Ways to Success: The First Step Is to Stop Procrastinating

August 18, 2011 by 20 Comments
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“Nothing Is So Fatiguing As The Eternal Hanging On Of An Uncompleted Task.” ~William James


Ways to Success: The First Step Is to Stop Procrastinating

by Olga Hermans

 

Many times I have heard people tell me they are just “waiting on God.”   While it sounds very spiritual, self-sacrificing and honorable, I also find that more often than not it’s just a politically correct way of procrastinating or justifying indecision.  Instead of gathering information, creating a plan, and taking action, they can comfortably hide out in a theological wilderness with all the other Egyptians while doing nothing.

Am I speaking to you? We all have been there and done that. Many of us are in a position where we need to make a change. Yes, we know that creating change may not come easily, because our mind tends to view anything different as dangerous.

Our mind likes to hold on to things that it knows from the past. Let me tell you, if you are holding on to things of the past, it’s impossible to receive something fresh and new. Just let go. Way too many times our past has a hold on our future.

Many times in my past there was that one thing that kept me from being productive in my life. It shouldn’t have to be. Even to the point that I was almost paralyzed because I had made mistakes in the past.

But then again there was also a time in my life that I felt I was paralyzed because of past success which was holding me back in a certain state of “resting on my laurels.” Have you ever been there?

Until the time came that I started to invest in myself and started to do things daily; I started to pick myself up to get going and move forward to accomplish something that was a benefit not only to me, but also to the lives of others.

I absolutely needed to let go of the past; all those things in the past started to bother me to the point that I didn’t have any desire to do anything. Almost to the point that I felt really lazy and sluggish and I didn’t want to move forward.

Friends started telling me that there were so many people out there who needed to hear what I had to say; that they needed my talents, my abilities; that they were looking for me to encourage them in their life. I remember the moment that I started to believe them and my life started to flourish because my focus wasn’t on me anymore, but I decided to start to serve people.

You see, the moment you decide to get into the “people business,” your life will change. People in need wouldn’t care that my life hadn’t been perfect. Welcome to the human race!

This was the reason why I kept procrastinating and procrastinating; what a foolish thing to do to if I think about it now. Just wasting time away by not believing in myself, thinking so lowly of myself, always thinking the best of other people but never thinking of myself that I could do something worthwhile. That is who I was.

People often say something like, “If I only would know what to do, then I would…” The truth is that if you make a choice to make a move things will start to fall into place.

I have heard someone say once: “you cannot steer a parked car”. That means that we first have to put the key in the ignition, turn the key and start the car before we can steer the wheels.” That principle works the same with our life.

If your life is or was like that, let me tell you what worked for me, will also work for you:

Here we go:

Make a plan that you work on daily. Start to visualize and talk about what you would like your daily life to look like, the direction you want go, the place you want to live, what kind of business you want to do.

You also should avoid those dream robbers, they always come around when you finally start going. Many dreams get robbed by negative thoughts and feelings. The biggest dream robbers are people who like to come and tell you why things cannot be accomplished or why you in particular don’t qualify for that certain thing that you are trying to accomplish.

Just don’t spend any time with people who try to rob your dream. You can ask God for the right people to come into your life; who build you up and not tear you down. There are people out there that are waiting to receive what only YOU can give them.

Take care of your dream and nurture it, keep your dream alive at all cost. Treat it as a newborn baby. Then, you need to grow it and implement things step by step. You will see a difference coming soon enough.

Then, you need to write it down!

The Bible tells us to “write the vision down so that those who read it can run with it.” This is the moment where you need to be bold. Write all the things down where you see yourself in 3 months, then six months and in a year. If you can see yourself in 5 years, write it down and even in 10 years. That is how a vision statement starts. Keep it in front of you all the time and envision yourself with everything that you have written down.

The Bible also tells us that people perish without a vision. You need a road map to see where you are going. If you don’t know where you are going, you will never know that you arrived. You will miss out on all the excitement, because when you arrive at a place there is always that feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction.

Then the moment is there to ACT

Procrastination is the enemy. Ask yourself this question, what would you do if money were no object? This is a moment where you can let your imagination take off, take all the breaks off. What would you be doing in this world that needs you and is crying out for your talents and gifts?

You can do that right now. Dream, plan and write it down and then take a few baby steps that don’t have to cost you anything except time and energy on your part. These are the things that most people don’t want to do, did you know that? I have on my white board here in front of me, “Just Do It!” Once you have taken the first step, you will be glad you did it.

Let me ask you 3 simple questions:

What are your greatest three concerns that cause you to not go forward with your dream? And then ask yourself, “How would God answer to those concerns”?

  1. What simple steps can you make today that declare, “I’ve started”?
  2. If money were no object, what would you be doing differently?
  3. How many hours a week are you presently giving to meditating, envisioning, planning, and praying about your vision?

Please share your answer with us by making a comment; others will love to read what you have to say.
It might be your very first step!

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Seven Keys to Boost Your Confidence Instantly

August 15, 2011 by 16 Comments
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Confidence And Negativity Cannot Live In The Same House; They Are Like Oil And Water, They Do Not Mix!

 

Seven Keys to Boost Your Confidence Instantly

by Olga Hermans

 

If some people are confident while others are not there must be a reason. Let’s have a look at some keys to boost your confidence instantly and tap into some things that will help you live with more confidence and with more boldness; are you ready?

1.       Confident People are Positive

Absolutely! Confidence and negativity do not live in the same house; they are like oil and water, they do not mix! I learned this the hard way that being positive is so much better and more fun and fruitful. Being positive or negative is a choice that you have to make, it is a way of thinking, speaking, and acting. They come from a repetitious behaviour that we have formed in our life.

Our life is the way we are because we are the way we are; there is no other reason and sometimes that is hard to swallow. In life we don’t get what we want, we get in life what we are. If we want more we have to be more, to be more you have to face yourself. People don’t like to be around people that are negative.

It has been said that 90% of what we worry about never happens. Thinking negatively makes you miserable. Why be miserable when you can be happy?

2.       Confident People Say NO to Fear

Fear is not from God; it is the devil’s tool to keep people from enjoying their lives and making progress. That does not mean that we will never feel fear, but it does mean that we will not allow it to rule our decisions and choices and our actions. The Bible says that God has not given us a spirit of fear. 2Tim 1:7
Fear causes people to bury their talents because they are afraid to fail, they are afraid to be judged and be criticized.

I DO know what it means to live in fear. When my parents died I was in my late 20’s; fear hit me like a brick. Fear came over me and filled me with a sense that I would never make it on my own and until this day I still have to be very alert to resist this fear. Feelings are fickle; they are ever-changing. The bad ones are there when you wish they weren’t and the good ones disappear when you need them the most.

3.       Confident People DO NOT Compare Themselves

It is impossible to be confident when you compare yourself to others. If there is one person that you can compare yourself with, it is you. Really, that would bring the best out of you! Why compare yourself to others? No matter how good we look, how talented or smart we are, or how successful we are, there is always someone that is better, and sooner or later we run into them.

I believe confidence is found in doing the best we can with what we have to work with and not in comparing ourselves with others and competing with them. Our happiness should not be found in being better than others, but in being the best we can be. What do you think?

4.       Confident People are Action Takers

I have heard that there are two types of people in the world. The ones who wait for something to happen and the ones who make something happen. We all have something to overcome. When you want to do something, don’t let yourself think about all the things that could go wrong. Be positive and think about the exciting things that can happen. Your attitude makes all the difference in your life.

Making mistakes is not the end of the world. We can recover from mistakes. In fact, one of the few mistakes we cannot recover from is the mistake of never being willing to make one in the first place.

5.       Confident People Do Not Live in Assumptions

Many people feel empty and unfulfilled because they have spent their lives bemoaning what they did not have, instead of using what they do have. We all know those thoughts that come “what if” I had my own house, “If I only” I would have more money, “what If” I would be married and “if I only” I could have had a better start in life and so on, and on and on!

One of the biggest mistakes we can make in life is to stare at what we don’t have or have lost and fail to make an inventory of what we do have.

6.       Confident People Bounce Back Quickly

So what if you fail? So what if you made a mistake? What else is new? We all fail and we all make mistakes. The good thing is that we learn so much from our mistakes.  A person is not a failure because he/she tried some things that did not work out. We only fail when we stop trying. I have heard it many times that most people who are very successful failed their way to success.

Let all those mistakes be training ground for you, you will be much better on the other side. If you never would make any mistakes, what would you learn? Nothing, really! One of the great things about God is that He always gives you a new beginning. One thing you absolutely shouldn’t do is to let the past dictate your future. Because you learn of your mistakes you are keen to do things differently.

7.       Confident People Know That God Loves Them

If you are a Christian you should know this for sure, but even if you are not a Christian you have to know that God is a good God and He loves you no matter what you do or where you have been. He loves you more than you will ever know.

There are people who feel so bad about themselves and then get around people who hurt them. You need to look for friends that you feel safe with. God will show you how to recognize them if you listen to His wisdom. One of the ways that God loves us through people and when we have the wrong people around us, we will always have that feeling that something is wrong with us.
God’s love is unconditional and makes you feel confident.

I want to close with this scripture

Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love. For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]
— Eph 1:4 -5

I hope that these 7 Keys will help you on your way to being fully confident; let me know which one jumped out the most for you.

If you would pay more attention to your thoughts and choose to think on things that will help you instead of hinder you, you will be able to boost your confidence instantly and you will enjoy being more confident. Think confident and you will be confident.

Question: Please share with us the one key that really impacted you while reading. Thank you!

You can subscribe to The Daily Choice which brings an encouraging message 5 days a week to your inbox by clicking here

 

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You Were Born To Be A Star

August 8, 2011 by 12 Comments
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…Then You Will Shine Among Them Like Stars In The Sky. Phil.2:14

 

You Were Born To Be A Star

by Olga Hermans

 

We live in a culture and in a time that is focused on how we should qualify as stars; being the best. Those that are inspiring for what they do or the position that they want to have in society.

I believe that not only we as people are looking for stars, but that God is also looking for stars. He is looking for you and I to shine like stars in the earth. God is not like Simon Cowell from American Idol bringing us out on the stage somewhere to be judged by the masses.

God says “I will work in you and I will work through you, that you would shine like a star. Phil.2:15

We are so focused on stars, we are searching for stars. Every realm of media and society, every sport is focused on those that are stars. We have movie stars, we have pop stars, and we have ALL stars. When your children are in school and they do well, they get a gold star. A star is something that we are looking for. Before you go to a restaurant or hotel, you check how many stars it has; is it a 2 star or a 3 star or prestigious 5 star. We are focused on stardom; we are focused on the best. Not only in people, but in things as well.

An Oreo cookie is considered as the best in its field; they sold 400 billion cookies since they were first created and they go down as the most popular cookie of the twentieth century. Now you know that Oreo’s are stars.

We live in a culture and in a mindset that is focused on stars; we are searching for stars. Many of us would say about ourselves “well, I am not a star”, but looking at others who are an athlete, a musician or some political figure and we say, well they were probably just born that way.

I was reading an article the other day by Steven Levitt; he was asking  about the commonalities between those who would succeed and there were certainly a number character traits and personality traits. But there was one thing he found in an ordinate number of those that had succeeded and advanced to the premiership in their nation. These people were born in the first three months of the year. There was an above average of people that were born in that span of time and so they dug a little bit deeper and then they found that 40% of all those that had become stars were born in those months. And only 15% of those who were born in the last 3 months of the year became stars.

The finding was simply that the kids who started school at a slightly older age were just slightly more developed; they had a little bit more opportunity to give their best and were noticed and affirmed and given tasks appropriate to that. And so at a young age they were given the opportunity to work at it.

You know, I don’t believe that stars were just born. It takes a little bit of work. And if you talk to someone who is classified as a star they are quick to say “I have worked hard at what I got.”

You have to live in the fullness of your purpose and passion for your life. It is like you are sitting in your car and your eyes are dozing off; you’re getting a little sleepy behind the wheel and you feel the shatter on the side of the road. And then there is that moment of alertness where you come to your senses and you become far more aware of what could have just happened and adrenaline fires through your body.

The apostle Paul tells us that there should be a shot of adrenaline in our spirit at the thought of living anything less than what you were saved for.

It is like you are on the road of life right now and you are falling asleep behind the wheel of your life. I want to encourage you today to wake up, let there be a search of adrenaline that God has something bigger and grander in store for you. You could totally miss it; you could totally miss what God has in store for you.

Php 2:13  For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. It is God who is working in you to will and to act.

It is like a light bulb; this is an extended service light bulb.

This lightbulb was designed to shine brightly; it was fashioned that way. It is perfectly designed that way, but unless it is connected to a source of power it can accomplish nothing.

In fact, it doesn’t matter what this lightbulb thinks of itself, this lightbuld might have some insecurities that it cannot keep up with the more eco-friendly light bulbs. This light bulb might be a little bit ashamed of its 40 watts thinking that there are some 60 watts out there and some 90’’. This light bulb might be embarrassed that it is not halogen.

But it does not matter what the light bulb thinks of itself, when it is connected to the power it will shine as it was designed to do. In the same manner this light bulb might think “check out my form”. I got something special to offer and this lightbulb might go trying to light the world but unless it is connect to its source of power, it will accomplish nothing.

Let me encourage you today that it is both humbling and empowering in every way. It is God who works in us to will and to act. How does He work in us? He gives us purpose. He gives us the power to accomplish that purpose. God is willing and able to make you and I able. It is God who gives us purpose.

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:13 If we allow God to work in us and through us, we shine because that is what He has designed us to do. It is how He created us.

He has a great design in store for your life, He causes you to shine like a star. You don’t have to do it on your own, but you have to do it. There is something to do for you here on the earth. There should be a shot of adrenaline to think of living anything less than all that God has for you.

Once you discover what God has in store for you; you also will  discover your passion, pursue it with every fiber in your body until you achieve every goal you have with that passion. What is YOUR passion that you are currently pursuing? Let us know by leaving a comment.

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Digital Travel Writer: Portable Lifestyle Made Easy by Wifi and Travel Apps

August 1, 2011 by 7 Comments
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Today you are in for a different treat again, because my good friend Claudia Looi is visiting us on The Choice Driven Life with a great subject:  our WiFi lifestyle – on the go with the necessary travel apps!

I know you will like it as much as I like her writings.  I met Claudia 6-7 weeks ago in Chicago at a conference with our coach Sandi Krakowski. She writes a great blog called The Travelpro and I visit it often to read her excellent and handy tips.

So, enjoy today’s article and let us know how much you enjoyed it.

 

 

Digital Travel Writer: Portable Lifestyle Made Easy by Wifi and Travel Apps

by Claudia Looi

 

One of the top treats of being a freelance writer is the ability to work in anywhere at anytime as long as you meet the deadline and produce the results needed. Last week I had the joy of just sitting in our local Barnes and Noble by their Starbucks Café…reading and drinking a less than $3 Grande Americano (I don’t drink sugared coffee). I got free Wi-Fi, a great cup of coffee, company of my son and people watching…that is part of my business model…people watch…I study human behavior as a copywriter.

While sipping coffee, researching and writing about geography and travels in Tanzania for my client in the UK…something clicked…I am a Digital Nomad. None of my clients live near me. They are all at least 1,000 miles away…. Wikipedia has the best description… A digital nomad is someone who uses technology and the internet to work remotely—from home, the coffee shop, internet cafe, or even to collaborate remotely with teams anywhere in the world.

These entrepreneurs & professionals frequently use new technologies like a smartphone, wifi, and web-based applications to develop location independence and earn an income wherever they live or travel. To me the most important aspect for any traveler or business person in this generation, even if you don’t work remotely, is the availability of wifi.

What if there were no wifi? What would you do? Clear 4G Take-it-with-you is a super fast internet connections you can bring with you wherever you go in about 80 cities in the United States. If you are an entrepreneur, traveler or an employee that travels for work in the United States, Clear could be a cheaper option compared to the fee that most hotel charge for room internet connections.

The last time I check in a hotel in Chicago, it was $9.99 per night. For unlimited internet access outside of the United States XComGlobal.com may be an alternative. They cover over 40 countries and you can select the mobile hotspot option or USB Modem option. It is cheaper to get a mobile hotspot in the country you are visiting.

Here is an example of one we used last year while traveling in Malaysia. DiGi has all the options for entrepreneurs and travelers to stay in touch. Other than wifi, travel apps do come in handy for a digital travel writer. What are these travel apps for? They are apps on smartphones or laptops that help assist with trip planning, free phone calls or cheaper phone calls, worldwide radios, track flights, hotel and restaurant reservation, language translation… to every type of games imaginable.

Here are 5 that I like:

1.   Skype is a free app and you can call for free from one Skype account to another. Or make cheaper phone calls from anywhere with your contacts who are not on Skype. You can also send instant messages.

2.   Tripit helps you organize your travel. You create your trip by entering the start and end dates, transportation details (flights, car rental etc), accommodation, restaurants and activities. After entering all the details you get your itinerary at your finger tips. What seems to be a tedious way of typing out and putting in order is now automated for you.

3.   Flight track help you track your flights on real time, including delays and gate numbers. It even comes with a map and the airplane you are tracking. They track worldwide flights and will give you updates on cancellations and find alternative flights. This app cost $4.99 from iTunes. Or track for free on your laptop or desktop.

4.   Oanda Currency Converter can convert over 190 currencies and 4 metals. Imagine… your silver coin can be converted too! This app is free. Get an idea of how much cash you need to have in hand when you travel. Shows you a typical rate charge for the currency you are exchanging.

5.   Google translate is able to translate up to 50 languages. You can even listen to your own spoken translations. This is just an entertainment while you wait for a flight or just filling in time. This is a free app.

If you find this information helpful, don’t forget to grab our free report on 5 Keys to planning a vacation of your dreams…do it today. This report may help you not to put off the trip of your dreams. If it is not now…when will your dream vacation be?

Claudia Looi is a freelance travel, content and copywriter. She is a mother of two teens and currently lives in Florida. A former travel professional with various tour operators, she has lived and worked in Kuala Lumpur, Auckland and New York. She currently writes for travel, hotels, real estate and wellness industries. Most of her writings are not in her name. They are featured in the United States, Malaysia, New Zealand and Belize. She has traveled to over 20 nations and some multiple times. You can find her at www.travelwritingpro.com. While you are there grab her Free Report 5 Keys to planning a vacation of your dreams.

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Know What Stands Between You and Your Destiny

July 28, 2011 by 12 Comments
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Know What Stands Between You and Your Destiny

by Olga Hermans

 

Are you in for a little challenge today? We’ve all had our share of adversities and we will continue to face hard times but harsh conditions have a way of bringing out the champion on the inside of us. Let’s have a look at our life experiences not in a self-pity manner or in a manner that brings disappointment or shame but from the standpoint of turning all our past experiences into hope for someone else.

If you would do that it would bring out your own uniqueness, your own message and you would move towards your destiny with great expectancy.

You might be going through something that somebody else is going through right now and they need your wisdom for that certain situation. They need to know what you know. Here is a very suitable quote form Myles Monroe: “Most people think the greatest tragedy in life is death. The greatest tragedy in life is to live and not know your purpose”.

Having lived your whole life and never really having that assurance of know what you have accomplished what you were meant to do is a very discouraging thought. So, if you are saying that you don’t have any dreams or you don’t have any goals, you definitely need to spend more time with God. Because God has a destiny for everybody on this planet and that includes you!

Sandi Krakowski

Some of us are called to be entrepreneurs and to be successful, like my coach, Sandi Krakowski. She went through a lot of trauma as a young girl; even gang raped in her 20s. She is a true survivor turned thriver – $500K debt – given a year to live – to creating and owning one of the fastest growing online business-coaching and information publishing companies in North America. Today she is totally debt free for the past 5 years and medically completely healthy and she gives God all the credit for it.

Others are called to be a mother of 12. Yeah, my friend Charlotte Siems is a pastor’s wife and she has 12 children.

Or my friend Denny Hagel who has a passion to help parents raise their children and is doing this already for over 25 years and is very succesfull.

It doesn’t matter what you do as a career or calling, God wants to use you and impact people around you. He wants you as you are, as He designed you to be; nothing less and nothing more. Here is another great quote from Mike Murdoch: “Your life’s assignment is not your decision but your discovery”.

Of course there are some decisions that you have to make to make it all happen. I remember the moment that my husband and I decided to go to VBI-Tulsa; that was a major decision for us and one of the best decisions we have ever made. But it wasn’t easy; our children were 13 and 11. We moved from overseas; they had to learn English, leave their friends behind and make new friends. But our lives have never been the same since.

Decisions are like falling dominoes in a line, each one toppling one irreversible consequence against another. After that we went back to The Netherlands to start a bibleschool, which also was a big decision that we did not regret. Life is too short for regrets. That’s why it is soo important for you to know who you are, what is important to you and what you want to do with your life.

God orders our steps; that means that He is always endeavouring to maneuver you towards your destiny. If you will listen to Him, then you will always be in the right place at the right time with the right people. That’s the reason you need to be sensitive to His leadership.

I believe that God has some extremely exciting things on the horizon for you. No matter how miserable your life may be at this very moment, God has a plan and God’s plan is to turn your life around. Make a choice to not run from Him, when you are distressed and unhappy, then He will and He can turn your situation around. He always knows what to do; He knows exactly what it takes to turn your life around.

What stands between you and your destiny? God’s will for you is always triumph! ALWAYS! 2Cor.2:14. That means that God always wants the very best for your life, no matter how impossible your circumstances look at this very moment. If you stumble and fall seven times, get up again ad go again. Remember, your hard times make you strong!

Satan will come between you and your destiny. He’ll create barriers. He’ll create obstacles, tests and trials because he knows more than you do that God has a powerful plan for your life. He will stand between you and your destiny. He will come up with the most ridiculous situations so that you will be discouraged and want to quit, and never fulfill what God has planned for you.

Let me remind that the difficulties that you are facing today, the thing that is trying to keep you from your destiny today, could become that stepping stone to your greatest victory! Don’t let the devil steal your destiny. God is always there to help you; He will change your whole life. Just as He did with my coach Sandi Krakowski; she is a great example to many.

Never get the idea that your life is no good because you weren’t on drugs or because you hadn’t made a terrible mess of your life. I know people think they don’t have a good testimony because they didn’t experience a whole lot of things. I think that, that is a wonderful testimony and there are people who want to hear it. People are looking for evidence; they are looking for what you have on the inside of you.

If this article is talking to you, it may be time to reexamine what you are doing. You are not meant to live an unfulfilled life. Make sure that you are doing THAT particular thing that is part of your destiny. Don’t spend years and years in a meaningless existence, doing something you dislike, staying there simply because it is convenient and you don’t want to rock the boat. Let me help you to step into your divine destiny; I wrote this book especially for you.

There are many people who have no clue what they are supposed to do in life, don’t let this  be you!
Go and get my book NOW by clicking here!

 

What Did You Think?

Please take a quick moment and leave your comments below.  Thank you!

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How to Have a Thought-Life You Can Be Proud Of

July 21, 2011 by 9 Comments
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Our Mind Can Be Like Those Old Typewriters


How to Have a Thought-life You Can Be Proud Of

by Olga Hermans

 

In Deut 30:19, God says, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curses; therefore choose life.” He gives us an option, but He wants us to do the choosing.  A choice often means we can go the easy way or the hard way.  We can go the way we feel like going or we can go the way we know is right. To make a right and wise choice means we will probably have to discipline ourselves to do something we don’t feel like doing, but know is best.

As the Bible tells us, discipline doesn’t bring immediate joy, but it does bring lasting joy later on. The enemy is always out to destroy us and he often tries to do that by influencing us to make bad choices – to choose to do what feels good or is easy now, instead of what will be beneficial in the long run.

These choices may temporarily satisfy the flesh, but they don’t please God or satisfy us permanently. We should discipline ourselves to make good choices that honor God and His Word. God encourages His children to walk in the Spirit and the way we do that is by choosing to take time to listen to the Holy Spirit and do what we know is right even if it doesn’t feel good.

We’ve all known or know a time when we were in a disagreement with somebody and the air was filled with tension. You can choose to apologize and do what will restore peace or you can choose to stay angry and wait for the other to apologize; we have all been there.

So, what is more important? To be right or to choose for peace? The answer is that it is the right thing to make peace and if we don’t, we are sinning. God is our vindicator and if we need to be shown to be in the right, He will take care of that, but our part is to honor Him by doing what we know is right according to His Word. God can always work out the details but we need to make that quality choice to keep the peace.

You have to realize now more than anything that making right choices is the key to a happy life, and keeping our minds on right things is another one. Don’t let your mind wander around and do whatever it pleases. We have been given the spirit of discipline and self-control. You have been given a sound mind.

I love to sit beside my husband when we are riding down the road; I like to look out of the passenger side window while my husband is driving. He would give a smile if he would be reading this :), but my mind can go off on a drift or wander off onto something that is totally worthless and will not produce anything good in my life.

That doesn’t make me a bad person; it just means I have a choice to make. Will I be lazy and let it “drift”, or will I once again discipline myself to stop thinking that wrong thought and find something good and noble to think about?

I once heard an analogy that someone made; she said our mind can be like those old typewriters. We are focussing on something and our mind starts to wander away from us just like that handle on the typerwriter. I know this typewriter probably tells you my age more than anything else, but, when you start typing, that handle would go all the way to the right and you had to push it back to start e new line.

That is how our mind works, we are in a conversation or something, or reading a book or whatever we do and our mind wanders off…outside the window and we have to push it back just like that old typewriter. Do you get the picture?

My mind can drift when I am in a conversation with my husband, but it also happens when others are speaking and what they are saying really isn’t that interesting to me. It seems to be important to them, but it isn’t to me. My mind starts to drift to thoughts like: “I really have some more important things to do. Or, this is boring… or this goes way too far, I cannot believe this.” Things like that? Oh, you ever thought those things?

Then suddenly a message from my pastor or somebody comes up that we have to treat other people the way we like to be treated. Ouch!! We need to make the other person feel valuable, because they are. So, I am faced with a choice: do I walk in love and show respect for the person talking to me, or do I just pretend that I am listening while I have these wandering thoughts?

Are you surprised that these thoughts happen to me? Let me tell you a secret: they happen to everyone. We are not bad people because bad thoughts come to us but if we don’t resist them, we can become whatever we choose to focus our thoughts on.

The Bible tells us to seek good (1Thess 5:15). Seek means to make an attempt. We all have to seek to think right thoughts. It takes discipline and training, but we can do it. Determine today to set your mind on right things and discipline yourself to keep it set on them and you will enjoy the great and powerful life God has in mind for you.

When you find yourself stuck in a”wandering away” thought that is detrimental to you and you have a hard time staying focussed; get busy doing something good to bless someone. One thing you should not do is stay passive and merely wish you could get it off your mind. Be aggressive and refuse to lend your mind to the devil for his activity.

Remember that bad thoughts lead to bad moods and bad decisions, so don’t waste your time on anything that doesn’t add to the quality of your life. Think on that typewriter, I have to do that many times. 😉

You know, if we are deciding on what we think on or decide where our thoughts go; it all comes down to making decisions. We have to make a choice to activate our will to stay focused. Learn How to Make Decisions Like an Expert in 7 Easy Steps by reading our FREE Report.
Click here to receive it.

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How to Improve Your Decision Making Skills to Make Better Choices

July 14, 2011 by 5 Comments
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Many Times Our Dreams Do Not Become Reality Because Of The Decisions We Make In Our Lives

 

How to Improve Your Decision Making Skills

to Make Better Choices

by Olga Hermans

 

As I was pondering about my next post for this week, being extremely busy with the writing of my eBook “Pursue Your Destiny with Passion and Purpose” and also giving a new look to my FREE Report I thought about how so very important it is to take our God-given destiny serious and to be able to improve our decision making skills so we will NOT regret our choices.

So, I want to give you 5 crucial components to help you step into your destiny by making decisions that matter.

1.  Research: gathering information and collecting data

Gathering facts is very important in making a good decision that you will not regret. Let’s say you want to buy a product that is completely new to you – say a cleaner that you could use on your granite countertops without scratching them. Here you are in the store and a decision is right in front of you.

Have you ever wondered why some of the vitamins that you take are so outrageously expensive?

There is something like research and development. In order to know their target audience, the habits and preferences of their customers, companies spend vast amounts of money each year doing research to develop a new product.

So, how much research and development have you put into the decisions you make? Particularly the decisions with lifelong ripple effects that will move you toward your Destiny? Have you conducted adequate research into the character of that person that you might marry to make sure that s/he is who s/he says s/he is? I hope you see how important research is. Let’s get to the next point, shall we?

2.   Responsibility

Being responsible is something a lot of people don’t know much about. God’s definition of a dreamer is not someone who sits around with his head in the clouds, but it is someone who sees the possibilities of great things and understands it will take a lot of hard work and determination to see it through to the finish.

People that pursue their destiny with passion and purpose are people who are willing to sacrifice and pay the price up front in order to cross the finish line with self-respect and honor. Lazy people are always unhappy and they don’t understand why.

The reason they’re unhappy is because God didn’t create people just so they could sit around and do nothing, bearing no good fruit. We need to be engaged in life. If we want to see change in our life, then we need to ask ourselves what choices we can make to change things.

3.   Rising Higher

God’s plan for each of our lives is that we continually rise to new levels. But how we go about in life, and how much of God’s favour and blessings we experience, will be directly related to how much we decide to follow His directions.

Throughout life, God will deal with us and bring areas to light where we need to make choices to improve. He often speaks to us through our conscience or through a still small voice. He knows the things that are holding us back.

He knows our weaknesses, faults and the inner secrets that we keep hidden. When He brings these matters to our attention and if we want to get closer to our destiny, we have to be willing to face the truth about ourselves and take the correction that God brings to us.

4.  Root Issues; dealing with them

We love to fix things on the surface, like cleaning up our behaviour, trying to be more friendly, more loving and kind. Not spending so much money, or stop using credit cards to buy something on impulse. Not manipulating people any more, not getting so angry and upset. It is a good thing to make choices to try to improve, but so often we are not dealing with the real source of the problem.

People can have a root of insecurity that causes them to feel defensive or have a root of bitterness. Perhaps you have been spinning your wheels, going around in circles year after year, and are not really happy. You need to be honest enough to say, “God, show me what it is. Am I relying on other people to make me happy? Do I have unrealistic expectations?”

“Am I going to be happy only if I get married? Am I allowing my circumstances to keep me down? God, show me the truth about myself.” Some people say, “I’m depressed because my parents were so depressed”. No, you can change. You are a child of God, so you have the greatest power in the universe on the inside of you. You can break any addiction and overcome any stronghold.

You can fulfill your God-given destiny. You may have a negative history, but please understand, you don’t have to have a negative future. What’s important is not where you come from. What matters is where you are going. One of the main ways we can honor God is by taking responsibility for our choices, not blaming our past, not blaming our circumstances. We must get down to the root, take responsibility. Rise up and do something with it. You can experience the good things of God and fulfill your destiny.

5. Rearview: looking back and adjusting as necessary to stay on course

It is an amazing fact but true: the decisions we make today don’t simply affect ourselves; they affect our children and our children’s children for multiplied generations. The Bible talks about how the iniquity of the fathers can be passed down for three to four generations. That means that bad habits, addictions, negativity, wrong mind-sets and other types of iniquities can be passed down.

It is time to rise up and make a decision to do something about it. It may have been there for years, but the good news is it doesn’t have to stay there. You can be the one to put a stop to it. You can be the one to choose the blessing and not the curse. We’ve heard a lot about the generational curse, but equally important is our generational choice.

We don’t have to stay the way we are. Put a stop to any of the negative patterns in your family’s bloodline. It is a spiritual battle. You must take authority over all the strongholds that are keeping you in bondage. One of the first things you must do is recognize what it is, identify it, get it out in the open and deal with it. As you do you will see God’s blessings and favour in your life and you will be able to make the decisions that bring you closer and closer to your destiny. This will definitely help you improve your decision making skills and to know without a shadow of a doubt how to make good choices in discovering the life you were born to live.

Tweet this: Destiny is no matter of chance It is a matter of choice It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved WJB #TheDailyChoice

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How to Simplify Complicated Lifestyle Choices

July 7, 2011 by 9 Comments
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Learn to Make Good Choices

 

How to Simplify Complicated Lifestyle Choices

by Olga Hermans

 

We can make life so complicated that we try to learn how to deal with the complexities of life, but don’t realize that our life is getting really cluttered.We get stressed because of it, don’t know why and don’t see the answers that we need for the issues that come up. I personally don’t think that, that is the will of God for our lives. God wants us to come to Him for answers and when life is too tough for us to handle.

Everything you could ever want or need can be found in the presence of the Lord. God has a benefit plan for us that is greater than any plan offered by any organization in the world. The God of the universe, Who spoke the world into existence, is giving you the opportunity to walk boldly into His throneroom to fellowship with Him at any given time. Every good thing you could possibly desire is waiting for you in His presence, everything you need to know is right there.

It is so simple. Yet so many believers miss this powerful truth. Think about it. Each day believers say no to God; He is waiting on us to come to Him to have a good time with Him and have all our questions answered. Instead they choose to spend their time filling their minds with garbage on television, with gossip or just mindless things.

Let’s have a look at a passage where we can see how 2 sisters handled this in their own life.

“As they (Jesus and the disciples) continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home.  She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. “Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.” The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it–it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.” Luk 10:38-42 Msg

This passage reveals a lot about how complex our life can be some time. If you think about it, how many people had the opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from Him directly? Not many, but Martha had that chance, and yet she didn’t take that opportunity.

Things are much the same for us today. Many people work hard, are dedicated, and are committed servers in church. They receive the Lord, they love Him and they serve Him, but they don’t experience the benefit of being in His presence.

Those things were all true for Martha; she obviously loved Jesus, eager to serve Him all the way and she was in His presence, right? But there is something else that was true for her that is also true for many of us today. The bible calls it being cumbered, being distracted, being upset or like the Msg. Translation says being pulled away.

In other words, Martha made things so complicated in her life that she couldn’t get to the feet of Jesus to hear His Word. Martha was a servant in the presence of the Lord, but she wasn’t choosing the best thing in life. She wasn’t being changed by the presence of the Lord.

When we want to be changed and experience the transforming power of Jesus, we have to be able to put things aside, even though they may be good things. If we want to experience His presence and His power, we must simplify our lives and come to that place of stillness and choose needful things.

Mary did that, instead of simply doing what would seem good or right to the natural mind; she took the time to be with Jesus to listen and receive answers for her own life directly from Him, how cool is that? When we choose to complicate our life by doing a lot of things that don’t make any sense, there will always be cares and anxiety in your life. Luke 10:41

Actually almost always when you start to be bothered, fretful, uneasy, worried or fearful about the very thing that you are doing, that may be the very sign that you are doing something that is not needful. The things that we do, don’t have to be necessarily bad; they can be very good things, but they are able to complicate our life.

There is another thing that when we choose something that is not needful, we become critical. You can see how Martha complained to Jesus. Luke 10:40.

Those that are distracted by life’s complications have a tendency to get critical towards others.

Martha loved Jesus, but she started to complain to Him about Mary. Here you can see the proof what a complicated lifestyle does. Getting critical towards others is a warning sign to us; it’s a red light that goes off.

The very fact that a critical spirit began to rise up in her against her sister was a warning sign that there were too many complications in her life. When there is criticism along with anxiety in your life, you should get on the alert to simplify your life.

The moment we recognize these signs of a complicated life, we have to turn our heart back to the Lord and find that place of stillness and begin to simplify our life. When you do that, then and only then will you find the answers and solutions you are looking for. It is then that you will begin to enjoy the benefits of God’s presence.

Obviously we have responsibilities we can’t ignore. Getting in that secret place with the Lord, where we get still before Him will simplify our life but that doesn’t mean that we lay down our responsibilities at work.

And of course, we do have our responsibilities as a spouse or a parent. In fact, we shouldn’t make any drastic changes out of the blue. When we seek the Lord for direction, He will show us how to make changes in our behaviour that will set us on the course to simplify our life.

“Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). Jesus indicates that although Martha’s choices were okay, they weren’t the best. She could have made better choices that would have benefited her more and simplified her life. But notice, Jesus didn’t make her choose differently.

Nobody can override your choices. Neither God nor satan will make you choose something. You are responsible to choose things for yourself.

Since you have the responsibility for choosing, how do you choose the good part? The best way to make good choices is to measure your options against what God created you to be. Make choices that will help you fulfill your purpose and reject those choices that would encumber you and hinder you from reaching your destiny.

Post/Tweet this: Nobody can override your choices. Neither God nor satan will make you choose something. You are responsible to choose things for yourself.

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Celebrating July 1st and July 4th

July 4, 2011 by 7 Comments
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Canada Is Americans’ Favorite Foreign Nation According To A Recent Gallup Poll and Canadians Consider The US as Favorite


Celebrating July 1st and July 4th

By Olga Hermans

 

It is that time of year again to celebrate our beautiful nation’s freedom. I am so sure that God has great plans for Canada and  the United States, it doesn’t really matter what some people believe or say. It matters what you beleive and I hope I can give you just a little snippet of what I believe of these two great nations.

I hope you have a wonderful and safe Dominion Day as we used to say here in Canada and a Happy Independence Day in the US as you might be reading this post today. Take some time to remember the foundational truths of your nation. Let’s keep praying for our leaders and all others that govern our nations.

I believe very strongly that everything is going to be ALL-right for those that believe and that God speaks life and prosperity for these great countries and so should we. That the heavens are raining down righteousness and that the earth is springing up righteousness and salvation. Pray for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

I am so proud of our Prime Minister Harper who makes a strong stand with Israel; Canada is known all over the world for its strong conviction to be a friend to Israel no matter what happens. This is what he said: “There are, after all, a lot more votes, a lot more, in being anti-Israeli than in taking a stand. But, as long as I am Prime Minister, whether it is at the UN or the Francophonie or anywhere else, Canada will take that stand, whatever the cost. And friends, I say this not just because it is the right thing to do, but because history shows us, and the ideology of the anti-Israeli mob tells us all too well if we listen to it, that those who threaten the existence of the Jewish people are a threat to all of us.”

Support of Israel is based on the Genesis 12:3 principle, ‘I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.’The bible confirms that God blesses the Gentiles through the Jewish people. The Jewish people gave to Christianity the Word of God, the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and the prophets. Not to mention that Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the 12 disciples and Paul were all Jewish! Take away the Jewish contribution to Christianity and there is no Christianity. “Judaism does not need Christianity to explain its existence, but Christianity cannot explain its existence without Judaism.”

It might not be coincidence that Canada Day and Independence Day are that close together. Did you know that Canada and the

The Peace Arch Was Dedicated In 1921 To Celebrate The Existing Century Of Peace Between Two Great Nation, The United States and Canada.

United States are currently the world’s largest trading partners, share the world’s longest border and have significant interoperability within their defense sphere. There are close cultural ties between modern day Canada and the United States, advanced in large part because both nations predominately speak English. Canada’s population and economy are roughly one tenth that of the United States. The international perception is that Americans and Canadians are virtually identical. Canada is Americans’ favorite foreign nation according to a recent Gallup poll and Canadians consider the US as favorite.

The Peace Arch, the only international gateway ever erected in the interest of peace among nations, The Peace Arch was dedicated in 1921 to celebrate the existing century of peace between two great nation, the United States and Canada.

Do you remember that Glenn Beck started the 912 Project? 9 Principles and 12 Values. The 12 values are: Honesty, Reverence, Hope, Thrift, Humility, Charity, Sincerity, Moderation, Hard Work, Courage, Personal Responsibility and Gratitude.

I like to expand on 2 of these 12 values, because they bring home to us what we can do personally: honesty and personal responsibility.

1. Honesty. “Lies will get any man into trouble, but honesty is its own defence.” Prov.12:13

Honesty is the core value of a character. It is the stabilizer or governor of the soul. We cannot separate truth and honesty from God. Honesty is more than truth; it deals with motives and intents. It is a voice on the inside of us that suggests truth before we lie.

The founders of our country understood this when they formed the constitution. Swearing under oath meant to “tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. They knew that honesty as more than truth; it meant the whole truth of the matter.

Isn’t it interesting that we can put a man on the moon and win world wars, but we can’t stop dishonesty? In order to create a honest society we must start at home, teaching our children to be honest and to respect law and authority. Honesty is of God; it is the right way to build a righteous and fair society.

Ask yourself this question: what can you personally do to help your community the value of honesty?

2. Personal Responsibility. “A faithful employee is as refreshing as a cool day in the hot summer time.” Prov.25:13

To be responsible is to give account or to be dependable and can be trusted. These kind of people are hard to find, but we come in contact with we will notice that they have a different motivation than the average person

Being responsible is more than making a commitment. People who live with this value in their life do things for the sake of getting them done or they enjoy seeing it get done. Jesus was a true servant. He was truly and purely motivated from within. He saw what we were, and took the responsibility of making sure we got the opportunity of being what we could be.

It cost Him something, but He now has earned the greatest name ever in the history of mankind, and also in the world to come.

Ask yourself this question: do you consider yourself a responsible person? If yes, why?

Remember this as you celebrate today! The American/Canadian flag does not fly because the wind moves past it.
The American/Canadian flag flies from the last breath of each military member who has died protecting it.
Our Soldiers don’t fight because they hate what’s in front of them..they fight because they love what’s behind them.
Thank you to our troops for fighting for our freedom.

 

 

Let’s Celebrate the Freedom
We Enjoy in Our Countries!!


I hope you’re having a great and fun weekend, celebrating freedom – whether you’re a Canadian or live in the US or abroad. As a Dutch born neutralized Canadian living in Vancouver BC, I just love to celebrate freedom in many, many ways. Freedom of choice, free enterprise, and spiritual freedom. How about you? How are you celebrating independence and what does true freedom mean to you?

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How to Be Emotionally Strong – Gaining Control Over Your Emotions

June 30, 2011 by 12 Comments
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Most People Approach Life Like A Roller-Coaster Ride At An Amusement Park


How to Be Emotionally Strong –
Gaining Control Over Your Emotions

By Olga Hermans

 

The other day I was at a party and we were all chatting along and all of a sudden the question came up: “isn’t anyone happy anymore?” Actually there was a male in our group and started sharing with us that he dates women frequently, but the relationships always seem to end the same way. He said, “All the women I meet don’t just have so much emotional baggage, they have cargo!”

Do you have friends who have these emotions like: resentment and bitterness, depression, grief, gloom and despair? We all have emotions, but I believe one of the main goals of every person should be emotional stability. We should seek God to learn how to manage our emotions and not allow them to manage us.

God wants you to use wisdom. Before you do something, wisdom says wait a little while until the emotions settle down, then check to see if you really believe it’s the right thing to do. The Bible says in Colossians 3:15 to be led by peace in making decisions. Don’t let your emotions make your decisions. A good statement to remember is this: “Wisdom says wait; emotions say hurry.

Most people (I am not talking about you and I) approach life like a roller-coaster ride at an amusement park. They allow their lives to happen to them. They strap themselves in and with grim determination; they hang on during the ups, downs, excitement and fear. They don’t have a clue how much stress they have on the inside of them.

The longer the ride lasts, the more accustomed they become to the knots in their stomachs and the tension in their neck. We seem to have forgotten that there might be a different way to live. I don’t know about you, but when I get off a roller-coaster ride, I feel very wobbly in the knees. An emotional roller coaster can also cause a person to be a little wobbly – unsure, unstable, stressed-out, weak and incapable of functioning to the fullest.

Emotional roller coasters sap people of physical and psychological health, often leaving the mind and the body almost without energy and strength.

I have said this before that I had a sister who died due to anorexia. I remember the time that she started this deadly behaviour. I was only 14 and she was 17/18; she was not happy for who knows what the reason was. She started to have these emotional outbursts of anger and bitterness. There was a time that it looked like the emotions started to settle down, but the fact was that she started to cope with it by starving herself and not giving herself room to be who she really was. It had an effect on our whole family.

My other sister got married, seemed to be very happy on the outside. After my parents had died she became depressed and suicidal; very angry and bitter at everybody around her. Her emotions became too much for her, because she didn’t learn how to manage her emotions but allowed them to manage her. At this moment she and one of her daughters are in a mental hospital.

Do you want to know what happened to me? During a time of deep distress in my life God came and visited me in my own home, He picked me up and delivered me out of darkness into His marvellous light. He changed me on the inside, delivered me completely from smoking 2 packages of cigarettes a day and from nail biting instantly, He also completely healed my marriage. Of course there were and are some areas that I have to work through. He never told us that life would be easy, but if we do life together with Him, life is so much easier.

I am telling you all this because I know that emotions can be very deadly and very toxic. Many people suffer depression, fear, worry, stress and try to cope with it. Mother Teresa said that the greatest disease of mankind is the absence of love. I couldn’t agree more. Your answer to you feeling like this is that you start to realize that you are valuable and priceless.

The Bible encourages us strongly that we are to love others as we love ourselves. Matth.22:39 and Lev. 19:18. You know, to be able to love begins in receiving God’s love and then learning to love ourselves. How are you able to love yourself? By having feelings of worthiness, value and purpose in life.

“You are beautiful!” Is this a compliment to you? Well, it was meant to be, because YOU ARE beautiful. God says that about you! You are valuable to Him; He loves you as nobody else can love you.Whoever you are and wherever you are, you are precious, priceless and extremely important to an amazing God in heaven. He knows your name. He sees your life and he cares about the inner desires of your heart.

Walking in love is a choice and acting on that choice takes effort. Love means that you turn yourself inside out for others, to turn your thinking upside down from the way the vast majority of people in the world think. A person who makes a commitment to walk in love is a person who nearly always discovers he has made a very extreme decision. Walking in love requires not only an intentional, initial choice, but an ongoing intentional choice.

Loving as God loves requires practice, practice, practice. Practice and not being jealous, proud, rude, or selfish and you are on your way to attain happiness and live the life you desire.

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