7 choices that will have a positive impact on your life

I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestioned ability of a man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.

Henry David Thoreau

Do you sometimes feel as if you are simply keeping up with whatever life throws at you? Are you just reacting to whatever happens next? It’s easy to drown in the busyness of life. Here are seven choices you can start today that will have a significant impact on your life. They are all investments that take time, but the benefits will be well worth it.

Get a mentor In fact, get several mentors. Any area in your life that you want to improve in, is reason to have a mentor. Its great if you can find someone who you look up to in several areas, but if you can’t don’t be afraid to ask several people to become your mentor. You don’t have to go crazy and meet every other day. Start out meeting once a month and see how having the advice of a very wise person 12 times a year impacts this next year of your life.

Meditate/Journal in the morning This is one of the areas I know I reap the most benefits, but I still struggle to get up early and set aside time for this. I choose to read my Bible and journal about what I read. I also try to allow time to just sit and listen to what God is putting on my heart. For you, it may be some time to reflect on what’s important in your life. Or perhaps just some quiet time to sit and meditate. Either way be sure to keep a journal which provides a great tool to look back on and see how your life has been changed. The reason I say the morning is because this affects my outlook and attitude on the entire day.

Read Books I’ve heard somewhere that if you read three books on any one topic, you become an expert on that topic. While I think there is more to it than just reading to become an expert, reading will certainly be one of the biggest contributors to becoming an expert. So take some time to think about what areas you’d like to improve on in your life and then check out amazon for the most popular books you can read on those subjects. My goal this year is to read three books each month: one book on marriage or parenting, one book that is business or leadership related, and one book that is spiritually related. Check out our Uberstore for a list of great books to get you started.

Budget Most of your dreams depend on money, don’t they? How many of your dreams are you not able to accomplish because you simply can’t afford to right now? A budget is probably the single best tool towards reaching financial prosperity. Having a budget and working towards becoming debt-free and financially healthy will not allow assist you in reaching many of your dreams, but it will also relieve a lot of stress from your life. Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover a great place to start.

Write out your goals Where would you like to be in one year? Five years? Ten years? 25 years? Have you ever thought about that? The reason most successful people are successful is because they have goals that they write down and work towards. You need to write out each of your goals and then put a time limit on it. Just having something to work towards and a sense of purpose in and of itself will make a difference in your life.

Diana Scharf Hunt said, “Goals are dreams with deadlines”

Fitness Staying physically fit is so important. It is amazing how many people in our society are overweight. Spending 20 minutes a day and increasing your physical fitness level has so many benefits. MayoClinic.com has an article that lists seven benefits to regular physical activity, including combating chronic diseases, improving your mood, better sleep, and managing your weight. Staying fit and healthy will not only help you feel stronger and more energetic, but will also prevent a lot of potential problems caused from being overweight or inactive.

Date your spouse & kids I believe the most important thing in life is relationships. Ironically, I often struggle to make these relationships a priority. One way to do so (and again I need to take my own advice) is to have a date night and to keep that time sacred. Don’t change it for anything. But not only should you date your spouse, but you should also date your children. Keep in mind that when you date your daughter(s) you’ll find they open up and talk very naturally (once you build your relationship). For example, I only need to take my daughter out for dinner or dessert and she’ll talk my ear off. Sons, however, will usually open up to you during an activity, like shooting hoops. Either way, consistently dating your spouse and children will be one of the wisest investments you can make.

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