Life will challenge us at times. Things will not always be as we’d prefer and people will not always do what we want. Recently, God put it on my heart to do what’s necessary. I may not like the circumstances, but when I realize it’s what I have to do, I want to grow in just being able to do it. Do What’s Necessary: 3 Steps to Overcome 1. Accept your reality. This can be tough, but it is so necessary. This is where we come face to face with our reality and accept things for what they are. As the saying goes: It is what it is. So often,…

In life, we often find ourselves challenged, oppressed, or even attacked. These attacks range from internal to external, sometimes involving just us; other times involving others. There are so many variables in life, which can make it difficult to know how to move forward. Our enemy loves to create confusion for us, which causes us not to see things as they actually are. He often causes us to look at people as the enemy, leading us to fight them. Even if you are being attacked by people, sometimes the strategy is: Don’t fight back. Read on for 5 tips when facing resistance from others. 1. Stay silent. When we are…

Rejection is a gift. Though it doesn’t feel good and we normally associate rejection with hurt; rejection is actually a gift. Through life and work experiences, I have been able to grow through rejection and identify many of the blessings that it brings. Rejection builds strength. Though we seek acceptance and want community with others, there are times and seasons in life when we are not accepted. This rejection can be for various reasons. There isn’t just one reason why we experience rejection, however, when we accept the rejection and turn to the Lord, He is not only able to provide us with insight into the rejection, but He also…

This week, I was told no. I admit, it didn’t and doesn’t feel good, yet, I know it is necessary. Hearing no communicates to us “You are not good enough.” This, however, is not the truth. We must reprogram how our minds process no, hence, the title of this post: When no means yes. There are times when hearing no is actually giving us a yes in other areas. Hearing no is not all bad. There’s good in it, too. Hearing no to one thing, is actually saying yes to another. For instance, if you were not selected for a promotion, you are actually receiving a yes to other things:…

As we go about our lives, we tend to focus in on a few things. The world pushes the message of being laser-focused on goals, in order to get them accomplished. We are also encouraged to block out all distractions, sometimes to the point of neglecting other key responsibilities. I am learning is that flexibility is required and flexibility requires faith. Flexibility requires faith. One reason that we aren’t always flexible, is because we are fearful. We fear not getting it done, if it’s not done now. We fear not having enough time, or not being able to do the things we want to do. Being inflexible is often rooted…

We all have off days. Those days that we’re down, off, or just not at our best. It is unreasonable to expect everyday to be perfect. Life isn’t perfect; we aren’t perfect. When those off days inevitably come, let’s focus our energy on being as positive as possible so that an off day doesn’t turn into an off week, month, or year. When you find yourself having an off day, try these 5 things. 1. Acknowledge it. When you feel off, acknowledge it. Don’t suppress it. Acknowledge that you aren’t feeling your best. Don’t label your day as a bad day, which is negative. Approach it with a more positive…

I am continually learning the importance of focus. One way to define focus is the ability to do what needs to be done- in the midst of distractions. We tend to picture how things will go, plan how we will go about our day; but what happens when unforeseen variables enter the picture? They tend to stop us. If we are going to progress and sustain the progress that God blesses us with, we must learn how to work through distractions. In order to work through distractions, you must spot them. It will be practically impossible to work through distractions if you are unable to identify them. This is where…

Conflict is a part of life. Though many people run from it, there’s no way to avoid it. Instead of dreading it and avoiding it, we must learn healthy ways to deal with it. Effective conflict resolution is key. How do you typically respond to conflict? Consider these 5 tips. 1. Take a moment. One behavior that contributes to the strife is immediate reaction. When in conflict, it is sometimes best to take a moment. Take a moment to gather yourself, calm down, and process the entire situation- not just your perspective. The common suggestion, count to ten, can be vey helpful. It allows you the time to get yourself…