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Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living – Week 3 Wrap Up

Want to live a more fulfilling and intentional life?  Sometimes we just need some reminders, fresh inspiration, and someone who’s been there and desires the same thing.

This is my 3rd week of broadcasting Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living LIVE this month and I’ve compiled all the videos right here in one place for you.  My goal is to provide helpful and inspirational content and provide simple steps to be more intentional with our time and efforts.

MONDAY MOTIVATION video:
Ever feel like you’re completed overwhelmed, OVER IT, or just ready to have a little less stress in your life?  I share two simple exercises that will help you to create a clean slate every day.  I’d love to hear how these work for you!

TUESDAY TIP video:

In this episode, I discuss ways to overcome holiday stress and drama that inevitably happens each year, and also share some good tips to overcome the winter blues.

Mentioned in this video:
Click here to find the fun and free printable conversation starters.  I’d love to hear back from you how smooth and fun your holiday table conversations go after using these!

WEDNESDAY’S WORD video:

Wednesday word was DISCIPLINE.  If you’re lacking discipline in an area of your life that you really want to change, this is the video for you!  I share five steps that will help you achieve the discipline you need to make the progress you want.

THROWBACK THURSDAY video:

Today were throwing back to the creator of the model T — Henry Ford. Let’s see what Henry can teach us about creating a growth mindset.

Mentioned in this video:
Mindset by Carol Dweck

FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY video:

Learn a super effective way to be a better friend.

Mentioned in this video:
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
My article from a few years ago on The 5 Love Languages.

Friends, if you know of someone who might find value in what I’ve shared in these videos, don’t be shy–share away!

Did you miss the wrap-up video posts from previous weeks?
Click here to watch week 1 videos.
Click here to watch week 2 videos.

Here’s to being kind human beings.

Much love,

Jill xx

Disclosure: Some of the links (for the books on Amazon) in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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Facebook LIVE Week 2 Wrap-Up

Here’s a wrap-up from this week’s Facebook LIVE series: Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living.  If you weren’t able to catch my broadcasts live or later, here they are!

Click here to download your Intention Journal worksheet.  Use this journal to make notes and reminders of helpful ways to pracitce intention in your life.

Monday Motivation

See how taking advice from your “objective self” can be some of the best advice you receive.  Watch and let me know if you’ve ever used this technique.

Tuesday Tip

For this week’s tip, I share a time management tip that, should you implement, will most likely save you at least an hour or even two per day.  No kidding!

Wednesday Word

Today’s word is Community.  Now, more than ever, our communities, our nation need more involvement than before.  I’ve posed three questions for us all to consider in an effort to transform division into action in our communities.  Watch and let me know your thoughts.

Throwback Thursday

We’re stepping up to bat for some wisdom from the one and only, Yogi Berra.  One of Yogi’s famous quotes has taught me a thing or two about the importance of observing and watching.  Watch this video and see if the Yogi-ism mentioned resonates with you, too.

Friendship Friday

Talking about a way to categorize relationships in order to keep a good life-balance, maintain healthy relationships, and rid yourself of the toxic people in your life.  Warning: Don’t confuse this exercise with elf on the shelf!

Friends, if you know of someone who might find value in what I’ve shared in these videos, don’t be shy–share away!

Did you miss the wrap-up from last week?  Click here to watch those videos.

Here’s to being kind human beings.

Much love,

Jill xx

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Facebook LIVE Week 1 Wrap-Up

Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living series went LIVE on Facebook this week.  Each morning at 7 a.m. E.T. (don’t worry, you can watch later, too), I go LIVE and spend 5-10 minutes sharing something that you can implement immediately or at least ponder and use in your efforts to living an intentional life.

Click here to download your free Intention Journal page and follow along each day recording your own thoughts and intentions throughout the week.

Day 1 – Tuesday TIP

I share Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix.  It’s all about choosing the Important over the Urgent, my friends!
Side note– While I love Stephen Covey’s Matrix, this was my first LIVE video, I was nervous as heck, and the example of the matrix I was sharing was apparently backwards on the screen–so you might want to skip down to Wednesday’s WORD–this resonated with a lot of people, and I hope it will with you, too.

Click here to learn more about Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix.

Books mentioned on Tuesday TIP video:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
First Things First by Stephen Covey

Day 2 – Wednesday’s Word

Our word this week was “Acceptance”.  Whether it be accepting where you are in your life right now, the betrayal of a friend, or the death of a loved one, we all know how tough this step can be.  But, friends, it’s a critical one.  Please watch this video and see where you might need to allow acceptance into your life in order to heal your soul.

Day 3 – Throwback Thursday

Today we learn some great wisdom on intentional living from Helen Keller and Alexander Graham Bell.  Wait until you hear about the connection between these two!

Books mentioned on Tuesday TIP video:

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

Day 4 – Friendship Friday

Who are the five people you spend the most time with?  Do you they lift you up or bring you down?  Today, I’m sharing some wisdom from Jim Rohn ont the importance of surrounding ourselves with people we respect, are encouraged by, help us to make good decisions, and be the best version of ourselves.

Join me over on Facebook for the LIVE for the “Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living” series that I’ll be filming through the entire month of November.

Click here to watch Week 2 videos.

Here’s to loving your intentional life!

Jill xx

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Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living

Hi, friend.  I’m so glad you’re here!

Watch my video message as I share a bit on my recent blog break and some fun news for the month of November!

Click here to head over to my Facebook business page.

Facebook LIVE “Your Daily Dose of Intentional Living” starts on Tuesday November 1, 2016.
Monday – Friday at 7 a.m. ET.

I’ll still be posting here on Saturdays with the week’s wrap-up, but be sure to watch the videos each day to make the most of your efforts in living an intentional life.  (NOTE: Not available at 7 a.m. ET?  You can watch the video at any time after the LIVE broadcast, too.)

Click here to download your free Intention Journal page and follow along each day recording your own thoughts and intentions for the day.

See you on Tuesday!

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Blog Hiatus Announcement

Hi, sweet friends.  I have something to tell you today and I’m guessing some of you will be able to relate.  I’ll explain in the video why I opted for a video message today instead of my typical written format.

Here’s to taking time to:

Unplug.
Rest and recharge.
Reflect.
Be still.
Listen.
Write privately.
Make room for new things.

Y’all are the best!  Thank you for listening and understanding.

Jill xx

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Count Your (tiny) Blessings

I’ve heard from many of you after last week’s Tiny Habits post, that you’re excited and hopeful in creating your own Tiny Habits. Whether it’s a new habit we’re trying to master or a large project that looms before us, the act of breaking things down into small, manageable chunks makes it seem doable and even fun.  This got me thinking about other powerful “tiny” things.  Namely…

Tiny blessings. 

Have you noticed that the big, headline-worthy, miracle-sized blessings get all the attention?  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for big blessings and they should be celebrated, but in the grand scheme of things, if we take note and give thanks for the daily tiny blessings in our lives, we will experience more gratitude and joy in our lives. 

We all experience these tiny blessings, but because of their wee size, they may get buried in the day-to-day stresses, activities, and routine.  If you don’t notice them, you might forget to give thanks for them, or to share one as an encouragement to someone else, or to acknowledge their faithful presence in your life.

Tiny blessings should not be overlooked.  It’s time to shine the spotlight on them!

Here are three simple ways to ensure you don’t miss out on the tiny blessings that come your way:

Use The Correct Lens: I recently spent the day with a photographer and was amazed at what he could capture just by switching out his lens: zooming in to capture detail that would easily be overlooked by the normal “roving” eye or using a widele lens that expanded his view, capturing detail in the periphery that might otherwise be missed.  It’s the same with us, we need to listen to our instincts and be present in the moment enough to realize when it’s time to switch out our lens.  Don’t get so caught up in the big picture or so bogged down in the minutia that you miss out on tiny blessings all around you.

Remember Your History: Every single one of us has tiny blessings dotted across the canvas of our lives.  Sometimes those small dots become blurry and distant.  It’s easy to forget our past blessings, but you don’t have to.  Keeping a record of your tiny blessings is a great way.  I do this in my gratitude journal, when nothing is too small.  When you get in a rut or go through a difficult time, it’s very encouraging to pull out the physical reminders of your blessings to give you hope and keep you going.

Be a Tiny Blessing Bless-er:  I’m sure you’ve heard the Bible verse, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  I think Jesus was on to something here!  I’ve seen this firsthand to be true and I bet you have, too.  Whether it’s a kind word, gesture, or other loving act, being a blessing to someone else almost always has a way of leaving you feeling like you’ve been more blessed than the bless-ee.

Friends, don’t let the circumstances of life let the tiny blessing spottings disappear.  Keep your eyes and heart open and be prepared to be blessed!

Here’s to counting your (tiny) blessings!

Jill xx

 

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When Overcome by Tragedy

Tragedy.  Pain.  Terror.  Suffering.  Sadness.  Fear.  Injustice.  Evil. 

Are you feeling overcome by all the tragedy that’s going on in the world today?  I am.

As the death toll rises due to the horrific actions of a madman in Nice, France this week, I’m thinking of the individual lives that have been stolen away.  Who were they?  What did they dream about doing one day?  What made them laugh?  What were their hobbies?  Do they have siblings?  How did their family hear the news?  How will their family get through this?

I’ve thought about the driver/shooter too.  What took place in his life that would allow him to make the choice he did that day? Was he ever bullied?  Abused by his parents?  Was he innately evil?  Mentally ill?  Could someone have come alongside him in his life and have been a positive influence, so none of this would have happened?  How could this have been stopped??

We may never have answers to some of these questions, but I think it’s important to ask them.

Don’t allow the death toll numbers and multiple incidences of tragedy you hear on the news desensitize you to the individual lives and needs involved.   What most breaks your heart?  Is it the pain that these people’s families will experience?  Find out how you can serve people in your own community experiencing the pain of loss?  Is it that a child was orphaned?  Think about becoming a foster parent or an adoptive parent.  Is mental illness involved in a situation?  Find out how you can help.

Friends, instead of feeling overwhelmed, fear-filled, and sick from these senseless acts, use your heartache to help others.  Take action.  There are people out there, right in your own community, or maybe even across the world, that need you.

Thank you for taking this to heart and for being a source of good and light in this world.

Go and love.

Jill xx

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The Power of Love – 5 Ways to Spread Love Today

Have you ever seen something horrible take place and you feel like you–just one little person–have no way of making a difference that will matter? 

This feeling of powerlessness comes from a belief that you have no control over your environment.  Your environment including your own personal space, the space around your closest relationships, your neighborhood, your local, regional and state-wide community, your country, and the world as a whole.

The truth is we do have the power to take action and make a difference and it’s as simple as loving one another.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” —  Leo Buscaglia

Did you catch that last part?  The potential to turn a life around.  Through simple acts of love.

There’s nothing in Leo’s list that you and I don’t have the power to initiate today.

Here are five ideas to take action and begin spreading love today:

#RANDOMLOVELETTER: I recently came across an Instagram challenge called #randomloveletter.  The creators of this challenge asked participants to write a positive note and post it in a public place (power pole, library book, restaurant menu, park bench, waiting room) for someone to find.  No fancy stationary necessary.  Just write your note on a post-it, scratch pad paper, or the back of a recycled piece of paper.  Who knows how your written words will bless someone?

There’s an annual challenge that takes place in June every year in which you place your love letter somewhere, take a picture and tag it with #randomloveletter on Instagram and/or Twitter.  Click here for the 2016 challenge recap and to get some inspiration for your notes.  You may choose to participate in this challenge each year, but let’s agree to keep the love flowing throughout the year.  Is there such thing as too many random love letters?  I think not.

MORE LOVE LETTERS:  Hannah Brencher founded a movement whose mission is to “Make Love Famous”.  How awesome is that!! There are three ways to participate and help Hannah with her mission:

  1. Mail a letter to someone who is experiencing a tough spot in their lives.  The love letter recipients have been secretly nominated and will receive the surprise love letters from people like you and me from across the globe.  Their nomination stories appear right here.  Do you know someone who could use a good dose of love right now?  Click here to nominate them.
  2. Leave a letter.  Much like the #RandomLoveLetter, you write a lovely letter and leave it in a public place for someone to find.
  3. Know a college student?  Hannah has started a movement in which students can start a More Love Letters chapter on their campus.  This so would have been up my alley when I was in college!!

PAY IT FORWARD:  I’m sure you’ve heard of this idea…you respond to a person’s kindness to oneself by being kind to someone else. Maybe you buy a cup of coffee for the unsuspecting person behind you in line, or extend a wish of goodwill to a stranger you cross paths with, or call a helpful clerk’s supervisor to praise their excellent customer service.  All these gestures promote love and goodwill.

There’s an actual day to pay it forward too! Although I hope you won’t wait to pay it forward, the next official day is April 28, 2017.  While you’re paying it forward throughout the year, you could also be planning on a big push for that actual day with your friends, kids, church group, or school.  Get people excited and talking about it.  The creators of this day are hoping to inspire over 10 million acts of kindness around the world on April 28, 2017. Spread the love, friends!

The Pay It Forward Day website has some great resources and ideas on how to get involved for individuals, businesses, and schools.  Check that out here.

VIRTUALLY SHARE RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS STORIES TO INSPIRE OTHERS:  Performing a random act of kindness is just like the pay it forward idea, but because we live in a digital age and so many of us spend heaps of time online, why not focus on spreading love virtually through inspiring stories of random acts of kindness.  The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has a great website with a collection of these types of inspiring stories, videos, and quotes that you can share with others to light up their day.  Click here to be inspired and share away!

THE POWER OF PRAYER:  Lift your hearts and your voices in prayer, my friends.  My faith calls me to pray without ceasing and I’ve seen firsthand how prayer changes things.  God is LOVE and He is listening.

Friends, I hope you’ve been inspired to take action and love boldly today.

Here’s to changing the world with one act of love at a time!

With love,

Jill

P.S. Since we’re on the subject of love…did you know there’s a whole day committed to hugging?  For real!  National Hugging Day takes place every year on January 21st. Why wait though?  Let’s get some practice and go hug on someone today.

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Where is The Love?

Have you ever tried to say or do something and it feels like you have a golf ball stuck in your throat?  This is how I’ve felt as I’ve attempted to work through my feelings in order to write this post this week.

I’ve been thinking about love.  Brotherly love.

I’ve been thinking about heartache, pain and suffering.  The kind that people all over the world are experiencing.

I’ve been thinking about how great it is that the internet offers a place for people to share thoughts and ideas—support, understanding, oneness…love.

And then I think about how awful it is that the internet offers a place for people to share thoughts and ideas—ugliness, self-righteousness, hostility…hate.

Part of the golf ball stuck in my throat feeling is that as an optimist, I’m seeing things that are darkening the lens that I see and live my life through.

It came to me this morning that this darkness that has cast a shadow over our world provides us an opportunity to see the contrast.  To see where the cracks are.  To see where the voids are.  To see the places where we can step in and make a difference.  Through love.

The good news is that we’re all capable of being a loving force in this world.  No doctorate degree needed.

A simple act of love can change things.  Love can heal…can change hearts…can bind us together.  Love is a force that is more powerful than hate.

Not sure how to begin or where to start?  Recently I wrote about just doing the next thing when you’re stuck or overwhelmed–that same concept works here.  Don’t overthink it–just go and love on someone.  Be nice to the person who is painfully slow in front of you at the grocery store.  Be kind to your significant other (yes, some of us just need to start at home).  Go and hang out with someone that’s different than you and love them by listening with an ear for understanding (Note: listening with an ear for understanding doesn’t mean you will agree, it just means you hear them).  Tell someone that you appreciate them and why.  Find out where you can spread love in your community through volunteerism.  Perform a random act of kindness in the name of love.

There are many small ways to begin, and these small ways, practiced on a consistent basis, will change the world, one act at a time.

We just need to act.

Starting today.

With love,

Jill xx

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Now Is The Time To Get Out And Make Memories

Think back over your lifetime and recall your most delightful memories.  The ones that make you smile, laugh, give your heart an extra jump, or just sigh a breath of peace thinking about it.

Some of us will immediately jump back to childhood memories, others will recall times in their 20s–young and free, while others may need only look back a month or two to a trip taken to celebrate a wedding anniversary.  Depending on your personality, your favorite memories may involve daredevil type activities that provide adrenaline surges that will last for days, or for some, like me, the memory need only feature a beach, walking shoes, delicious food, and a good book.

Now I’m a huge believer in making sweet memories in your everyday life, from enjoying the beauty of your surroundings, to special moments with a loved one, to using your special dishes to serve yourself breakfast each morning, but I’m talking about getting out and making memories.  Memories that take a little work to plan and even pay for…the BIG memories.

Maybe it’s a trip to a faraway tropical place, a cross-country trip, stopping to visit all of the National Forests, travelling abroad, visits to historical sites, hikes that take you through multiple states, and so on.

I think we should place a little more effort into making big memories, before our opportunities slip away.

None of us are guaranteed another day here on this earth, so what are we waiting for?

Let’s all plan our next BIG adventure!

Of course, it’s wise to be smart about this.  I’m not proposing we all quit our jobs and go travel across Europe for the next six months, relying on the kindness of others to feed and house us.

Start the planning process now.  Even if you’re planning for something five years down the road (I hope you and I don’t have to wait that long), start dreaming now.  In case you missed it, check out my post about how half the fun of an event is the anticipation of it.

Here’s our mantra:

No more excuses.
Dream BIG.
Make a plan.
Go and do.
Repeat.

So, what do you think? What trip or epic experience is running through your mind right now?

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