and now had her own stable.  Her mindset was so focused when she was young. She didn’t have much. Infact, she sacrificed a lot of personal extravagances in order to support her dream.

Her mindset, set her apart from the mainstream. She had the same limited funds but she used her limited resources in the best way that worked for her.  Buying your own horse would have cost a good amount of money back then. J, clearly didnt say “I could never afford that” instead she planned a way to make it happen and then did whatever she needed to, to maintain and care for her horse.

What do you have in your hand and at your disposal right now? Are you making the most of your resources? Are you making your dream become a reality bit by bit? Or does it remain still in the starters blocks, the dream yet to have begun?

How you think determines what you do or do not achieve in your life.

“Better to have tried and failed than to have not tried at all!”

Each day I have decided to be intentional about the things I want to achieve. If I dont move things forward and make them happen in my life who will? No one can live your life or your dreams for you.

Dr Myles Monroe said

Your future is not ahead of you its inside of you.

Call it your potential, your dream, your goals. However you see it, only you can release it. Others can guide, coach, mentor or support you, but the achieving and realisation of it, is down to you.

Your mindset is everything. Limiting beliefs and uncontrolled fears can rob you of your dreams.

So what are you doing about your mind? How are you promoting a healthy mind for yourself and your life? A healthy mindset is more than just positive thinking. It is very much about action. Making things happen whether in small steps or big steps.

So until then, continue to be the change you want to see😊

 

Have a great day

 

Gloria

Dare To Be Different!

One well-known story I have loved in the Bible,  is the story of Gideon.  Often told to show how someone who is doubtful of them-self puts a few challenges to God in order to be convinced that what is being asked of them is truly from God. But I got intrigued by something else.

For me it was where Gideon was found – ‘Threshing wheat in a wine-press?” Judges 6:11. This was during a time when the children of Israel were being impoverished by Midianites who were literally draining their resources and livelihood. However, Gideon was managing to disguise what he did by ‘Threshing wheat in a wine-press.’

When things are seemingly not working in your favour its hard to see any glimmer of hope let alone an opportunity to some how get through.  But Gideon utilise something that was not designed for the purpose he used it for, in order to survive. He realised that it was unconventional, but also for that very reason, no one would be looking for wheat in a Wine-press.  It takes ingenuity, cunning and risk sometimes in order to not end up like everyone else.

Dare to be different!

Opportunity goes against the grain sometimes.  It means going out of step or against the tide of normality and conformity. Its requires courage because the enemy doesn’t like being out smarted or made a fool of.

Albert Einstein said that

We cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.

Likewise, opportunity cannot be seized with the same mentality that gave you your comfort zone. Once you see an opportunity you have to be willing to pursue it, action it and make it happen.  So you need to challenge yourself and seek a new set of ideas. Being unconventional, being different, doing the unexpected, may not be that crazy an idea.

So here’s to renewed thinking!

Until next time – Continue to be the change you want to be:-)

 

Aquene7 = Peace

2015 – Go Get Your Blessing!

Well I have been quiet for a while, busy doing other things and simply just enjoying the holiday season with family.

I entered this year with a clear focus in mind and have started to work positively towards making things happen in my life.  I started with a clear goal and plan in mind, which I knew from November last year. It’s not a New Year Resolution but a determined effort to change what I do on a month by month basis.

Time waits for no man, and this year I am expecting great things, starting with me.  So here’s to a brand New Year and a fresh start.

One of my new changes was to start a Devotional Journal in which I write all my inspirations I receive during my prayer time with God. I came across a sermon by Dr Tayo in which he suggested dividing your prayer time into small segments of different types of prayer, as the bible says we should pray all types of prayers.  The aim is to build yourself and increase your prayer time.  Not so that it becomes a process that is rigid and inflexible but a guide enabling you to grow. So it could 5 minutes per section or 10 minutes.  It could 10 minutes in one area, 5 in another and 20 in another. It’s completely up-to-you.  These are the areas I spend time in for around an 1 hr in total each morning:-

• Worship
• Confession
• Intercession
• Petition
• Meditation
• Praise

For as much as I have a vision for this year I recognised that it was also important to have an effective prayer life.  I have to be able to pray effectively for myself and understand my own direction for myself. So it was important to build my prayer life equally as much as the rest of my life for 2015. It’s all about my faith this year.  Determination will get you far in this world but when you want what God has planned for you it requires you to walk in ‘Faith’ and that is a totally different ball game:-)

So I am excited for the gift of another year and look forward to new inspirations!

Enjoy the video and go get your blessing:-)

Be the change you want to be, until my next post.

Aquene7 = Peace