Own it.

The New Year is upon us and I'd like to ask, where were you emotionally, mentally, and physically last year on this exact day?

Did you have plans to make a change? Did they work? If they didn't, what do you think went wrong? Do you feel you created realistic goals with a good baby step action plan to get you where you wanted to be? Maybe you are right where you hoped and wanted to be, but for those who aren't, if you don't change anything, nothing will change!

Lets set you up for some FORWARD MOMENTUM

1. Take action to get started and START the momentum. Nothing grows in comfort zones and although they are comfy, they are no place to LIVE. So what does taking action look like? First of all, answer the questions above, what did you try last year? What worked? What didn't work? How do you think you can accomplish what is in your heart right now? Do you think you will need to hire help (house, babysitter, etc) or maybe you need an accountability partner or group?

2. Focus on baby steps not perfection. I suggest the 90 day goal option. Set that overall BIG goal for the year first. Then, set the first quarter of the year baby step goals in order to MAKE PROGRESS. Realistic, small steps towards that progress.

3. DO NOT! Just go through the motions. I can bet if you are one who is reading this that didn't make the progress they hoped for last year, you may have got sucked into just going through the motions. One must put forth true effort and action in order to succeed. Sacrifices must be made in order to achieve a goal. Even though the thought of making sacrifices to get something you want may sound unappealing, if applied well, it can help you reach important goals. It's unlikely you will achieve anything significant without making sacrifices. So what will need to be sacrificed? Your 15 minutes of playing games on your phone a day? Some of your time to actually dedicate to bible study, scripture or journaling? It will take some discomfort in order to grow out of your comfort zone.

4. DO!!! Let go of perfectionism placed upon yourself or by others whose opinions don't really matter. Recognize your inner critic as soon as she starts screaming at you! Battle her with your WORD OF THE YEAR. A word of the year can have a lot of weight with it if it truly means something to you. When challenges arise, (and they will as we all know), you will have this ONE word to refer to. This one word that can pull your mind out of the funk, out of the trash, and empower it into positivity. You can read more about it on the Rugged Running Blog post here. Now if it's toxic people that you may be surrounding yourself with, ask yourself, does his/her opinion really matter to me? Are they important to me? Tip: there should only be a handful of people that you allow to have a say in your life. Does your mother-in-law's opinion really matter or does your sisters more?

5. So now that you are brainstorming your ONE WORD to shut down negativity, you can also consider a bible verse to live by. Now you will want to make the "word" a priority for fast action, but the bible verse is something you can memorize and remind yourself of when you really are in deep.

Psalm 119:32

"I run in the path of your commands for you have set my heart free. "

...has been my bible verse for a lifetime.

Take baby steps with your feet, but take flight with your spirit.

In doing so, in taking action, in pursuing your God given talents to serve others, to serve God, to align your goals, your steps with his, will mean he will carry you through the challenging times and we all know there are and will be challenging times.

He will instill the Holy Spirit and its power gifts. The 3 power gifts: the gift of special faith, gifts of healings, and the working of miracles. So that you can experience the fullness of joy and promise of peace, NOT the anxieties, the doubt, the deceit, the hate, the troubled heart and mind. You will RISE UP and take flight with your spirit!

So what do your baby steps look like? Are they walking towards God or away?

Own it. Own your mistakes. Own your direction. Own your heart set and your mindset. Make this year and the years to follow better.

Proverbs 28:13 “A person who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if that person confesses and forsakes those mistakes, another chance is given.”

To forsake means to abandon, to desert, to renounce, or to turn away from entirely!

Whether it be a positive local bible group, a supportive fitness team, or even the SheRUGGED Empowerment Program, take those baby steps, they will conquer the mountain!

My word of the year... EMPOWER... make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights. OWN IT!