Give Back to Yourself

Give Back to Yourself

Give Back to Yourself

 

How many of you go online to look through reviews before purchasing a product? You want to make sure you’re investing your money in something that will actually solve your problem or bring you enjoyment! Thanks to the honest feedback of others, you may be able to steer clear of a potential waste of money or find a diamond-in-the-rough.

 

December is a lot of things. It’s the end of another year, it’s a time to celebrate Christ’s birth with family and friends, and it’s also a time to look back on the year and review everything that’s happened. You may have gone through a performance review at work, which is a wonderful thing! But have you ever given yourself a performance review? Think about everything you’ve done this year — professionally, personally, and spiritually.

 

I love this time of the year because I get the chance to look back and see what path God led me down over the past eleven months. My role at 4word, my time with my family and friends, and my relationship with my Heavenly Father all add up to a year I never could have imagined back in January.

 

You may be thinking back and wondering why you don’t feel quite as accomplished as you thought you would. Or maybe you’re not sure where to even start reviewing your year. Here are some of my methods for summarizing my year constructively.

 

Understand the Importance of Reflection

 

Reflecting back on the year is so important because of the encouragement it can bring, especially when remembering things that weren’t part of “the plan.” At 4word, we had not planned that thirty C-suite level women would be flying in for our Gala at the end of February.  As we realized the amazing opportunity we were getting blessed with, we knew we needed to get these women together in one room to let them get to know each other before the Gala that night. That morning brunch was the highlight of their weekend! And because of this unexpected event, we were able to host a C-Level Forum in Washington DC, of which twenty five women attended.This “specialty” group is now a part of 4word’s strategy and an incredible opportunity for us to minister to these women in a way we never dreamed.

 

If you take time to reflect on your year, you will learn so much about yourself. This past year I have learned how much I CHERISH my time with my husband, Chris. We have always enjoyed spending time together; however, with his role as a partner in a global consulting firm and my role as founder and executive director of 4word and the corporate and not-for-profit boards that I serve on, we constantly found ourselves having to catch up on the weekends. This past year, our goal was to try to be together three full nights a week, a practice we began at the start of this year. Now, at the end of the year, I have learned that we need to try to have four nights a week together, so we have already agreed to alter our plan for next year. Reflection gives you a chance to take inventory — good and bad — and prepare to set off on the best foot possible in the new year.

 

Be Thorough in Your Review

 

Performance reviews at work are done to celebrate what you’ve accomplished and highlight areas that, with improvement, could push you even further into success next year. I say, why stop at just letting your work performance get reviewed? Take the time and humility to give yourself a review in your personal life and in your spiritual life. Here are three things you should do when giving yourself a review:

 

 

Celebrate with Gratitude

 

Once you have reviewed every aspect of your life, it is important to not just make adjustments for next year, but to also acknowledge what you’re grateful for. A fantastic way to do this is to give back to the areas that have blessed you or that you are passionate about. My passion is to help women “believe what they cannot see.” Through 4wordwomen.org, I have been able to witness miraculous life-changing situations, especially through our Mentor Program. There are many causes that Chris and I are grateful for; however, a majority of my time, talent and treasure goes to support the work of 4word, my passion. If any of you share the same passion for 4word, we have our year-end giving campaign going on now. I would be honored for you to express your gratitude through gifting!

 

Reviewing your year is only worth your time if you’re willing to view everything that happened over the past year as an opportunity to be molded. We like to think that we have a plan for our lives, but the reality is that God is the one in the driver’s seat. His route for the year may have left you feeling disappointed, unheard, or maybe even sad this year, but I know that if you look back with an open heart, you will see the perfect plan in everything.

 

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” – Hebrews 12:28

 

Thank God for His sovereign goodness. Thank Him for giving you the detours, the roadblocks, and the total changes of direction. Use what you learned about yourself this year to create a goal for the new year that first, brings you closer to God, then your friends and family, your career goal, and your community. Giving yourself over fully to this approach will allow you to give fully to these important parts of your life. And that’s the greatest gift you could ever give.

 

 

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