Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Keeping Our Word

Last week I told you that I was going to work on my website (robynmulder.com) and start working on a book proposal.

Because I told you that, I actually did those things, even though I was scared.

It didn't go perfectly. 

I made some changes on the website, but I also tried a new theme in WordPress. It was live for about five minutes, until I noticed a couple of things that looked funny and I didn't know how to fix them. I quickly reverted back to my old theme, the one I'm comfortable with.

I said I would work on my book proposal for three hours, but I didn't start working on it until Thursday. I think I worked on it for about an hour and a half.

Did I fail? No. 

I kept my word to my readers, even though it didn't go exactly as planned.

I played around with my website theme and now I want to spend a little more time learning how to change the look and have things work the way I want them to.

I spent an hour and a half on my proposal and now my brain is working on ideas for the book even when I'm not at my desk.

Keeping our word is important.

We've all been disappointed by someone who said they would do something, but they blew it off and didn't get it done.

People understand when there are emergencies that come up, but they lose faith in us when we fail to show up or complete a task just because we didn't feel like it.

I think that includes the promises we make to ourselves.

We lose faith in ourselves when we say we're going to do something, but then we let it go just because we're afraid or we don't feel like it.

Friends, we need to practice keeping our word, to others, of course, but even to ourselves.

When you say, "I'm going to get up at seven o'clock tomorrow morning," make sure you get up at seven o'clock.

When you say, "I'm going to eat healthier," make sure you fill your fridge with healthy choices and stay away from too many sweets.

When you say, "I'm going to get closer to God," make sure you spend time in the Bible and talk to Him often as you go about your day.

When you say, "I'm going to __________," make sure you take the steps necessary to get that accomplished.

It will help if you tell someone about these promises you're making. Give someone permission to ask you, "Hey, how's it going? Are you doing what you said you'd do?"

Don't lose hope if you don't always keep your promises to yourself and others. We're human and we can't do it all perfectly. But do your best to keep your word. Others will see you are a person of integrity and you will feel great as you accomplish the things you've always said you were going to do. 

"God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" (Numbers 23:19 NIV)

Are you good at keeping your word to yourself and others? How can focusing on God help you to get even better at keeping your word?

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Doing It Scared

To make the time pass more quickly while I take my morning walks, I often listen to some great podcasts. 

Sometimes I listen to podcasts by Brooke Castillo of The Life Coach School. 

Click here to find Brooke's podcasts.

She's super positive and has lots of advice for accomplishing the goals and dreams we all have.

After some of those, I click over to the Do It Scared podcast with Ruth Soukup.

 These really resonate with me and I listen to episode after episode, even after I get done walking. 

I've listened to quite a few this week as I've sat at my desk and thought about how I ought to be writing. 

Sure, the podcasts are inspiring. I've jotted down thoughts and ideas to spur me on toward my goals. I've listened as super-successful Ruth and her guests who have accomplished amazing things all admit that they are often scared, but they do it anyway.

I don't like to hear that, to be honest.

I'd like to think that once you become successful and accomplished at something, those scared feelings go away. To a certain extent, that may be true. When you do something over and over again, it gets easier, less scary. But Ruth and her guests all said that as they learned to do something and started out, they were scared.

I'm scared. Scared to write a book proposal. Scared to update my website. Scared to get to know new people. Scared to do lots of things.

And so I buffer (as Brooke Castillo would say). I grab a snack from the freezer or cupboard. I grab the ipad and play some games. I stare into space and worry about why I'm not getting anything done. I watch funny cat videos on YouTube. 

None of that gets me any closer to my dreams.

I have to do it scared. 

I have to break my goals into bite-sized pieces and work on completing them instead of buffering.

Maybe you have something you've been putting off because you're just so scared of the unknown. Write it down. Stare at that goal or dream. Write down some steps you can take to get a little closer to completing it. Put those steps on your calendar. Talk to a friend and ask her to check and see if you've done something to get you closer to your goal by the next time you talk.

I'm going to tell all of you a couple of steps I plan to take this week. 

I'm going to work on updating my website (at least the first page). You can hop over to robynmulder.com and check it out this weekend so you can see how much it changes by next Friday. Feel free to email if you have any comments or suggestions for content. (Are moms even angry anymore? I started the website back in 1997 - maybe I need to drop that tagline)

(Here's what my first page looks like today)

I'm also going to start working on a book proposal for the book about depression that has been in my head and on my heart for years now. I don't know how long that will take, so I'm going to schedule three hours for it into my week and see how far that gets me.

What are you going to do? Are you afraid? Let's do it anyway. 

Let's do it scared.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9 NIV)

Are there things you've been putting off because you're afraid? How can focusing on God help you to do it scared?