CONTENTMENT In ANY Circumstance

Photo credit: patricia kranenberg / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

Lately I've been thinking about the apostle Paul and how he was able to come to a place of contentment no matter what circumstance he was in, and he put into some pretty bad circumstances!...I found this article that I hope you'll take time to read: What Is the Secret to Contentment?

CHER-Life and live WELL \o/

Cheryll  

13 Ways to Overcome BURNOUT

Hi Everyone!

At the end of August my Dad sent me this email. I was re-reading it today and asked him if I could share it with you all :) Our hope is this will speak to, and help, someone else like it did me...

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Over the years of supervising others, I've seen a lot of people who were "burned out" with what they're doing.  In the type of sales I've done, having those feelings seemed to come and go regularly.  More importantly, there are some things that can be done to overcome burnout because burnout is a mental state of mind that has more than likely been acquired over time.

As a Christian, the most important thing to remember is that on the journey of faith, there are NO coincidences.  God has either planned or permitted every situation in your life for your benefit to grow in holiness and love of Him and neighbor.  Each situation provides an opportunity to DIE TO INORDINATE SELF-LOVE (which, along with pride, is the root of all sin and the biggest obstacle to loving God and neighbor unconditionally).  Trying to work through burnout may seem like you're nailed to a cross.  And that may be true.  But remember, Christ was nailed to a Cross which turned out to be the greatest gift for all mankind.  The crosses God permits in your life are similar, and ALL OF THEM can produce good fruits if you know how to turn them into profit.  NO cross should ever be wasted because you tried to run away from it.  Like Jesus, we need to embrace our crosses (in this case burnout) with love because God is working good things through them provided that we do everything for the love of Jesus:

1. Accept your crosses as being a gift from God.
2. Cooperate with the work God is trying to perform in you by the particular cross.  In this case burnout, it may be that you need to acquire the virtue of patience, for example.  This may be the best way to grow in patience with self and others...
3. Thank Him for the cross and willingly accept the suffering for as long as He permits it (this too shall pass).
4. Everything you do in work (and life) should be done solely for the love of Jesus.
5. When you work at anything (especially when it's difficult), remember that you're doing this for Jesus, not for yourself of your employer although both will ultimately benefit.  And so if you're doing your best to please Jesus, everyone wins, especially YOU!  And over time, the weight of burnout will disappear because you're not thinking about yourself and your "woes" (inordinate self-love) all the time, you're thinking only about pleasing Jesus.  And He will reward you for your faithful endurance.
6. Constantly throughout the day, praise and thank the Lord each time you complete a task.  Give Him the glory!
7. Unite your suffering and work with Jesus' Passion (His beatings, being nailed to a cross, shedding all of His blood, dying, etc.) and offer it up as reparation for your own sins and for the salvation of souls who do not know God.
8. Go back to the basics and try to improve on every single thing you do.  Challenge yourself to do each task better this time than you did the last time.
9. If you're working with patients, think only about them and how you can bring a smile to their face or some other good thing--forget about yourself.
10. Quit looking at the clock.  In a burnout state of mind, looking at the clock will only intensify your negative feelings.  Instead, set the alarm clock on your cell phone for breaks, lunch and ending the shift and wait for the alarm to sound.
11. Pour yourself into what you're doing, every ounce of mental and physical energy and EXPECT THE BEST.
12. Get rid of any "stinking thinking!"  As soon as you realize that you're thinking negatively about what you're doing, check it, stop it, and change your thoughts to something positive.  Replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts immediately.  Don't let stinking thinking run and rule your life.
13. Be grateful to God that you have a job and a way to support yourself and family.

Remember: when you've done everything on this list, do it again and again and again.  Not only will the burnout disappear, you will be happier than you've ever been before.

Will the cross disappear?  Yes.  Will there be another one?  Yes!  What to do when that happens?  Start back at #1 again.

CHER-Life and live WELL \o/

Cheryll  

GOD is in Control

When your life comes to nothing, look up...  

When you look around and feel hopeless, look within...  

When you focus on yourself, look outside...

Photo credit: Denis Collette...!!! / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

~ Remember...GOD is in control ~

 

Do you hate the word SKINNY?

What do you think of when you hear the work SKINNY? Years ago, skinny (and healthy) was a size 10-12, today, it’s a size 4 or even lower. But who decided that we have to put a “size” on skinny? 

We were all created with a unique body design. Our bone structure is something none of us can change. Some of us have large frames, some medium, and others small. Does this make one body type better, more fit, or skinnier than another? 

Never compare who you are, what you look like, or your body type to someone else. I fell into this trap for many years, but as I’ve gotten older, I realized I was fighting a battle I could never win. So I surrendered...

Let’s redefine the word SKINNY. Your skinny is different from my skinny, and that’s okay! If we all start to focus on our own individual health, wellness, and internal well-being, we will be the SKINNY we were created to be! Isn’t that awesome?

Are you a multitasker like me, with numerous projects going on in any given day? Most people are so busy they don’t have time or don’t make time to invest in themselves, which is something everyone needs to do in order to be and to stay healthy. 

What I’ve found in my own life is, the better I feel physically, mentally, and spiritually, the more energy I have, the more effective I am in all areas of my life, and the more I have to give to others. How about you?

I know many people don't like the word skinny because of what the world has made skinny out to be - unhealthy, unattainable (unless you enjoy starving yourself), and basically an unrealistic view of a woman. Yes, there are women who are naturally thin and that is their skinny, but that is a small percentage of women.

So, my question to you is, "What's your SKINNY?"

Photo credit: eliot. / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

CHER-Life and live WELL \o/

 

Cheryll