I went from being someone that thought they had their life under control.

I never really stopped, emotionally speaking.

And if I did actually stop, I would find a way to keep going or… completely shut down.

-This “busyness” included thinking I could manage not only my own life but anyone else’s for that matter.

-Like a business, things WILL just keep rolling, the hustle and bustle, the constant demands, the old and new relationships, our spiritual mindset, our physical performance.

-These things are necessary and healthy but also can be a seemingly innocent distraction to our growth.

-They keep us moving in a constant state, at a pace that may be faster than necessary for our optimal productivity.

While no one likes to take inventory. 🤦🏻‍♀️

AKA-the boring, mundane, detailed task of assessment can seem overwhelming, however, I believe it’s foundational to growth and propel-ment (yep, just made up that word🤷🏻‍♀️).

-I try to take at least one day every 6 to 8 weeks-ish and do this.

-I block out as much time as possible and I understand that for each of us that looks a lot different!

(The mom with toddler’s might only get a couple hours, the man with a family and an over-demanding job may feel the same. Or you may be the person with teenagers or maybe the single person that has more blocks of time to insert this -but my point is, none of us have any excuses to not invest in our personal growth. Which only adds to the growth and blessing of those we encounter!)

These inventory days have been an extremely rewarding but also very, very, did I say very? Difficult time. 😣

Mostly because it reveals things to me that also requires action. 😩

Taking action can be very scary and a lot of trust is required. Can I get an amen?!

-This may look completely different for you, it’s usually a day where I multitask on all the many things I’ve let slide for too long. I do this to allow my brain to settle and literally to get shit done!

-Maybe you go for a walk or a hike, go to a coffee shop, a library, or simply shut yourself in the bathroom, but this must be mentally concentrated intentional time.

For me…

-I don’t answer my phone.

-I turn on my worship music.

-I clean, sort or tackle projects that don’t require too much thinking.

-I consider where I’m at professionally, relationally, spiritually and physically.

(I might even take some notes.)

*But I ask myself (and Him) a lot of questions!

•How do I feel about how things are going in each area.

•Where do I want to be in five years?

•Are there relationships I’ve neglected or need to invest in or maybe need to communicate something?

•Is my physical health where I’d like it to be?

•Am I growing spiritually?

•Am I investing a reasonable amount of time and effort in each of these areas that matter to me.

Obvs-None of these areas can perfection ever be achieved (this is for you perfectionist.)😊

While I don’t think we can ever completely balance all of these areas, taking inventory gets me centered again!

I’ve become the kind of person that has learned to sit back, watch, and absorb without question or retaliation and it surely makes it a lot richer to take inventory of my life when I finally make the time for that.

To me it’s like storing information that you save for later so you can make a much better assessment of how to proceed.

There will always be areas that we are lacking. So don’t get all concerned about every area at at once.

You’ll know what’s at the top of that list and you’ll work from that with the frame-work you’ve gotten by simply taking time to do this.

The only thing you have to really know/figure out is what/who really matters to you.

I don’t think this world is made for complete balance but when you sit and quiet yourself, intentionally…

•you will hear His still small voice,

•you’ll know Who you’re hearing,

•you’ll know what you need to do.

(And DO NOT let fear have a say!)

HE HAS GREAT PLANS FOR YOU!

Just keep going!