Happy Monday!
Continuing our “step back in time” from last week, we are still reviewing some basic good stuff.
Some things are so simple, but we make it so hard. I am quite good at this. My goal is to get back to the good stuff again!
Pray Unceasingly!!
Lois
(April 14, 2014)
There is so much truth in this article! With every part of our lives, if we bring in the good, we crowd out the bad. Focus on all the good and don’t allow yourselves to give the bad any place of importance.
Ironically, this season is a mixture of the good and bad and we DO need to remember both. Our Lord was tortured and suffered a horrible death. By doing so, He gave the world an opportunity for eternal life, paid in full. What a price He paid… for us. So many will let this opportunity pass. Do we do all we can to share with those that need to hear? I know I don’t.
Lois
Daniel Plan – Bring in the Good
By: April O’Neil
Often when we want to change something with our health, we get lured into thinking it will require signing a contract of deprivation. We’re not thrilled about the idea of giving up things we enjoy. We let our emotions grip the steering wheel and drive us to the closest excuse. This kind of all or nothing thinking derails us before we even get started.
The truth is change happens when we bring in the good. Instead of focusing on what we can’t have, we embrace the abundance of things we can. This intentional decision sets the stage for success. As we bring in the good, there is less room for the “bad”. The great news is this principle not only works with your food choices, but every other area of life as well.
Here’s how it works. Make one “good” healthy choice. Keep it simple. Perhaps you decide to take a portion of your lunch hour and walk 20-30 minutes. Write it in your journal and commit to it. Tell a friend about your commitment. Better yet, invite a friend to join you! As you integrate new movement into your routine, your body will respond and you’ll be motivated to continue. You start feeling better, without a hint of deprivation! Voila! Walking on your lunch hour becomes something you “want to do,” versus something you “have to do”. Before you know it, each good choice you make builds upon the other and you are making significant and sustainable progress. Here’s the key – behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated!
Similarly, when it comes to what we put in our mouth and we focus only on what we can’t eat; our thoughts quickly slide into deprivation mode. All we can think about is that thing we can’t have. By reframing our perspective and focusing on the abundance of healthy choices before us, we proactively make a choice that not only honors our body, but satisfies our soul. We do this in concert with God, relying on his power, and trusting as he leads the way. This is The Daniel Plan lifestyle… a step-by-step process of discovery, a momentum building way of life that keeps us moving forward in the right direction.