4 Gifts to Give Yourself in September

Fewer things connect me with the promise of new beginnings like getting a good whiff of freshly sharpened pencils. Ahh, the school supply aisle.  I don’t know what it is, but everytime I walk past, i feel compelled to buy a new lunch pail. I am well aware that I have been out of school for **clears throat** years, 😉 Yet still, September, in all its perfectly-blank-notebook-glory, will always feel like more of a new beginning to me than January.  Call it 15+ years of conditioning, (thanks education system) but Fall just seems like the ideal time to hit the “refresh” button for many of us.   September, along with its shifting temperatures and influx of all things pumpkin and plaid, brings with it a new rhythm.  So what do you say we forget the calendar and call September the new January? Is that a hashtag?  That needs to be a hashtag 😉

Today,  let’s embark on that “refresh” journey with 4 gifts to give ourselves this September; 4 things that will help us hit the refresh button both on your inside world and your outside world. And the first one? Well it sort of flies in the face of the whole #hustle-be better, stronger, faster thing being perpetrated all over the interwebs this time of year.

New Motivation

The way we get to operate when we come to know the Lord is so backwards from the ways this world tells us we need to be.  The world will tell you that you must strive, work harder, be better, push further, do more and outperform everyone else in order to achieve anything of significance.  And that my friends, can make you feel small. But the awesome thing about coming to know Jesus is-He’ll set you free from that.  His love, His sacrifice, everything He did for you declares that you are already significant. And then whatever we do, can be a response from that place.

We get to, because He already did.

He is our victory, we can lock eyes with Him, knowing our identity is secure and in Him we’re complete and can do whatever He’s called us to do, whether it seems impossible or not.

If the one who sees the end from the beginning has called you to it, He’ll see you through it.

He’s not called you to something that you will fail miserably at. Have fear and doubts about in your flesh? You bet your life.  But His plans for you are good and  He offers you hope and a future.

So that thing He’s put in your heart? If you submit it to Him and work at it at His pace as if you’re working directly for him and not for man, well, He can’t wait to help you make it come to pass. It won’t be easy, it won’t be seamless, but He’ll redeem your efforts and refine you along the way. Then eventually, even though it’s hard, you will love what you get to produce together and the version of yourself that comes out on the other side.

Let His Love be your motivation, and whatever you do from that place, be your response.

New Morning Routine

Everyone’s morning routine is going to look different.  There are no Cookie Cutter people here, but everyone I know, NEEDS a morning routine. I’ve found it’s an absolute necessity, like breathing and liquid stevia. 😀

My morning routine revolves around 3 things. It keeps me sane and makes me an all around better human.  I try not to be too legalistic about it, because life happens, but 99% of the time, these 3 things are happening, regardless of when I have to set my alarm clock.

The people that know me the most like me to have my morning routine as well. 😉 It makes me nicer and truly more flexible in the rest of the day. (I did an in depth guest post about it over at ChrisCookis.com if you’d like to read more.) The 3 things are

Time with God. I like to get up early. Like stupid early. But to me, it’s totally worth it. When it’s still dark and quiet and it’s just me, Jesus, and a cup of coffee, beautiful things happen. I can hear better. I can be still, I can allow His Word and worship and prayer to continually shape my heart. Some days it’s joy-filled and exhilarating, some days it’s tear-filled and really hard or contemplative. But it’s always honest and it’s always fueling for my soul and spirit. Want to know more about how to connect with God? Chris did a great post here.

Exercise. If you follow this blog, you know we’re advocates of exercise. I workout at home with these DVD’s, Youtube workouts, these apps, my treadmill, free weights, and occasionally, I paint my nails during a workout (you know you’re curious). Working out in the morning not only boosts your energy and clears your mind, but it also gets it DONE before the crazy kicks-in and gives you an excuse not to exercise. Need help sticking to an exercise routine? Click here.

Breakfast. But this deserves a point all it’s own don’t you think? SO, breakfast!

New Morning Meal

Ah, the most important meal o’ the day. But I get it, mornings can be hectic SO here are 2 sanity-saving breakfast tips.

1. prep your coffee pot the night before so all you have to do is hit a button. And if you have a fancy programmable-wake you up with the smell of coffee kind of pot, even better.

2. Try these 7 power breakfasts with Gluten Free & Paleo options and BONUS: Many can be prepped if not totally made the night before.

New Music

You KNEW I wasn’t going to tell you hit the reset button without giving you some upbeat songs to do so right?  Here’s our latest workout playlist and YES, you can use it for more than working out and YES…it’s on Spotfiy. You’re welcome.

I’d love to know how you’re hitting the “refresh” button this September?  Any new goals or new things you’re incorporating into your routine?  Just remember, whatever you’re adding to your life right now, do it with the right motivation-not for significance, but from a place of significance.

Until next time,

Meg

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