MARCH FORTH THIS MARCH 4TH: Of 2023 Goal Setting and Resolutions.

 

Today's is a veery long post, but really worth the read... or so I hope... I shared a while back that in future, expect some of my posts to be Biko-Zulu-like😆, so kindly bear with me, until I can find a personal content manager to help regulate😂...

With that, grab a cup/glass of your favourite drink, sit back, save this post offline, switch of your data... and if you missed the last two posts, you might need a foot stool also😁... and we begin...

Today's post, is about my 2023 life so far, and also, what inspired the blog title. I really 'fought' with God and myself about sharing this today. I had planned to share it next year, when everything has come to pass😂, but I could sense an urgency, that it could redeem time for someone. And pushing it to next year is like what Prov 3:28 talks about: If you have what your neighbor needs/asks for, don't say, “Come back later. I will give it to you tomorrow.”

In the month of January, my Church hosted two goal setting trainings for the youth @Force of Victory... I remember attending those meetings just because I promised God consistency this year otherwise, I would have skipped that one, and the February one too, on Love 😂... Yeah, those were sore topics at that time😆. Not anymore though... However, atrending those 3 meetings turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life...

In the first meeting, we were given an exercise to design our River of life for 2023. This  entails, picking 3-5 major goals, breaking them into tasks or milestones, then allocating each task/milestone to a month. Sounds exciting right?

Being the open minded person that I am, I tried to do the exercise, despite the pain I was feeling in my throat as previous years of disappointments from this thing called goal setting, flashed before my eyes . I remember finally telling my youth leader, the struggle, and that even if I were to be given more time, do that exercise as a take away, I wouldn't do it because I was just tired of being disappointed... I don't remember exactly what she said, but it was something encouraging, but I do remember sensing a sadness she didn't show. I could feel that I had really disappointed her. She's that one person who really believes in me, and is always cheers me and others on...

Because I really don't know how to give up or wallow in failure, that evening I went to God and prayed something along these lines:

"God you know I don't know how to give up. I've tried many times but failed in that too😅. But I'm honestly tired. Really  tired.  Is goal setting for me? Are my goals unrealistic? Is there anything wrong with having even simple goals like: upgrade laptop... so I can work more efficiently... so I have more times with you in the evening?

God, please show me your plan for my life. If not that, at least put my feet on a path that if I walk in it, constantly looking to your guiding eye, I'll get to the destiny/...nation you planned for me..."

I went on and on... questioning whether he wanted me to shut down this blog, and the notebooks business, and just stay with architecture...  And for a week or so I kept building on that prayer... Lesser and lesser complaining and more and more of speaking God's promises back to Him...

We had been given two weeks to submit the homework, for those of us who took it as take away. The Saturday night before the timeline, I kept thinking of the verses Genesis 12:1 and 2 Cor 5:17.

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.

https://bible.com/bible/114/gen.12.1.NKJV

AND

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

https://bible.com/bible/114/2co.5.17.NKJV

I had gotten them from the Bible reading plan: DIVINE DIRECTION by Craig Groeschel accessible in the You version Bible app. I  got really scared because that Genesis verse, is what God had given me last year, but I had misinterpreted and landed myself in confusion... story for another day😂...

Bible reading plan from you version bible app 

I meditated on that verse for what I thought was an hour, but was actually 7😅. I'll never forget that night, I had gone for a sleep over on my Mum's bed 😆. Yes this love is so deep🙈... #onlyChildBenefits😌... so when I saw her get out of bed I thought nature's most brutal alarm clock, (the Bladder🤭), had woken her up. Kumbe it was already 5.30am!

We agreed with her I go to church at lunchtime: for just the youth meeting. Then in the meantime, I make up for the sleep till 9.30 am and livestream the service... I'll never forget that service also. From the song selection to transition to the sermon. Everything was confirming my meditations that night...

By the way, after that day, I no longer meditate in bed...Yes I prefer doing it lying down with a notebook, bible and commentary (well, phone) at hand... So I either use my exercise mat, or just sit at the desk. Soon I'll be upgrading our sofa to allow me a space to do that😃...

I didn't get to submit the assignment and I don't think I will anytime soon🙈... because when I tried to come up with year goals... I managed to list them, but I was unable to break them into monthly tasks or milestones... I've come to discover this breakdown requires skill, or at least a relationship with God... both of which, well, I'm now growing in...

So January, I spent time reviewing my past few years and identifying the 'country,' 'father's house' aka familiar things, I needed to let go of, and noting new things- the Canaan, I needed to embrace. I researched about, "my Canaan" from the Bible and people and places I admire... Where is it located? What does it look like? What things do I need for the journey? ...but everytime I tried thinking about How To Get There, I'd get stuck...

I tried asking a few people around but most of what they shared was not really applicable to my journey... or didn't excite me. Some suggestions felt like: just crawl you'll get there, you can never go wrong with crawling: but what about bruises😅... walk, run, take a donkey, a horse, a car, an aeroplane,  a rocket, teleport 😅😂😂... It's true😅 those advises sounded like that in my head🤭...

Eventually, "walk" seemed to sit well with me... I like walking, you can stop take in sceneries... If you noticed you took a wrong turn you just walk back... and in the process of walking, you can build muscle for running... it doesn't cost money, just lots of drinking water, comfortable shoes and clothes ... and maybe a heat lotion to relax your muscles in the evening... (btw😆 I sell a very effective heat lotion. If you know anyone struggling with joint, muscle or other pain. Click here to find out more about it...) Yes, this is me shamelessly interrupting the narration to sell a lotion😆.

Then now there was this thing called journey breakdown... tasks and milestones🙆‍♀️... How does one come up with it? How does one predict their year into actions and milestones? It was such a hustle for me coz I didn't have a good history of finishing something in the period I said I would...

I kept trying for days to come up with something... nothing... I went back to the two verses God had put in my heart.

Genesis 12:1

And I asked, "did Abraham have a monthly breakdown for his journey? No he even had no idea of where he was going😂😂."

2 Cor 5:17

Does new life come with a monthly breakdown waiting at it's door? No. You create one as you go..." Bas, I rested... (in peace😝)...

But then I noticed... Vs 5 of Gen 12: Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan.

https://bible.com/bible/114/gen.12.5.NKJV

As I meditated on that, I received my action plan for the month of February: Gather my Lots, Sarais, possessions etcs... And that's how I stumbled upon the Yve Azar's days of the themes, I redid my social media profiles and bios... in the last post I shared how it was an attempt at bringing together my favourite life pieces...

By mid month... Someone gifted me a new desk calendar and the first date I circled was March 4th... it's been my favourite for 4 years now, for obvious reasons: the only day that tells us to do something... come to think of it, even 1st March seems to say something... so I used my first march i.e yesterday, to March on the spot i.e. review my January and February especially February... and plan out, to the level of planning I can, my month of March...

If you don't usually review please start. Not reviewing could be a major reason you feel stagnated. If you consider yourself a leader, even if it's just of your life, daily, weekly, monthly and annual reviewing is a must, no matter how poorly you think you performed. It helps you define the past, and design a future. Hence, helps you improve the next day, week, month... How can you improve that which you don't have a clear picture of?

A little fun fact,

Did you know that this blog was launched in 3/3/2020... I had set the date as 4/3/2020 but something excited me about 3/3/2020... I think it's the repetition... so I brought the launch day forward. So tomorrow, is my blog's birthday😃.

Lets  continue though... March fourth... With the data from my monthly review, I went back to my vision board/verse of the year,  and saw that actually, I can march forth into certain things this March fourth😃... With more ideas from God and from the random things I've been sharing on the platforms, I chose these:

1. Marching forth to 5am club!

I've read the book by Robbin Sharma about thrice, and  even before the book, most billionaires I've listened to, say they sleep and wake up at the same time every day including weekends, and, have great morning and evening routines... So this month I'm marching forth into consistency in applying the lessons. I have even come up with an activity called the #NoSnoozeChallenge which you're invited to participate in with me, as long as you reach out before 7th March... or you can do on your own, and feel free to tag me when you share your testimony😀...

2. March forth to a Laptop upgrade!

I've been singing about this for like 4years now😔. I have never gotten to compiling my architectural portfolio coz my laptop can't run heavy 3ds... so most of my work is still in line work😅. Last year I got sick when I was just a few thousands to doing the upgrade, but now, I'm Marching forth again to this, by learning how to buy without money as God invites us to, in Isaiah 55:1.

3. Marching forth to a Queen Esther skin (aka korean glass skin)!

I've been pursuing this for about 8 years now. I love my skin... It's not as bad as it used to be in high school. I could chose to be content with the plateau I've hit from using diy products. But I have friends who are still struggling with the issues I was able to overcome. So, I'm going all the way with skincare, so that I can be able to help those around me... Check out my socials as I share skincare tips I've learnt over the years, and the products that I am currently using, and selling, to get me past the plateau...

4. Marching forth to a Flatter tummy!

Wah! This! It's been a struggle since I was 11years old... Most people I share with think I have insecurity issues, coz I look slim,  but trust me, I just hide it very well, it's bad😂. It's a main reason,  other than decency, I don't wear fitting clothes especially dresses. I'm hoping to wear one on my Birthday or at least mid year... then I'll do a before and after photo...

So, that's my January to 2nd March at a glance. I still haven't been able to come up with the River of life😅, but I have a feeling by April or end of it I will be able to😃...

I once heard a Productivity expert say, "If you're finding it hard to plan out your days, track them instead... Tracking will give you an idea of how you spend your time and then from that info you can now begin to plan/predict your future."

So, I may not be able to sketch out my River of life for 2023 at the moment, or even the Ocean of December 2023, how it will look like... I don't even know how long I'll march before I get to this place that "God will show me," but I'm choosing to just be Yve the sheep, and March forth to wherever this scripture and the many others God has been bringing, guide me to.

So, did answer my prayer? I think He did. In the best way in His wisdom. He may not have shown me the plan... at least that's what I feel, but he truly has put me on a path, along the river... And I'm just having to trust him and keep watching him/listening to him, by reading his Word and noting what he says through people around me: including sometimes memes😂... and for the first time, I'm sure at least 50% of my goals list will be ticked off.

What's more, as I'm following this method of tracking and planning just as far as I can, "my prediction" /planning skills are improving... at the moment I can see/plan two weeks ahead and accomplish 90%... clap for me😁😂...

I could go on narrating my Jan to Feb, and the many many, things I'm learning, but I think this suffices for today🙏...

BTW, as you read this, and maybe youre struggle is worse, don't let anything trick you into thinking I'm more loved, or favoured than you😅. I know I am experiencing a favour and advantage in this area, but I believe it's also due to the nature of my life's vision: after watching the Home Edit show on Netflix... please look for it and watch at least one episode if you haven't... I remember asking God, "Since these guys have cracked organizing houses, si you help me at least crack organizing life/lives? Coz there's still a lot of noise in that area..."

Also, it hasn't been smooth, oh my, oh my,  I've almost entered insanity twice this year 😅... and I'm forced to take certain pills once in a while to be sure I'm still sane😂... and to keep checking in with someone concerning any crazy thoughts😆... But I keep believing that He who began a good work in me will bring it to completion, and preserve me...

Do you have a verse that you feel maybe God is telling you something about it? Don't ignore it. It could be the only vision board you need for 2023... or at least this first quarter or half of it. 

If you've read my testimony and feel like using that particular verse, and a similar yet not same, interpretation, why not... Blessed are the hungry for they shall be filled. God will meet you there in that little step of faith and put you on your own unique path if imitation was not yours... or you could find out you didn't need to reinvent the wheel...

If you're feeling stuck, or struggling somewhere, or just need to talk to someone regarding this... feel free to contact me... If I can't help you, I'll refer you to someone in my wide pool of wise men and women of God...

With that, stay blessed and remember, you are/can be God's ArTwork, and He is/wants to be, at work in you, through you and for you.

Post Dedicated to My-3 😍... a name I have given to 3 people I'm daily praying for until I see a change in their lives... you are my main motivation for staying consistent this year... I'll remind you of this post the day I see what I'm praying for come to pass...