Why is it that some people are so successful and others flounder?  Being prepared starts when we are small children.  We are taught to lay out our clothes for the next day.  Our parents and teachers get us involved in church, school, activities or sports.  We copy lessons from the blackboards.  We are reminded to turn in our school assignments. Dinners, bath time, and reading books are part of our routine before bed.

Carry that on to the adult level now.  We all have a job.  That is parallel to our schooling as a child in that dooing it well means following a schedule.  If we are working as homemakers, our schedules are filled with cleaning, shopping, chauffeuring children, and organizing family dinners.  If we work out of the home we have deadlines and obligations on the job.

In the process we learn that we cannot be selfish.  We need to share our time, talent, and money with the ones we love the most. Much of the time we are working and giving up the things we’d like to do.   We need to be faithful to our spouses even when it it hard. Times will get better even when one thinks otherwise.   Life is tough, but we can be tougher!  Check out Jon Acuff at  acuff.me   I heard him on a Podcast on platformuniversity.com  He is so generous and humble.

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Field Flowers from a Trip to Portugal

1-Make a list of things to do.   Break the tasks into smaller steps.  A little at a time and things get done.  I used to watch my dad paint steps.  He’d do every other one on one day and the opposite steps the next.  Or he’d do the left side one day and the other half after the first had dried well.   Our steps always looked great.

2-Post a note and paste it where you’ll see it.   On the door, on the TV, on the Computer works too.   Visually it helps to have reminders.  If you are going to paint.  Gather all the supplies and put them right where you will be reminded to paint the outdoor furniture or whatever.

3-Gather people together to helpCompany and someone to chat with helps immensely.  Gardening is one thing I don’t like, because I feel lonely.  I used to take our big Boxer outside when the kids were little and he’d lay next to the garden while I worked nearby.   It really helped.   Now I will even ask my husband to come sit on the swing while I plant my geraniums or water flowers.

4-Create a routine.  Walking to work helps me fit in exercise.  Blogging is done at the same time each day and often I will do more than one while I am in a creative mode.   Doing the same thing each week can be good. I get gas in my car at the same gas station usually on Saturday evening or Monday morning.   I find it is helpful in not running out of fuel and I can easily track my charge card statement each month.

I run into an elderly man who shops on Friday mornings.  His consistency has helped him through grieving the death of his wife and a few medical issues.   It is stabilizing point in his week as his habit of going to church at the same service each Sunday.   Set points like these are helpful for everyone.

5-Bring it to the table.  Sharing strategies for making life more joy filled is fun.  Ask others what works for them.  Learn from those who are successful and duplicate their patterns.  We don’t have to be original in every area of life.

Feel great and stop procrastinating!   “Delight in Living!”