Excel 2015- tips to goal setting

Everyone resolves to improve at least one aspect of their life every new year. Gym memberships  soar in the first month with people looking to make lifestyle changes in the new year only to lose steam before the second month. Its a vicious cycle that occurs every year as only few people stick to their plans up till the end of the year. It was a quagmire I found myself too until I discovered the strategy for achieving ones goals. 

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For a number of people 2014 was rife with  pockets of challenges but was also laden with buckets of opportunities.  Many people did not achieve all they set out to achieve last year but 2015 is another opportunity to achieve your goals. Don't despair about the errors of the past year but learn from them and restrategise your goals in the New year.  

As you sit down to make those ever important and necessary resolutions, here are certain facts to consider..

• Resolutions are not wishes but visions and plans for an effective and impact life.
• Wishes are left to happen-stance but the fruits of resolutions are products of concerted and concious efforts 
• It must be written: "write the vision down" Habakkuk 2:2.  Writing is a system of documentation that can be used as references.
• Make it plain: your plan must be clear, easy to understand, well articulated and clutter free. You don't need to have too much going on. leave the jibber jabber to Einstein and other braniacs.

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• Read it out to yourself not in future tense but describe your achievement in the NOW e.g I am a healthy eater. "with the heart one believes and is justified and with mouth one confesses and is saved " Romans 10:10 
• It requires commitment. if its desirable then put your and heart back into it.
• Discipline is crucial to its success.
• Determination means firmness of purpose. You must be resolved to achieve your goals. Read Daniel resolve not to defile himself in Daniel 1:8
• Consistency: this is the ability to do right thing everyday without giving up no matter the situation or prevailing circumstance. Just keep at your goals.
• Invest your time and resources into it.

• review your progress along the way
• get someone to go the journey with you; Share your goals with someone who's passionate on impactful living as you.
• Envisage your reward. "Looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him,endured the cross,despising the shame,and is set down at the right hand of the throne God" Hebrews 12:2

If you love reward, then it pays to stick to your goals. It will not only benefit you but will also inspire and positively impact lives around you. THAT MAKES IT WORTHWHILE.

The other underlying principles are prayer, faith, and grace "in their hearts humans plan their course but the lord establishes their steps" proverbs 16:9.

"in all your way submit to him and he will make your path straight" Proverbs 3:6.

Mr Fix it

I am the crappiest person when it comes to D.I.Y. I'm just all thumbs when it comes to anything self assembly  even with products that come with the most basic manual. As far as I'm concerned manuals are written in gibberish and the pictures just don't compute with me. Don't blame me please! I didn't know how to change a bulb up till I was 28 but these and many more I started doing as a single parent(make that forced to).

  There is a saying that "necessity is the mother of invention" and I rightly agree. Prior to living alone I never showed interest in anything outside my immediate female sphere i.e money, career, men and eating. Cooking did not come close...lol. Things changed for  me as a single parent living far from home. I learnt to change light bulbs, pay bills, do basic checks on my car etc. There were some things I could fix and some that I had to enlist the help of a professional. Good ol' Andre is my fix it guy. He fixes everything in my house including electrical, painting, carpentry. I break it, Andre fixes it. I need anything assembled, Andre is just a phone call away.

In the Christian walk, the Holy Spirit is the go to person when anything is broken or needs assembling. The flesh cannot help itself because its inherently flawed and weak. Paul aptly express the weakness of the flesh in Roman 7:18-19 " for I know that nothing good dwells in me that is in my flesh; for the willing is present in but the doing of the good is not.For the good I want to do I do not do but I practice the very evil that I do not want"
Now since the corruptible flesh cannot help itself it therefore needs the incorruptible to save it in Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Since we are in the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, He is the go to person when you want something done. John 14:26(Amplified version) describes Him as the Comforter, Counsellor, Helper, Intercessor,Strengthener and Standby. You need the Holy Spirit for everything from salvation to victorious living.
Everybody with a gadget knows that some things are best repaired by its manufacturer. Who else can restore a broken world or person except the creator and those that were present at creation. The book of Genesis helps us to know that the Holy Spirit was right there at beginning of creation. I call Him God's MUSCLE MAN.

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Jesus knew the disciples will be ineffective without the Holy Spirits that is why He told them in the book of Acts to wait in Jerusalem for the outpouring of the Holy and what a transformation they had when this happened. Peter went from preaching to a hundred and twenty people to an incredible three thousand! He couldn't have done that without the Holy Spirit.
The Holy spirit equips the saints, teaches, guides and enables the believer to live a victorious life.  He also interprets scripture and turns word of God into pictures.No more struggling to understand the bible.

Life will be a constant struggle without the Holy Spirit. Are you battling an addiction or need help in your Christian walk? Only the Holy Spirit can help not will power or good intentions.What are you waiting for? Call on the Holy Spirit, He's just a prayer away.