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How to Write an Action Plan to Achieve Goals

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Achieving Goals Infographic
When it comes to goals, a lot of people have a tendency to call them by the wrong name: dreams, hopes, wishes… While there’s nothing wrong with any of these words (personally, I’m smitten with each one), when we use words like this we kind of take ourselves out of the equation. Dreams, hopes, and wishes – they more or less indicate that success will come at random.

Just by wishing for it! 

While I’m all for positive thought and believe firmly that we can produce more positivity in our lives by first being positive, ourselves, good things do not just happen because we want them to. Work and/or prayer produce desired outcomes.. and when the two team up, look out.

The infographic, above, is on the same page I am.

  • Identify your Goal
  • Write it Down
  • Make a Plan
  • Carry it Out
  • See it Through
  • Drink Coffee (okay, I went a little off track – couldn’t help myself)
  • Keep Your Cool – the best things in life aren’t always easy to obtain. But, boy, are they worth it!

~ Joi

Source: WriteThisEssay.com

Spiritual Article: Are You Grieving God or Reflecting Him?

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Beautiful Tree

I have always flirtted with the idea of creating and publishing a “Spiritual” blog. As a believer, I love the idea of writing articles and doing inspirational book reviews for other believers as well as those precious people who find themselves somewhere along the way between non-believer and believer. I often think of these people as believing, but not being entirely sure what they believe in.

What kind of Christian wouldn’t want to try to reach them?!?

To be honest with you, I’m still not 110 percent sure if I will create a separate blog for my Spiritual articles or if I’ll simply publish them here.  In the meantime, until my cats tell me which direction to take, I’m going to publish them here. If you ARE a Christian, would call yourself a “Believer,” or are simply an open-minded individual with more questions than answers, I hope you’ll get something from these articles.

I honestly don’t believe I have any Self Help Daily readers who are so close-minded that they’d object to these articles being interspersed with the rest of Self Help Daily’s content – but if I do, I might as well out them now.

“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” – Ephesians 4: 30-31

I don’t have the qualifications (nor am I sure who would) to say whether we are or are not in what would Biblically be called the “final days.”  I do know that the final days are marked by a time when good is called bad and bad is called good.

I’ll just leave that for you to decide where we stand.

I’m also not going to wax judgmental about anyone or anything. God is much more interested in me keeping my eyes on Him. If He needed me to police other people, He would have told me so, Himself. He wants me to pray for others and I certainly do. He wants me to tell others about His Son and it’s my honor to do so. He wants me to do what’s right and to walk closely by Him. I set this as my purpose every single day.

But judge others? He simply doesn’t need my help in that area.

Here’s the thing. People all around us are engaging in all manners of craziness and, often, vileness. Crime is all around us and it’s not getting any better.  It often feels like the world has lost its collective mind, doesn’t it?! Political news, alone, can leave you convinced it’s the end of the world.

But, between you and me, you want to know what makes me sadder than just about anything? The fact that so many believers are grieving the Holy Spirit. I’m not making that call… God is.  In Ephesians, we’re told that when we allow bitterness, anger, and malice to rule our thoughts and heart, we GRIEVE the Holy Spirit.  We cause God to feel uneasy, possibly even sad, when we allow these negative emotions to identify us.

Is it natural to get angry when you read about violence or crime? Is it logical to feel downright ticked off to know that there are people out there who want men using the same restroom your daughters do? You bet! But if we allow ourselves to become so angry that negative thoughts and wrath are the norm with us, we GRIEVE the Holy Spirit.

We become our anger and that’s the last thing God wants to see.

Have you ever been in someone’s presence who was completely negative and even had an underlying anger that seemed to spill out of their pores?  Every word out of their mouth was gloom and doom and nothing suited them?  If you’ve been around someone like that, you know that it’s a relief when they walk away.  That is not the sort of person we want to spend time with, right?

So why would the Holy Spirit want to spend time with us when WE are the walking pile of anger? The situation is especially bad for Him because He’s stuck with us!

It’s only natural – in this day and time – to feel overwhelmed by what we see and hear. The only way to stay sane and to retain the calmness and self control God wants us to have is to spend time with Him. When you’re praying for others, don’t forget to pray for yourself. Ask for help in handling what you see around you. Ask Him to help you stay YOU and not become a bitter, angry, raging person that looks like you but no longer sounds like you.

Wouldn’t allowing the things you hate to make you just as ugly as they are be an unspeakable tragedy?

Sidestep anger, run away from bitterness, put aside slanderous & vengeful thoughts, and get back to you.

Don’t GRIEVE the Spirit… REFLECT Him

 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control.” – Galatians 5:22-23

Actionable Tips:

  • If social media causes you to feel especially angry, avoid it or at least limit your exposure.
  • If there are certain people on social media who cause you to feel as miserable as they apparently are… why are you following them?! Unfollow the perpetually negative crowd and follow people who are more upbeat and positive.
  • When you feel anger creeping up on you, read something or spend time with someone that’ll help you find peace again. Anger is not the problem – we all feel angry from time to time. Anger becomes a problem when it rules our world and dictates our thoughts.
  • If watching the news causes you to feel stressed out, consider watching it less regularly. A constant diet of negativity isn’t good for anyone.
  • Do a self inventory throughout the day and ask yourself if you’re grieving the Spirit or reflecting Him. 
  • Listen to yourself: When you’re talking to others, listen to your words and to the tone of your words. Are the majority of your words angry? Are you talking more about what’s ugly than you’re talking about what’s lovely? Remind yourself that this is not the person you want to be.
  • Do NOT allow the ugliness in the world to move into your heart and mind. Protect them with everything you’ve got. 

~ Joi (“Joy”)

BawB’s Raven Feathers: Reflections on the Simple Things in Life

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Bawb's Raven Feathers Books

BawB’s Raven Feathers Volumes I-V Set

I was sent an absolutely beautiful BawB’s Raven Feathers Box Set a while back to review on Self Help Daily. While I told everyone I knew about it right away, I actually put off blogging about it for awhile simply because I wanted to get a little closer to Christmas shopping. These books – whether you buy them as a set or individually for stocking stuffers or for filling in gift baskets – would make perfect gifts. They’re beautiful, timeless, inspiring, and would be cherished for years to come.

One of the things I love most about giving books for gifts is the fact they can be used and enjoyed and re-used and re-enjoyed for years and years. Want to know a beautiful little bonus? They’ll think of you each time they pick the book up!

The BawB’s Raven Feathers Box Set I was sent includes Volume I – V – the first five volumes of BawB’s Raven Feathers.  Each beautiful little hard-cover book is filled with inspirational poetry that will surround you with peace and contentment as you read the words. Truth be told, they’re more like beautiful lyrics than words.

Everything about these books is perfect – from the beautiful illustrations to the equally beautiful words.  The author does more than inspire readers, he causes them to reflect on their lives, their choices, and the world around them.

His words then prompt the reader to cherish the past and relish the present, while looking forward to a future that’s filled with hope.

Yes, the books are that wonderful.

From the Inside Cover of Each Volume:

Bawb’s Raven Feathers is pure and simple. It kick-starts moments of self-reflection and inner peace by drawing on nostalgia and pushing the reader to live in the present and dream of tomorrow. Alternating brief chapters of prose with perfectly rhythmic adult rhymes, and room to write down your own thoughts and inspiring ideas, this book holds appeal for the masses.

Bawb's Raven Feathers

BawB’s Beautifully Inspiring Raven Feathers

Whether you buy the volumes individually or as a set and whether you buy them for yourself or as a gift – you’re going to love each moment spent with BawB and his Raven Feathers.

The clouds will always be up in the sky,

with nothing to portray.

How you choose to look at them

is what determines your day. – BawB’s Raven Feathers Volume II, Page 31

About the Author:

Robert (BawB) Chomany is the author of the BawB’s Raven Feathers series, pure and simple inspirational books. He was born in Calgary, Alberta, with a clear view of the mountains to the west. These mountains eventually drew Bob in, and he spent many years living in the company of nature, exploring his spiritual side. Bob pursues his many interests with passion. You are just as likely to find him twisting a wrench, or riding his motorcycle, as you are to find him holding a pen, writing. Bob still lives in Calgary, where he finds happiness by simply living with a smile and sharing his words of wisdom with others.

The books are available individually, as well. Below is a link to each volume for more information.

There’s also a BawB’s Raven Feathers Volume VI which I don’t have yet… but plan on getting.

Everywhere you walk today,

every step and every mile,

choose to see something that stays with you

and attach it to a smile.   – BawB’s Raven Feathers Volume V, Page 36

Bawb's Raven Feathers Books

3 Reasons You Should Seek a Balanced Life if You Want a Better Life

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Quote About Finding Balance in Life

Find Balance in Your Life and Stand Firm when Storms Come

Most people are searching for something, whether they even realize it or not. Some seek money, fancy cars, and expensive wardrobes. Others seek better health and the ever elusive Fountain of Youth.  A small contingent simply seek days filled with laughter, their family, bottomless pitchers of tea, and as many cats as they can find.

But enough about me.

Lumbie Mlambo, magazine editor and stroke survivor puts a wonderful spin on searching for a better life in the article below.  She speaks of finding “balance” in our lives.

To me, balance has always meant staying “grounded” and “level-headed.”  Being balanced means never getting too high or too low. It’s the single best way to stay grounded. The more balanced you are, the less apt you are to become rattled or unglued.

Why is being balanced and grounded SO important? Because balance gives us roots.  The deeper our balance, the deeper the roots.  We should strive to have our “roots” run so deep that after even the worst of storms, we’ll be like a large, old tree….. still standing.

~ Joi

3 Reasons A Balanced Life Is A Better Life

Life sometimes can seem off kilter as responsibilities mount and people plow all their physical and mental resources into what seems to be the most pressing crisis of the moment.

But Lumbie Mlambo says that’s a good time to take a step back. Everyone has the potential to shine in life’s darkest moments, but the key to achieving goals and an overall better existence is to maintain a balance so that one aspect of your life isn’t consumed by another.

While some people might say balance in life is an impossible goal, she disagrees and says when each of us find our equilibrium, we become more productive and a greater asset to our communities.

“There’s balance in everything we do, be it walking, talking, eating, sleeping, working or spending time with family,” says Mlambo, editor of Equanimity Magazine (www.equanimitymag.com), an online publication that features inspiring stories of life and success.

“For example, look at how we try to deal with our work-life situation. We balance our workload so that we can still make room for other activities, to spend more time with our spouses or our children. We do that because we understand how important it is.”

She offers these reasons for why living a balanced life is essential:

• The health factor. Staying balanced is a key to a healthier and successful life. Both mental health and physical health benefit, and as a result, so do our overall lives. When we’re healthy, we’re able to care for ourselves and others in our community,” Mlambo says.

• The empathy factor. “When we find balance in life, we can better understand the importance of helping the underprivileged,” says Mlambo, who grew up in a rural area in Zimbabwe. You begin to realize that someday you could be in their situation, which makes you a more empathetic person. “Your economic situation is like your health,” she says. “Nothing is guaranteed.”

• The role-model factor. Sharing our stories – whether it’s a tale of success or even a tale of failure – is important because others can learn from us or be inspired by us as they too strive for a balanced life. “When you tell your story, it empowers, motivates and encourages people to not give up on their dreams and goals,” Mlambo says. “Maybe you think your story is just not that interesting or important. But for someone out there, it may be the spark that ignites them to great things.”

Mlambo always strove to find balance in her life. But she became even more passionate about it after she suffered a stroke in 2001 that left her partially paralyzed. She since has recovered, but says the event had a profound impact on her and she will always consider herself a stroke patient.

“Before the stroke, I thought my life was balanced in a way,” she says. “I mean, I ate healthy foods. I exercised seven days a week. But it was not balanced in the way I wanted. I had been too focused on myself. I realized that life was not just about me, but about others.”

Finding balance in life isn’t just a feel-good concept, Mlambo says. As people achieve balance, they realize they have the potential to rise above their circumstances. They can become more productive in their communities and that is good for everyone.

“Staying proactive and shifting the way we think can even help the economy to grow and can help create more jobs,” she says.

Certainly, maintaining a balanced life may be tougher than ever because technology allows work – emails, text messages, telephone calls – to intrude on people’s “off” hours. But that’s just all the more reason to make a concerted effort to strive for balance, Mlambo says.

She says it’s become popular in some circles to argue that a balanced life is a myth and can’t be achieved. But regardless of their views, she says, most people seem to be trying to bring balance to their lives, even if they don’t think of it that way.

“We eat healthy to stay balanced, we get enough sleep or rest to avoid stress, we juggle our daily activities to stay balanced,” Mlambo says. “To be successful in anything we do, we must have some sort of balance.”

About Lumbie Mlambo

Lumbie Mlambo is editor of Equanimity Magazine (www.equanimitymag.com), a lifestyle publication that shares the stories of “real people and their search to lead better lives.” She also has a background in project management, computer/software engineering and business analysis. She holds an associate degree in computer science from Indiana University South Bend; and a bachelor’s degree in computer science and mathematics from Texas Woman’s University. She is multilingual, speaking English, Zulu, Ndebele and French.