In my last post I talked about my brown thumb and my pursuit of growing good things in my life. I know first hand that the only way those good things are going to grow is for me to give attention to them.
It’s a simple concept.
What you give attention to grows, both good and bad.
If you are always pointing out your spouse’s annoying habits, do they not grow into the only thing you can think about when you think of them!? On the other hand, if you give your attention to the things you love about your spouse and regularly compliment those things, then it’s quiet possible your love for them will grow (as that annoying way they swallow quietly disappears into the background…….right hunny 
).
So here are a few of the practical ways I have found to grow good things in my life:
- Look for them – as I said above….be intentional about looking for the good things and noting them.
- Build Them Into My Routine – I have a pretty regular routine I go through to begin and end my day. If I want to make sure something gets daily attention, then I add it into my routine. I also take big goals and break them down into daily steps in this way. For example, one of my 2016 goals is to develop a deeper prayer life. The daily action step of that looks like me taking time each evening to pray through my Prayer Points.
- Keep A Visual Reminder – I am a visual person. I really have to keep things in front of me in order for them to stay on my mind. I use notes on my bathroom mirror as reminders. I keep my planner open on my breakfast table at all times, with action steps toward the “good things” I am working on written in it. I also keep my Monthly Tending Sheet out at all times, so I can see where I am headed for the month!
- Make Space for Them – I’ve done A LOT of shifting of priorities in my life lately, so I can really hone in on the things that matter to me. The bottom line here is if you don’t make time for the things you really want in life, they will not happen. Plain and simple.
- Daily Check In – The things that are important to me get my daily attention. I am working on growing my income, so I check my bank balance and the each day and thank God for what is there and pray for more ways to put my value into the world. I also check-in daily with other aspects of my business. I am working on growing good things
in my marriage, so each day I take time to fill a need of his that my husband voiced to me awhile back. You cannot expect a beautiful, fragrant rose bush after months of walking past it without a second glance. And of course the box checker in me loves the Tending Sheets from Lara Casey for this!
Mom Tip: I use all of these with my kids as well! Reading Logs, Teeth Brushing, Physical Therapy Exercises! These tips work for everything!!
What practical ways do you make sure there are Good Things growing in your life?