Are you a daydreamer? I am. I’m not quite as into my daydreams as Walter Mitty, but I do find myself deep in thought about the “if this…then this” kind of daydream.
Circumstances with work. Circumstances with finances. Favorite places to visit. People I want to spend significant time with. You name it, I have probably daydreamed it.

Is this simply a waste of time? I certainly don’t think so! Our imagination is a powerful tool; a tool that we have not fully grasped. Athletes visualize themselves performing the event they participate in to the point of triumph. Why can’t the rest of us tap into the power of imaging/visualizing ourselves able to do new and different things? What holds us back?

We do. We hold ourselves back. We practice “self-limiting behaviors” that keep us from change. We tell ourselves things like “I could NEVER do that” or “that’s irresponsible” or “no one in their right mind would quit a decent job to go…” What are some of the statements you tell yourself to keep the status quo?

Some of our habits are actually some of the self-limiting behaviors we practice and we may not even realize it. The way we respond to an opportunity to do something new: “Oh I can’t afford the time, the money, the effort, the risk” and we haven’t even truly evaluated the details. Or we put the kabosh on change with our tried and true response: “I’ve always done “X” this way, or at this time, or with these people. Why change?”

A great habit is hard to start. Unfortunately the truth is that our own road blocks are often the biggest obstacles we face. Stopping to take an honest look at how we get in our own way is a great gift we can give ourselves. Then addressing each roadblock and removing it can give us the traction we need to develop that great new habit.
And you know what? You’re worth the time!

The habit of caring for yourself is a great habit. Not just the everyday physical care but your soul care. You might think soul care is mystic and too self-focused. It’s not. Jesus practiced self-care and soul care on a daily basis. We can read how He went off by Himself to pray. How He dealt with thirst. How He provided time for physical rest. How He made time to be in community. How He knew when He needed solitude.

Are these habits Jesus modeled part of your daily life? How about the habit of self-care? And what about your daydreaming? Are you allowing yourself the permission to dream past the present to a future that is yet to be?

In the early weeks of this new year give yourself the gift of time: time to pause and evaluate. Time to reflect. Time to imagine. Time to formulate next steps.

A great habit is hard to start; taking the first step begins the journey of a thousand miles. Need a companion? Shoot me an email!