Marching Forth: Put it on Your Calendar

A few weeks ago our Pastor preached about finding balance in your life.  He must have been talking directly to me as finding balance is my lifelong battle.  How in the world does one fit everything in that needs to be done and remain sane?

He gave us four practical tips.  One of them stuck out to me.  It's one that I have been practicing, but hearing it again was a good reminder.

BE PURPOSEFUL WITH YOUR CALENDAR.

Pastor was speaking mainly about purposefully setting dates on your calendar with your spouse and time with your family, but I believe that the same applies to taking care of ourselves.  I can talk all I want about going to the gym or registering for this race or trying a new recipe.  I'm much more likely to do it if I put it on my calendar.  

I have a weekly calendar that I post on one of our kitchen cabinets.  I list all of our activities for the week and our meals.  When I put my workouts or plans to run, my family expects me to go.  I don't have to worry about what they're doing - they know that is my time.  Having it on the calendar prevents me from scheduling something else at that same time.  I also find myself saying to myself, "I'm too tire to run today, but it's on the calendar."  It's as if I don't want to let the calendar down!  That's the people pleaser coming out in me, but it works!  I get up and go!  

Being purposeful about your calendar doesn't have to have anything to do with exercise.  If you want to paint or write more - schedule yourself blocks of time to do that. If you want to de-clutter your house, schedule yourself for 20 minutes a day, one drawer a day, two hours a week - whatever will work for you.  If you want to call your best friend more often, set a weekly date to talk on the phone.  

As my dad always says, plan you work and work your plan!  Putting your goals on your calendar helps you to achieve them!

March Fourth is a great day to march towards a life of living with purpose, a life lived with intention!