Thursday, November 19, 2009

Life’s Choices 

 I dare you to love yourself enough to do the purpose exercise below.
You can have the life you want if you are willing to choose again!.

Our priorities and choices determine the direction of our lives.
Sometimes our values and our choices do not match.
And often times we lose what we value the most.
Facing our choices with clarity and consciousness is the key.

Start by taking full responsibility for the choices you make.
Full responsibility means no blame or guilt, simply owning your decisions.
Notice what works for you and what no longer works.
Notice what interferes with what really matters to you.

When we are OFF purpose, we often feel down, discouraged, upset and irritable.
When we self medicate with shopping, alcohol, TV, internet, gambling or overwork, we miss the lesson.
When we become addicted to self soothing or numbing the pain, we lose what we value most.
When we lose what matters most to us, we often take refuge in addictions and self sabotage.

Look at what really matters to you….health, happiness, home, relationship, service……..
Ask yourself what you currently choose regarding your highest values.
Do you make health and happiness a priority?
Do you make your marriage and primary relationships a; priority?

Are you living the life you really value?
Have you forsaken your values for someone or something?
Do you act and speak in ways which are unlike the real you?
Are you living someone else’ life to belong?
Are you addicted to something that distracts you from really living?
Are you attached to pleasing another and losing respect for yourself?
Are you living a lie and covering with excuses and justification?
Are your unhappy with the way you feel about yourself ?
Can you honestly say “I love the life I have and value the choices I make.”?
Are you afraid to look at your life and make new choices that are right for you?

When we stop choosing the life we value………
Marriages fail.
Health declines.
Work is lost.
Education is interrupted.
Life becomes depressing.

Maybe now is your time to relook at what you are doing with your life.
Maybe now you can be honest about what really matters to you.
Maybe now you can step away from those destructive, self defeating patterns.
Maybe now you are willing to choose the whole life you really want and value.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
No matter where you are, it is never too late to choose again.
Forgive mistakes of the past and choose the life your want.
Forgive your unconsciousness and be the person you want to be today.

Loving you, 

Betty Lue

Purpose Exercise

To bring your purpose to life, you need to make a declaration of your values and describe the things, people, attitudes and objectives that are important to you.
This is a quick exercise to help you uncover your purpose.
List 5 answers under each set of questions.

What do I love to do?
What makes me the happiest?
What is my secret ambition?
What has given me the most satisfaction in the past?
What excites me about life?
1      _________________________________________
2      _________________________________________
3      _________________________________________
4      _________________________________________
5      _________________________________________

What am I good at?
What have others told me I was good at?
In what areas of life have I excelled?
What are some of my strengths?
1      _________________________________________
2      _________________________________________
3      _________________________________________
4      _________________________________________
5      _________________________________________

What is important to me?
What would I be willing to sacrifice for?
What do I stand for?
What would I commit myself for regardless of the obstacles?
1      _________________________________________
2      _________________________________________
3      _________________________________________
4      _________________________________________
5      _________________________________________

What was I born to do?
Where in life can I make a difference?
What unique opportunities have been placed in my path?
What specifically does God want me to do?
1      _________________________________________
2      _________________________________________
3      _________________________________________
4      _________________________________________
5      _________________________________________

Based on the answers above, develop a short paragraph outlining your purpose.
Take the three top priorities from the four areas to which you just committed answers.
Construct a statement that explains what you are beginning to sense in your purpose.
This can be a work in progress. What is important is to commit to something in writing.
Your purpose can be anything you want it to be and it can include anything that is important to you.

My Purpose Statement:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________