Take the Next Step

It has been a crazy, busy week!

And it’s only half way over.

10 boxes of fruit arrived and needed to be canned. I teach a class on Friday that I need to prepare for. I’m in the middle of a 5 day challenge to get more traffic to this blog. I’m participating in 2 book/article discussions are this Friday and I’m only half way through the book and haven’t touched the articles. I’m taking a class and have some assignments to complete to keep my commitment (though I decided to make a very minimal commitment this week). I have some research to do for my responsibilities at church. And the list goes on.

What do YOU do to keep you from freaking out when you have a lot to do? I make a list. I love checking things off! In fact I was bummed this morning when I finished the last part of item on my list only to find that I crossed it off yesterday because it was mostly done.

But I also make lists because it helps me see everything that needs to be done all in one place. There is something about the full list that makes it more manageable in my mind. Sometimes I put it order of when it needs to be done. Other times it’s just everything I need to do in no particular order.

As part of my class reading, I read the first chapter of Steven Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. This might be my second time starting the book. The first time I tried reading a chapter a month and implementing the principle for that month. I only made it to the 3^rd habit and never got around to doing the others. I have read the Habit books written for kids and the one for Teens so I’m pretty familiar with the Habits.

The main idea of the first chapter is in order to make changes, you need to start on the inside–start with how you perceive things—and work outward to the actions. The way we perceive things affects how we behave toward others. Covey says, “We see the world, not as it is, but as we are—or, as we are conditioned to see it.” And what we are sends a bigger message that what we say or do.

That wasn’t my favorite part of the chapter, though. I liked the principle of progress. In many areas of life there are phases or sequential stages that have to be gone through and can’t be skipped. Covey gave an example–If a farmer wants a bountiful harvest he can’t plant the seeds too late in the season and expect that skipping the growth step will allow for a harvest. We can’t shortcut the process. We have to do each step. “On a ten-point scale, if I am at level two in any field, and desire to move to level five, I must first take the step toward level three. ‘A thousand-mile journey begins with the first step’ and can only be taken one step at a time.”

That concept is powerful in combination with affirmations and dreams. As I daily say who my future self is and what I want/will have, I remember that I won’t get there overnight. I need to take each step to achieve those goals and become that person. The little things I do every day are shaping me to become the person I am meant to be.

What level are you on? Are you anxious to get to the next level? Then take the next step.