inspired {progress update}

today, i want to talk more about how i've been doing with things related to the motivating website inspired to action. if you aren't familiar with the site and my recent motivation to follow kat's inspiration, please check out the list of links/resources at the end of this post. i will not be doing weekly updates, as i have been, so i wanted to take this opportunity to share my thoughts and feelings on the topic.

the benefits
it might sound a little overdramatic, but putting this plan into action has been life-altering. my execution is far from perfect and i still have goals on which i really need to work. but the things i've accomplished so far have made a noticable impact on the flow of my day, my outlook & mood, and even my energy level.

improved energy & motivation
you might think that getting up early would make you more tired, but on the mornings where i get up at 5:00 and have my quiet time before getting ready for work and heading to the office...those are the days that i feel more energized and less tired. not only do i get "me time" but i also tend to have extra time to knock out a few chores before heading to work! the mornings where i cheat a little and get up later because i'm working from home or it's the weekend...they never feel quite as good as the super early days. i tend to be more focused on providing for coleman when he's awake and i'm less able to concentrate on the aspects of my morning routine. my goal is to work towards getting up at 5:30 on those at-home mornings.

improved relationship with God
earlier in the year, i began a journey through the Bible based on a plan provided by another blog. unfortunately, the guidance at that blog has dropped off, but i'm sticking to the plan (and then some). i am currently reading at least 4 chapters per day and it feels great to start my day that way. i have implemented what i call "purposeful prayer" in the mornings, where i am able to really focus. i use two prayer calendars to pray for matt and the boys. i also developed a weekly schedule for me to follow. i really feel that these 15-20 minutes in the morning have helped strenghten my relationship with God so much.

organization
my planning is very easy with the weekly sheet i created for myself. the checklist really helps me stay focused on small goals (like drinking 8 cups of water daily). i love having somewhere to jot down blog posts and meals for the week. i have never been a meal planner, and this has made the evenings so much easier!

write to the heart
and i love that i have designated time to journal. i love to write but was not previously making time to write for me. i have found some good writing prompts online and have truly enjoyed rediscovering this part of myself. hopefully the continued habit will improve my writing here on this blog, and i have a feeling some of my prompts will end up being blog posts as well.

get up and *move*
as i've stated many times, the biggest hurdle for me is exercise. my goal, right now, is to just do 10 minutes each morning and i have a super easy routine that fills that time perfectly. but i'm still lacking the motivation. i'm trying to take baby steps...last week i only exercised twice. so, this week, my goal is three times.

now it's your turn: if you are inspired by my story or by kat's blog (linked below), i encourage you to read her e-book and get started. take baby steps. tweak the system to fit your needs. if you follow only one blog...follow hers. at first glance, it may seem like a lot to tackle, but it's really not. break it into realistic steps and you will love the results! do i sound like an informercial???

Related Links:

Inspired to Action blog
where it all started! kat has several free downloads that are worth your time, including two prayer calendars and two e-books.

So I Married a Mennonite blog
michelle hosted a four-week challenge in august to walk folks through the *maximize your mornings* concept.

Here at the Chronicles
i jumped into this concept *gung ho* so there are several related posts here:
     free downloads - daily & weekly cards
     totally inspired
     mission statement
     morning maximization
     week 1 report card
     week 2 report card
     week 3 report card

photo credit