This Writer’s Journey Wednesday, please welcome back Angela Breidenbach as she shares Part 3 in her series “Five Things Writers Forget First.” Enjoy!During March, On Writer’s
Journey Wednesdays,
Angie shares:
Part 1: I’m using my brain, right?
Part 2: Mental Integrity
Part 3: Emotional Stability
Part 4: Spiritual Sense
Part 5: Courage & Confidence
Five Things Writers Forget First
Ways to write better, faster, and stronger
Part 3
Emotional Stability: Wrangling the Overwhelm
Ways to write better, faster, and stronger
Part 3
Emotional Stability: Wrangling the Overwhelm
Do you feel all alone in trying to figure out how to manage all the commitments? Outside demands take a toll on inside contentedness especially when they interfere with out goals.
Too often we let circumstances begin to control not only our day, but also our reactions and emotions. Tension and anger build up. Confusion takes over. We can’t see how to organize or delegate. We start to drown. Depression sets in and we feel helpless, overwhelmed. So we push harder, with less effectiveness, completely out of control.
One real way to protect our emotional health is to do only what is uniquely suited for you and delegate what can be done by someone else. It takes planning. Planning takes a few minutes of time. Time becomes a tool instead of a drill sergeant.
Stop. Stop right where you are and pray! Breathe in deeply. Exhale out all your worries. Breathe in God’s presence. Exhale out the frenetic to-do list. Breathe in God’s list. Exhale out your fear of forgetting.
Total time spent: sixty seconds. Really? We don’t have time to pray?
Next, sit and write a new to-do list with God in the lead. It doesn’t matter if it’s handwritten or on a computer. What’s important is writing fresh out of prayer. Your mind is on things above. Isn’t the goal to live out our purpose?
It’s too easy to feel every item is a must. An excellent focus is to find what can be delegated first. Friends are an excellent resource to point out those items. Talk through the list with good friends who will ask hard questions, point out what needs releasing.
“Without good advice, everything goes wrong—It takes careful planning for things to go right.” Proverbs 15:22 CEV
Scared to release? Ask yourself, “Am I stealing someone else’s blessing by doing this by myself?” Your friends will probably know who should be doing that task, may be better suited to it, and may feel useless because you’ve been doing what they should. Isn’t it a bit arrogant to feel we must do it all and thereby steal someone else’s sweet spot? I don’t want to answer to that sin when standing in front of God’s throne.
Sometimes we forget that we are not in this all alone. The point is to view your list from a different perspective. Focus on delegation rather than being the only one to complete all the tasks. Then work those that only you can do. Work toward your life purpose every day.
1. Pray
2. Make the List
3. Star Delegate items
4. Talk it over with good friends
5. Choose Important tasks for that day only (tomorrow has enough worry)
6. Check your list and make sure it includes your life goals every day
7. Start the first item on the list
8. Physically mark the list when you finish
9. Send up a prayer of gratitude for each completed task
10. Celebrate each completed task
Angela Breidenbach is Mrs. Montana International 2009 working with Hope’s Promise Orphan Ministries, the American Heart Association, the Jadyn Fred Foundation and drawing awareness to Fair Trade practices. Full Spirit Magazine’s president, Angela also teaches online classes in personal growth and powerful living. She’s certified in mentor/peer counseling as a Stephen Minister and Assisting Minister. She serves as the American Christian Fiction Writer's Publicity Officer (2009-2011) and is a multi-award winning inspirational speaker and author, writing freelance and inspirational non-fiction. Not only did she walk the hard line of deciding to donate her mom's brain, but she is also on the brain donation list at the Brain Bank-Harvard McLean Hospital. She is married, has a combined family of six grown children, one grandson.
Purposeful Living Educator & Coach.
Come uncover your gems of wisdom at http://www.mygemofwisdom.com/
Too often we let circumstances begin to control not only our day, but also our reactions and emotions. Tension and anger build up. Confusion takes over. We can’t see how to organize or delegate. We start to drown. Depression sets in and we feel helpless, overwhelmed. So we push harder, with less effectiveness, completely out of control.
One real way to protect our emotional health is to do only what is uniquely suited for you and delegate what can be done by someone else. It takes planning. Planning takes a few minutes of time. Time becomes a tool instead of a drill sergeant.
Stop. Stop right where you are and pray! Breathe in deeply. Exhale out all your worries. Breathe in God’s presence. Exhale out the frenetic to-do list. Breathe in God’s list. Exhale out your fear of forgetting.
Total time spent: sixty seconds. Really? We don’t have time to pray?
Next, sit and write a new to-do list with God in the lead. It doesn’t matter if it’s handwritten or on a computer. What’s important is writing fresh out of prayer. Your mind is on things above. Isn’t the goal to live out our purpose?
It’s too easy to feel every item is a must. An excellent focus is to find what can be delegated first. Friends are an excellent resource to point out those items. Talk through the list with good friends who will ask hard questions, point out what needs releasing.
“Without good advice, everything goes wrong—It takes careful planning for things to go right.” Proverbs 15:22 CEV
Scared to release? Ask yourself, “Am I stealing someone else’s blessing by doing this by myself?” Your friends will probably know who should be doing that task, may be better suited to it, and may feel useless because you’ve been doing what they should. Isn’t it a bit arrogant to feel we must do it all and thereby steal someone else’s sweet spot? I don’t want to answer to that sin when standing in front of God’s throne.
Sometimes we forget that we are not in this all alone. The point is to view your list from a different perspective. Focus on delegation rather than being the only one to complete all the tasks. Then work those that only you can do. Work toward your life purpose every day.
1. Pray
2. Make the List
3. Star Delegate items
4. Talk it over with good friends
5. Choose Important tasks for that day only (tomorrow has enough worry)
6. Check your list and make sure it includes your life goals every day
7. Start the first item on the list
8. Physically mark the list when you finish
9. Send up a prayer of gratitude for each completed task
10. Celebrate each completed task
Angela Breidenbach is Mrs. Montana International 2009 working with Hope’s Promise Orphan Ministries, the American Heart Association, the Jadyn Fred Foundation and drawing awareness to Fair Trade practices. Full Spirit Magazine’s president, Angela also teaches online classes in personal growth and powerful living. She’s certified in mentor/peer counseling as a Stephen Minister and Assisting Minister. She serves as the American Christian Fiction Writer's Publicity Officer (2009-2011) and is a multi-award winning inspirational speaker and author, writing freelance and inspirational non-fiction. Not only did she walk the hard line of deciding to donate her mom's brain, but she is also on the brain donation list at the Brain Bank-Harvard McLean Hospital. She is married, has a combined family of six grown children, one grandson.
Purposeful Living Educator & Coach.
Come uncover your gems of wisdom at http://www.mygemofwisdom.com/
Personal growth = Powerful living!
You can interact or learn more about Angela Breidenbach at these sites:
http://www.mygemofwisdom.com/
You can interact or learn more about Angela Breidenbach at these sites:
http://www.mygemofwisdom.com/
http://www.facebook.com/AngelaBreidenbach
http://writingbyfaith.blogspot.com/ on Wednesdays each week.
http://writingbyfaith.blogspot.com/ on Wednesdays each week.
