Setting priorities strategically and practicing mindfulness can lead you to live your best life. Have you often wondered how to live your best life? Imagine a time when you experienced great fulfillment and joy. Everything was coming up roses! For example, you finished your work week with stellar accomplishments, your finances were in surplus, and you were super healthy and fit. Furthermore, your weekends were fun-packed—sun and fun at the beach with friends and dinner at your favorite restaurant. These fulfilling seasons invite happiness overflowing into the lives of everyone around you. This my friend is the life of someone with really great luck, right? Or could it be that they have learned the wisdom of balance and priorities.
Put your Rank on it
The starting point to living your best life is evaluating specific areas of utmost importance. What currently ranks high priority in your life? Take a moment and think about your family, work, finances, faith, friends, serving others, and health. Does one area particularly come to mind first? Be honest. Go ahead and rank the priority of each one by numbering them from 1 to 7. Where do your thoughts gravitate to in the morning? How are your emotions? Are you frequently stressed, frustrated, anxious, or spinning out of control? Perhaps you barely have time for a Friday night date. I understand. Or is life nothing but routine and mundane leading you down the path of complacency? Are you ready to take control today by applying careful attention to your priorities and thoughts, and begin making positive life changes. Ask yourself: what stands out for re-alignment in my life? Next, make time for deep thought and contemplation.
Making the Most out of Every Opportunity
Once you have discovered those possible areas needing a shift, you may just need reassurance that you’re on the proper track. What if you could go to someone who could 100% guarantee the new alignment of these priorities? I bet you could feel confident to move forward and make the most out of every opportunity. But before you hit the reset button on your priority list, first hone in on the one who knows you best—the one who created you. God knit every detail of your life together before you were even born. (Psalm 139:13) He knows your talents, your desires, your shortcomings, and most importantly knows the perfect plan for your life. He knows it all! Let’s learn from the apostle Paul how to live our best life. After all, he wrote the book of Ephesians while in prison so he might just know a few things.
“So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do (Ephesians 5:15).”
I bet we would definitely tune in to God’s voice if we were in Paul’s shoes. You see, it’s quite easy to bounce from one day to the next without accomplishing a thing or getting way off-balance doing way too much. In fact, our minds will wonder off unless we intentionally tune our thoughts toward God’s word. The Bible states that He gives us His thoughts when we obey Him, furthermore; His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. Imagine the outrageous plans he has in store for you! Your finite mind cannot comprehend. Does that excite you? I don’t know about you, but I do not want to miss one thing God has planned for me!
The Key to Living your Best Life
The key to living your best life is making the necessary changes by following God’s path step by step. This is possible through prayer, scripture journaling, and counsel. We gain guidance and hear His voice as we are still in His presence. Here you will glean wisdom and motivation. Wisdom flows out of deep devotion. In fact, God deepens our love for Him as we spend time in prayer. This is how change occurs. He departs wisdom to us if we listen, so we must seek wisdom if we are serious about living our best life. The Bible tells us to ask God for wisdom and to follow the advice from Solomon because he nails it!
“Do not be over wicked, and do not be a fool—why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes. Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city.” (Ecclesiastes 7:17-19)
This is the balancing act many people struggle with. Once you come to grips with those areas needing re-alignment, you are half way there. Next is staying focused to accomplish those goals. But you are not alone because God will impart wisdom every step of the way.
Stay on Track
To live your best life requires your awareness of things, people, etc. that fight for your attention. God’s primary desire is for us is to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind. And the truth of the matter is that He does want you to prosper immensely. You can stay on track as you continue to check in on your priorities, because many things will fight for your attention. Materialism is a huge hinderance. Stuff and more stuff! Do you notice the incredible wealth of our culture sucking you in? Most people enjoy nice things, nothing wrong with that until they become the main priority. Before you realize you’ve veered off your path of keeping God first in your life.
“Material possessions and health are desires—good, normal desires—but they aren’t rights, and God doesn’t promise them. Should we pray that God will give us prosperity in all things and in health? Yes, John did and his devotion to Christ was unsurpassed. We can expect spiritual prosperity as we follow Christ, but we shouldn’t demand that God give us the prosperity the world values. He never promised that.” Zig Ziglar
Taking Action to Live your Best Life
You are going to have to persevere through many obstacles on this journey, but the bumps along the way will mold your character and bring the promise of His plans for you. Why not make the choice to shift your priorities now. Because when we put God first, then everything else falls into place. When you ask him how to prioritize, you will get answers. God is inviting us to practice His guidelines that are rooted in love for Him and others. This is where trusting God makes all the difference. Here are some practical steps that will help you prioritize your life:
10 Steps to Live your Best Life
- Start your day at least 15 minutes earlier for prayer, Bible reading and devotions.
- Study Bible scripture and journal your thoughts and areas as God prompts you.
- Attend church regularly and serve your community.
- Get a good planner to organize your life, track your daily activity, and set goals.
- Take a long break from social media.
- Call family and friends and make plans together.
- Begin walking each morning outdoors.
- Evaluate your nutrition and health status with your doctor and set up a consultation with me to make a plan.
- Review your spending and finances with a professional.
- Rest more.
Mindfulness
These 10 steps are also very helpful in stress reduction and improving mindfulness. Mindfulness is the state of being aware of your present thoughts and feelings. Our thought life is vital for our overall health and well being.The steps above will be the catalyst to alter your thought life. Your mind is very powerful so what you think about will lead you down that track. If you can change your thoughts, you’ll change your life.
How to Practice Mindfulness
First, be aware of your reaction to unpleasant situations. You may not realize how often you complain. Let’s say you wake up and have a nasty cold and feel miserable. Instead of complaining and fixating on how you feel, tell yourself, I am gonna fight this thing. Obviously, your body isn’t ready to get outdoors to walk or exercise, but adjusting your attitude is a game changer.
Secondly, begin your physical healing process by eating healthy whole foods, omit preservatives, drink plenty of water, and get a good night sleep. Jump start your nutrition with Juice Plus+ fruit and vegetable capsules to balance and support your immunity. Pray for God to touch your body and mind, and take rest with a book and worship music or listen to an uplifting podcast.
A third way to practice mindfulness is with daily gratitude methods. Keep it simple. Focus all day on one thing you are grateful for. Journal about it, or put it on your phone calendar or set a reminder to read it out loud. Gratitude has been shown to decrease stress and improve overall health.
The last way practice mindfulness is to clear a cluttered mind. Do a dump list. During difficult times when you feel overwhelmed, ignored, inadequate, underpaid, or whatever is on your mind–write it down. This practice helps create space in your mind so you take your next step toward living your best life even in the midst of turmoil.
Collaborative support
Not sure how to prioritize or practice mindfulness? Reach out for a free consultation where we can discover your next steps together.
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” 3 John 1:2