A Year Of Moving Forward

Seeing Your Destiny from God's Perspective

And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day..." John 12:44-49 NASB

Never doubt yourself or sell yourself short. Concentrate on your God-given abilities and assets. You must believe that you are important in the scheme of things in order to be successful. As a man thinks in his heart so is he. Believe in God and you will prosper.

Tell yourself, I am essential. I am special, important, intelligent and desirable. I am an Overcomer. People need and want me. I am an answer and solution to problems. Prosperity and blessings are going to chase me down and overtake me.

God Has You Covered

Journal, number and take an account of your days. Psalm 90:12 says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Don't worry or be concerned about last year's plan not being fulfilled. God has you covered – expect success! Live in the NOW!

Nothing takes God by surprise! Remember God's goodness and mercies. Give thanks for everything: the good, the bad and the ugly – it is all part of your process. For all things (Not Some things) but all things (good – bad – ugly) work together for good to them that love the LORD and are called according to His purpose.

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NASB

What Are You Afraid Of?

Reevaluate your attitudes; they will either empower you to succeed, or cause your defeat through depression, despair and fear. Fear will paralyze you. Fear will prevent you from making changes and destroy your future. Fear can make you physically sick, shorten your life and steal your possibilities. It is important to identify what you are afraid of. What types of fear do you suffer from? Fear of man? Fear of man is easy to triumph over if you allow yourself to see everyone as an equal. It is important to honor all men great and small, but don't devalue yourself. If you don't respect yourself, how can you respect others?

Do you have the fear of failure? Realize you are just as smart and talented as the next fellow. You are unique and special. Your thoughts and ideas are important and valuable. Proper planning and seeking out expert advice in your field of interest can alleviate many failures.

Do you battle with the fear of rejection? You are extraordinary, exceptional and very essential. You are just as important as the person you look up to and admire. Reject rejection! You are loved and accepted in the Beloved! The image we project to others will cause them to treat us in that way. If we project confidence we will be treated as a capable person who can handle great responsibilities.

Once you identify the type of fear that is hindering your progress, you can expel it from your life by taking positive actions.

Dreams come true when you put action to them. The more we place our confidence in the Lord, the more fear is diminished in our lives. A positive attitude that trusts in the Lord is powerful! Confidence is necessary to live a happy, successful life. The more confidence you can develop in God, the more success you will experience. Confidence produces success, increased production and brings swift promotion. We can build our confidence by recalling the marvelous things the Lord has done for us and through us. Reflect on your successful memories, accomplishments and things of excellence.

How Our Emotions Can Change for the Positive

The brain (mind) is an amazing organ. It functions much like a computer. The brain (mind) collects; sorts and stores our positive and negative thoughts and memories. These memories are what make up our self-image. If you view yourself with a negative self-image you will not respect yourself. Only gather, deposit and ponder positive memories, images, comments and experiences. Focus on and contemplate the good, true, honorable things in your life. Think about whatever is right, and pure, whatever is lovely, and of a good reputation. Things of excellence are worthy of praise; dwell on and practice these things and the God of peace will be with you. Concentrate on the positive aspects of people and situations.

Don't dwell on the negative weaknesses of others. Overlook the negative images. Don't entertain negative thoughts or opinions; obliterate them from your mind. Cast off every unpleasant, pessimistic, detrimental thought, they will only steal your energy. Negative thinking and emotions makes you tired and bitter. Don't dwell on failures, difficulties or problems. You empower what you focus on. Instead of focusing on difficulties or problems, count your blessings. Focus on the pleasant, encouraging things that edify and build people up.

Train yourself to recognize and manage your emotions. When you are able to control or manage your emotions, they will work for, not against, you. If you let fear run wild and unchecked, it will paralyze you. Don't give into extremes or mood swings. Adjust your emotions to match positive motions. When you learn to manage your emotions properly, you will not waste time on negative things but only recall the positive experiences in life.

Don't believe in, listen to or give into anger, rage, rejection or any other negative response. If you choose positive actions and habitually rehearse the proper responses, your emotions will begin to come into balance and fall in line. Your emotions will change for the positive when your actions and reactions positively change.

Relationships: Loving, Building Up and Encouraging Others

Are you a friend to God? Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Are you friendly? To have friends you must show yourself to be open, warm, likeable and friendly.

Decide you are going to find something to like about everyone. Appreciate everyone you meet and look for ways to praise them. Celebrate their successes and accomplishments. It is so nice to receive a card of congratulations in the mail. Store up and invest compliments in the people you know; never treat anyone as a second-class citizen. Praise is a powerful tool that opens the door for goals to be reached. When someone praises, you learn to pass that compliment onto others. Everyone needs to be loved, built up and encouraged.

Getting along with diverse kinds of people is very important. Have you developed your people skills? The more people skills you have, the more successful you will be in life. Be willing to lend your spiritual strength to people who are going through a difficult time. Send sympathy cards to those who have lost loved ones. Sometimes it is difficult to know what to say, so let the card say you care.

Learn to love your enemies: "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. 'But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:14-21 NASB).

When you meet a stranger, greet them with a pleasant smile. Work at building your bank account with new friends by introducing yourself. I am learning the names of people in airports, stores and restaurants. Some people are shy or insecure, so offer your hand in friendship first. Smile and introduce yourself by name. Then ask for their name and pronounce their names correctly. Try to remember their name. Make yourself a note and record their name in writing. You would be surprised how much better service you receive if you treat people with respect and greet them by their names. "Hello, Matt! How are you? It's good to see you again!"

If possible, get their email address or phone number and drop them a friendly hello later in the week. Let them know how pleased you were to meet them. Brag on your new friend to their manager; tell them about what a great job they do. If they are a waiter, tip them big and they will fight over who gets your table next time. Treat people the way you would want to be treated if you were in their position.

When you meet new people, try to put them at ease. The more comfortable, relaxed and easy-going you act around others, the more comfortable they will be around you. Don't act arrogant or proud. Keep the other person and their needs as your focus. Ask them questions about themselves. Be genuinely interested in them as a person. Focus on removing the harsh or irritating elements of your character. Resolve complaints, criticisms and offenses quickly. Extend grace and forgiveness when others make mistakes or anger you.

BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. Ephesians 4:26-27 NASB

The better you are able to treat and relate to people, the further they will carry you in life. Successful people surround themselves with people who have varied skills, gifts and talents. People are the ones who sustain, transport and bring you through life. Cherish them.

Everyone in Your Life is Important to Your Success – Learn to Listen

Being a good listener is an art! Everyone likes a good listener. Are you a good listener? Do you dominate the conversations, continually talking about yourself? Do not exploit your relationships rather EXPLORE them. Do you cut people off or interrupt their train of thought? Do you look for every opportunity to bring the conversation back around to you? People enjoy talking about themselves, so let your friends be heard. Ask them questions to draw them out. A good listener ignites enthusiasm and stimulates success by inspiring others to fulfill their dreams. It's a real gift to make people feel loved, appreciated, valued and important. Everyone in your life is important to your success. Make them feel that they are significant.

Are you able to listen to suggestions, the advice of, demands, or the critiques of others? Do you get offended or rejected when someone offers you their ideas or input on your job? Does it bring up insecure feelings that make you feel threatened? How do you handle constructive criticism? Do you hear it through a negative filter? Those that are above us are there for a reason. They have more wisdom or know-how. They have been with the company longer and have seen a lot of changes come and go. Try to embrace their evaluations, analysis or assessments as a positive bonus in your life. You can learn a great deal from people who have more experience.

Thank them for their advice. Let them know you appreciate the time they took to speak into you. Pay attention to the positive elements they brought to the table. Gladly make the necessary changes. Focus on their positive attributes. Don't tear someone down or belittle them, especially when they are trying to help you succeed. Embrace diversity, it makes life spicy and enjoyable. Be determined to learn something from everyone.

It is also important not to listen to someone else speak negatively about a friend or acquaintance. Don't take up someone else's grievances, offense, or negative opinions. Be a free thinker and formulate your own positive opinions about others. But treat people with dignity, honor and respect. Quickly excuse yourself from hostile company. Let judgmental people know you don't agree with their evaluation of your friend and move on. You should never allow yourself to be a dumping ground.

Negative words create a destructive environment. Remember the law of sowing and reaping. You will reap the words you sow into someone's life or into the atmosphere. We always reap more than we have sown because of the multiplication factor. Words continue to exist years after they are spoken. Let your words be sweet, because some day you may have to eat them.

People are a wonderful treasure; they are the ones who insure your happiness in life. Love thinks or hears no evil of others but always believes the best about someone. Treat people the way you want to be treated, always be kind, thoughtful and full of grace and love.

How to Recover From and Learn From Mistakes

Experience is your best teacher and you can’t keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. The way you think and how you handle losses, adversity, criticism, or defeat will determine how long it will take you to successfully reach your next goals. It is helpful to regularly appraise your work. The road to success is always under construction. Determine how you can improve your skills. Choose one of your many abilities to develop.

We can learn a great deal from our mistakes if we don't allow them to bury us in remorse or self-pity. Recognize a mistake for what it is: a mistake. Don't label yourself as a failure or beat yourself up emotionally just because something didn't work out the way you planned. Refuse to allow discouragement or depression to enter your thinking. Instead, research your field of interest. Decide what went wrong. Experiment, explore new options and approaches, investigate possibilities, change it, and discover how to correct it next time, let it go, persevere, be persistent and move on. Don't allow setbacks to discourage you from reaching your goals; expand your horizons. With God's wisdom you can solve every predicament. Pray continually and meditate on the Word. Sing and make melody in your heart. Take a nap, relax, work out, dance, take a vacation and then revisit the problem with a new response. The experience you have gleaned from your mistake will change defeat into a successful victory. This valuable life lesson will not only help you in the future, but your new knowledge will help others be successful, too.