What's Your Plan?

Ever since Nelson Mandela's passing last week, I've been contemplating how I can be a better person. When a great man like Mandela passes, it's hard not to do some self-reflection and consider how to be great like he was. In church this past Sabbath, my pastor reminded us of what Mandela had to endure as a prison inmate for 27 years. My pastor shared that Mandela had to eat soup that stank. The thought of eating stinky soup for 27 years was enough to make me want to act right.  I can't imagine going through 27 years of prison without coming out a teensy bit bitter but Nelson Mandela harbored no hatred or bitterness.  I'm inspired and charged to be better as a result of his life. I think that with everything, you must have a plan. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. I've been alive for 27 years and in that time, I've learned a little bit about trial and error. I've figured out what I need to do in order to be better with the knowledge and wisdom I have right now. So I've created a plan. I've entitled it the Dani Plan. I've broken it down into breakable bits of realistic goals. I've already begun to get the ball in motion and I'm so excited. To encourage you to be proactive about your goals and dreams, I'd like to share a little bit of what's on my Dani Plan!

The Dani Plan

1. Spirituality

a. Express gratitude daily (early morning). 

- Habit to implement: Write in gratitude journal first thing in the morning instead of when you remember. Showing gratitude is not only showing appreciation in a relationship but it's also polite. Have some manners on a regular basis with God. Always say thank you!

b. Committed Service

- Habit to implement: Do a random act of kindness/service for someone every week. Service is the rent you pay for living. The act can be a card via snail mail, a bouquet of flowers, create some artwork, a dish, a thoughtful visit or phone call, etc.  

2. Physical Appearance 

a. Skin improvements

- Habit to implement: Lemon juice mix for skin/ 5 minutes a night. 

b. Hair

- Habit to implement: Incorporate ACV/Rosemary rinses back into regimen every 2 weeks. 

3. Hobbies

a. Crocheting/Looming

-Habit to implement: Work on & complete one new piece every two weeks. You could even give some away as gifts: infinity scarf, afghan, blanket, beanies, 

b. DIY projects

-Habit to implement: Take time out to do a DIY project you've always wanted to try but never took the time to do. See DIY list docx. 

There are more parts to the my personal plan. However, I'm taking everything in sizable portions so that it doesn't feel daunting. 

Apparently it takes 21 days to make a habit stick. So here we go! 

Let me know how you've felt charged to be better as a result of anything that happened this year and more importantly, how are you going about the change? 

Christian Living: 3 Steps To the Dream Life

What are the stuff your dreams are made of? My dream life involves frequent visits to the beaches of the world. You have a dream. You have a vision. You have God-placed desires in your heart for a better life. Have you thought about how to make your dreams become your reality? Have you fleshed out a concrete plan of what your life would look like at it's peak?

Think about the lives you'd like to touch. Think about the family you'd like to have. Think about the businesses you'd like to run. Think about the hobbies you'd like to perfect. Think about the music you'd like to make. Think about the life you'd like to live. 

1. Write it out. 

- Be extremely honest with yourself about where you'd like to be.  Consider the talents and gifts God has given you. He uniquely created you for a reason. Your quirks, interests, and skill set are gifts that can propel you into a place that God has uniquely designed for you. Don't ignore or deny them. Do not lie to yourself about something you know deep down you truly want. As long as it's morally, ethically, and legally sound, write it down. Pray and ask God to give you direction if you're unsure of how to even verbalize what you want. 

2. Plan it out. 

-In my humble opinion, Google is quite possibly one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century. It's one of my greatest resources. Any questions I may have, I go to Google. The internet is available to answer just about any question you may have about how to get from point A to point B in your dream life. Find a mentor who has already achieved the goal you'd like to accomplish. The point is to create a concrete plan so that at any given time, you can go back to the blueprint for instructions. 

3. Walk it out. 

- God has given you life, talents, abilities, dreams, etc. In all of those things, be clear about the desired outcome with a plan. Now comes the time to walk in what He's given you. When you are "walking out the plan", be determined to do it with a spirit of excellent execution. The reason why so many of us are not where we'd want to be is because we're just too mediocre and undisciplined. It is not of God. Proverbs 18:9 explains that whoever is slack in his work, he is a brother to one who destroys.  Half-heartedly giving yourself to a project is equivalent to being a destructive person. Let that sink in!  You don't want to be in the category with anyone who destroys. Being one who destroys sounds too close the one who came to steal, kill and destroy (ringing any bells?).   Allow Colossians 3:23 to inspire you to work at whatever is placed in front of you with your whole heart! It may be difficult but with practice and consistency, you'll get better. 

What if I don't know what I want?

Work on what is in front of you with excellence. Take the simple things like folding clothes or doing the dishes. Even though I sometimes wish 'cleanliness is next to Godliness' was actually in the Bible, it's not. However, Colossians 3: 23 is. Clean dirty dishes to the glory of God and to be a blessing to those who live with you. Exercise to show your gratitude for the body God has blessed you with and make the commitment to treat it well. When you say you'll be somewhere, do your best to keep your word. Don't just say things to say them. Be a man or woman of your word. God blesses those commitments. In return, you'll be learning how to cultivate excellence in the smaller things so that when the bigger blessings come, you'll be able to handle them. 

I hope this has been an encouragement and inspiration to you. Let's strive to make God proud of us in every aspect of our lives! 

God bless you!