You my friend are choosing a deliberate life. You are not giving into the easy path. You have put in the work. You have started taking your thoughts captive. You still have your days. You think you should be better at this than you are. That is just self judgment. That is just you choosing to believe the work you are doing isn’t enough. So stop it. 

Be where you are. Keep stretching yourself. You are moving. Keep seeing where you are going. Enjoy the journey right where you are. Make that river of misery enjoyable. Be the fun. Stop blaming others for why you aren’t where you want to be. You are here because of the actions you are taking. The number on the scale, the number in your bank account, the mess in your kitchen and car, that is because of the actions you are or aren’t taking. Be deliberate in what you are doing and why. You can’t do it all. 

Constrain to a few things and change the results in those. Each month blow your mind by what is possible. Accept what is. Stop fighting and believing it should be different. It isn’t supposed to be different. It is for you in so many ways. 

Look at the 50% negative and invite it in. Get to know it, uncover the gold it is leading you to. Don’t hide from it or try and avoid it. Thank it for all that it is teaching you. Purposefully look for the 50% positive that is all around you. See it, thank God for blessing you with it and let yourself actually enjoy it. 

Stop believing something in your future will be better or make you better. You are amazing right now. Flaws and all you are so enjoyable. God delights in you even now. Do you delight in you? 

Stretch yourself to see Him everywhere. Look for Him to lead and guide you to the next version of you that He is peeling back. Allow the peeling. Breathe in the present moment and experience every part of it. There is so much happening around you, and that is okay. Regardless of that, you are working on who you are. The person God created you to be. Let’s go find her. God will lead you to her, but you have to be willing to look, pull back the curtains, and open drawers that you would rather keep shut. 

There is nothing to fear there, only a ton of understanding. Connection happens when we know ourselves and understand why we do what we do. When you are connected with yourself you are less desperate for connection with others and more focused on what you give than what you get. You are a conduit of so much. 

God longs to use you for His kingdom purposes. Sometimes He has to get you out of your own way. So stop the self-sabotage. Let Him use you, but often that means getting all of the sideshows in order and getting back to focusing on the MAIN THING. 

What is distracting you right now? What seems important but is really keeping you distracted from the work you really want to do. Where are you letting yourself down? That is a great place to investigate because that means you want to put time and attention there but for some reason you just aren’t. Answer the question why am I not putting effort there? That answer will lead you to what emotion you might want to get better at feeling and welcoming to the party. 

Speaking of party. You are the fun. No matter what is going on, be the fun in your world, don’t give that responsibility to anything or anyone. If you aren’t happy it is because of the way you are thinking about all the things. Figure out how to think about the things in a way that makes you happy and proud of how you are showing up. 

This life that is unfolding around you is beautiful and messy. This journey will be full of twists and turns and you are open to all of it. You know that through it all your relationship with God and yourself are the most important. Your thoughts are going to either draw you closer or create disconnection. Choose wisely. Think amazing thoughts on purpose about both God and yourself and feel those amazing feelings.

You can create what you want in this journey. If you want an amazing friendship with someone, go create it. If you want a job that pays more, go find one. If you want to move out of your parent’s house, build a business, or buy a new car, the process is all the same. Decide on that goal, go all in, freak out and find all the reasons it won’t work out. You are on the right track. Then take deliberate actions toward the goal. Have no evidence it will work and believe you will succeed anyways. Put timelines on it and know that you won’t want to do all that is necessary to create it when the time comes. But if you can figure out a way to do the work even when you don’t really want to, that will be key.

Remember you will want to know the how. You know the how inside of you. You have all the wisdom, but you have to take the time to uncover it.  The how comes when you really change the way you think. So the most important thing to do is to investigate what you're thinking. Don’t get caught up in taking the action, get caught up in what your current thinking is creating and what new, intentional thoughts could create.

You are amazing. You are showing up in huge ways. You are being an example to so many. The people you are choosing to love, they are grateful. Love them because that is who you are, not because you think you should.

Something in your life right now is being your greatest teacher. It could be that boss, your mom, or that goal you are going for. Whatever it is learn everything you can from it. Open yourself up to failing gracefully and always moving forward. Have so much grace for yourself. Because graced people, grace people. 

Remember everyone is 100% lovable. You might have forgotten that, but don’t. That person that is hard for you to love, that is great for you to know, because that is an area that you can get better at choosing loving thoughts towards. Tell the people that are easy for you to love how grateful you are they are in your life. Love them well. 

The parts of you that aren’t easy to love… that also shows you where you can work at being more accepting and human.

Humans are amazing. God knew what He was doing when He created us. Humans are complex creatures with thoughts and feelings. You my friend, are a human pursuing very intentional thoughts and feelings. You long for a deliberate life. Decide what you want that to be and don’t turn back. Steward your story and go all in!

I will be with you, showing you your brain the whole way!

Grateful to do this work with you,

Angie