Anyone want to join me in a day of bad choice making? No?

We don’t do that do we? We don’t wake up thinking “let’s run around this day living out our bad habits”?  I believe most of us desire to make good choices surrounding our relationships, our health and our time but the reality is we live in a world that tempts us with junk and if you are anything like me you cave at least once a day in a place you were hoping to stand firm.

Today I spent the day making awesome food choices. Woo hoo me! I was tracking right on plan until dinner and then in a fit of “absolute starvation”, because my husband was late coming home, I grabbed the chips and salsa and dove in head first. Don’t you love how I blame it all on my husband?

Reality check! I was the farthest from starving. In fact 2 hours earlier I had just had a snack with the kids.

I knew he was running late so why didn’t I grab for my hunger distracters (drink a big glass of water, go brush my teeth or grab some gum to tide me over)? I didn’t want to. I wanted those chips and salsa to comfort me in my moment of dire hunger and extra 20 minutes of solo parenting. Plus, it was only supposed to be a few!!!

I made the choice to eat the chips all by self. No one forced me. It was my choice and as I sit here typing, with an overly full belly I regret, I think about the fact that tomorrow is another day and I will try again. But what will be in place to create change? What will stop me from tripping into Baskin Robbins tomorrow?

Good choices are a result of developed habits. Developed habits are a result of accepting Truth.

All the experts say it takes 21 days (some say 30 days) to create a habit. I don’t buy it. I don’t. I have tried that method. 21 days come and go and I pat myself on the back for the job well done for those 21 days and then jump right back on the old wagon. What I do believe is that if I woke up tomorrow and 110% accepted the truth that God is the best food and drink I will ever have (Matthew 5:6) and I lived out that truth in my day to day than I would never sneak into the candy aisle at Walgreens again. It is truth that will set me free.

Maybe there are some personalities that can re-train their behaviors but for me I have to re-train my mind. The result will be choices that reflect my love for God.

For the next month we are going to push and prod on ourselves to make choices that are congruent with how God’s desires to renew our minds. I am going to focus on four main areas; food, social media, time, and self care.

You ready?

What choices do you want to be making in those four areas?

Food?

I want to be drinking 64 ounces of water a day. Is that a food?

Things to think about: What foods do you want to add or subtract from your day?

Social Media?

I want to spend no more than 1 hour Monday – Thursday on Facebook and zero time between 3-8:30 p.m. I want to hold true to my Social Media Sabbath Friday (3:00 p.m.) – Sunday (5:00ish)

Things to think about: What is your purpose on social media? Connecting, business, game playing? How much time in your day do you want to devote to it?

Self Care? I want to wash my face and take vitamins. Seriously! I am 40 years old and I rarely take the time to intentionally wash my face or take my vitamins. MUST change.

Things to think about: What do you need to intentionally place in your day that cares for you? Bubble bath, book reading, more sleep?

Time? I want to go to bed by 10 p.m. For the last threeish years as I wrote Cravings {the devotional} , launched a blog/website and then started a coaching ministry I have gone to bed around midnight (it is currently 11:14 p.m.) and my body and mind are ready to stop that.

Things to think about: Where could I use more time? Where am I wasting time?

What about you? What choices do you desire?

Maybe you want to exercise 3 times a week, maybe you want to stop playing facebook games, maybe you need to plan a Girl’s Night Out? What are choices you would like to see yourself making?

Here is a printable worksheet for you to map this out on. Don’t worry about filling in all the blanks. We will get there as the weeks go forward.

Download from Google Drive here.

Daily accountability worksheet. Download from Google Drive here.

P.S. – You will see a values column on the worksheet. The hope is you can attach your desired habit to one of your God designed values. If you don’t know your values off the top of your head you can purchase the Values Assessment I give clients here for a few dollars. I will send you the results along with a summary of what I see in your assessment.

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