By: Naturally Niaja
Often, I make self-declarations over and over again. Sometimes they are the same, sometimes they are different. Either way, I find myself on a mission to reclaim my “life.” It’s a daily process if you really dig deep and think over things. In the Bible we are reminded that we should renew our minds daily. Why daily some may ask? Well, simply because there is so much garbage to be consumed both consciously and unconsciously, and we must get rid of the junk over and over again.
Much like how you have to take out the trash at your home, the same thing goes for your thought-life and your mental health/mind-set. So in my quest to have my declarations at the forefront of my thinking, I remind myself of all of the good attributes and character traits that I possess or desire to possess. Everything that does not line up with who I am and the person I was called to be must be removed immediately. That first starts in your mind’s eye, literally. You are what you think. You don’t have to be a theologian, psychologist, or some literary genius to understand how things work.
So why then do I say that excellence is a habit? It’s something that you work towards every
single day of your life. What is excellence? For me, I define it in this context: working towards doing things in a manner that far exceeds what is ordinary or even expected. If there is a standard or measurement of sorts, the manner in which something is executed far exceeds that standard. The person behind the action did so with intentionality. That intentionality had meaning to be done so as to please or allow another person to find satisfaction and/or pleasure. I know that’s a mouthful, I hope I didn’t garble my point.
Many people may not think twice about how they carry out their day to day life. Some of us,
just get up, go to work, come home and do it over again (Repeat as often as necessary, right?). WRONG!!!
I certainly think about what I am supposed to be doing. I am here for a specific purpose and every day that I have an opportunity to carry out that purpose, I want to do so in a manner that is unforgettable. It’s not for self-gratification at all. I serve a higher purpose and calling. I want to leave a mark on this world that can never be erased. I want people to remember me or that seemingly insignificant encounter with me. It’s not me but it’s Who is working through me.
That means that I must be intentional in everything that I do including starting off each day with a declarative statement of sorts. That sets the tone for the day. I am a firm believer in making your days count by getting up early and having some time to just reflect on what you desire to do and how you want to go about accomplishing that. No matter how small or how large.
Working towards excellence for me means that I must first declare it, make a plan and execute that plan. Some days are better than others of course, but at least I know I have a game plan and that plan can be modified as needed.
How do you work towards excellence? Is this even a concept that you have considered?
I welcome all feedback.
You can also check out my video messages on YouTube at @naturallyniaja.
Smile,
NaturallyNiaja
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NaturallyNiaja is a proud "FortySomething" Wife, Mom of 3, and entrepreneur. She is passionate about faith, family and fitness. She enjoys sharing her personal journey towards living a life of passion and purpose. She blogs about personal development, fitness, faith and all things in between. She enjoys gardening, cooking, and building generational wealth.
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