Whatever Is Excellent with Leanne Tuggle
Encouragement and Inspiration for women choosing to rise above the “just survive” mentality and instead set their mind on thriving in all that they say and do. The ultimate goal is to equip you to pursue whatever is excellent in the midst of your ordinary life and in all that you say and do.
Whatever Is Excellent with Leanne Tuggle
16: Redefining Resolutions: A Faith-Focused Path to Personal Growth
Ever wondered why those New Year's resolutions never seem to stick?
Join me as I unpack the common pitfalls of these annual promises and reveal a transformative approach that goes beyond rigid goals. Through a candid story about my own battle with the simple task of daily flossing, we uncover how perfectionism and life's little disruptions can derail even the best intentions. Discover how shifting from an outcome-focused mindset to one that centers on personal values can lead to genuine and sustainable growth. Linking intention with actionable steps, we align closer with our spiritual path and embrace the biblical wisdom of Psalms 37:5-6.
This episode is all about redefining how we approach personal development by setting intentions that resonate with our core values. By seeking guidance and wisdom from God, we explore how intentions can be more fulfilling than traditional resolutions, leading us toward excellence and faith-driven living. You’ll learn how to pair your intentions with manageable habits, creating a roadmap for progress and spiritual alignment. Get ready to embark on a journey of meaningful change as we commit our ways to the Lord and trust in His guidance for our lives.
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Did you know that 80% of New Year's resolutions fail? Studies indicate that, on average, 36% of people will make it to the end of January with their resolutions and only 9% will successfully keep their resolutions throughout the whole year. And if I'm honest with you, that percentage feels a little high in my own opinion. Why do so many new year's resolutions fail by February? And, as a woman of excellence, is there a better way to make goals and keep them? This is what we're going to be talking about today on this episode. Keep them. This is what we're going to be talking about today on this episode.
Leanne:When I was in college, I made a resolution to floss my teeth every day. This was a healthy habit that I knew would be good for me, but I just couldn't seem to stick with it. After getting seven cavities my freshman year from eating copious amounts of fruit in between dance rehearsals, I decided it was time to actually follow through with this resolution. Honestly, cavities from fruit Who've ever heard of such a thing? So I resolved to floss my teeth every single night for a whole year, and I did for about two weeks because life happened A late night study session, an exhausting dance rehearsal, a fun girl's night out. Pretty soon I was crawling into bed after barely brushing my teeth and washing my face every night and washing my face every night. Flossing my teeth just didn't make the cut for bedtime routine. My resolution didn't even make it until February, and the worst part was that after I had missed a couple of days, the perfectionist in me realized that I had already spoiled my goal of flossing for 365 days straight. So what was the point? I'll just try again next year, right? Is this sounding familiar to anyone else? I am willing to bet that this is the same mindset trap that the average person falls into all 91% of us. So how can you get out of this trap and actually become one of those 9% that keep their resolution all year long? It's simple Stop making resolutions.
Leanne:A resolution is a structured, outcome-focused goal, often tied to success and failure, things like lose 10 pounds or save $500 a month, or cook more dinners at home every week. Resolutions also tend to lean towards a fixed outcome, a pressure for perfection and feelings of guilt or shame when not met. Based on this definition, it really isn't all that surprising that resolutions are so hard to keep. But you might be asking well, leanne, if you aren't making resolutions, then what are you doing to encourage growth and positive change? How do you set goals for the new year? Again, it's simple Start setting intentions.
Leanne:An intention is a focus on the journey and aligning values with actions that are important to you. Intentions encourage progress. 1 Timothy 4.8 puts it this way, for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. To illustrate what this means and how this works, let me continue with my flossing example, but in a new way. So after failing spectacularly to keep my flossing resolution, I went home that summer and learned that I had two more cavities. Like seriously, how embarrassing.
Leanne:At this point, the condemning look of the dental hygienist was enough to make me cower in the chair. She knew as well as I did that the only time I was remembering to floss was the week before that appointment, and that wasn't working. So when the new year rolled around again, I tried one more time, only this time without really realizing what I was doing. I set an intention instead, something like this this year I want to be a woman of integrity when it comes to caring for my teeth. I want the dental hygienist to be proud of me. Integrity when it comes to caring for my teeth. I want the dental hygienist to be proud of me and tell me how great my teeth are. So, honestly, that last part was still a bit self-interested.
Leanne:However, did you catch the shift? I was making a goal based on a growth mindset. I was thinking about the type of person I wanted to become a woman of integrity. The goal wasn't exactly measurable, but it meant something to me. And guess what? I haven't missed a day of flossing since then. Okay, well, maybe the night my daughter was born. I probably didn't floss that day, but you get the idea right. Setting the intention made it more about the journey and the woman God created me to be.
Leanne:Philippians 4, 8, which is the central verse of this entire podcast, says this. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there's anything worthy of praise, think about these things. This verse outlines that mindset that we are to pursue as believers, as a woman seeking excellence in all that she does. I believe that setting intentions in alignment with these biblical standards are more likely to lead you on the path that God has purposed for you. Lead you on the path that God has purposed for you.
Leanne:So how can you make this shift from making resolutions to setting intentions for the year? You start with the truth found in John 15, 5, one of my absolute favorite verses I am the vine and you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing. Jesus says these words to his disciples, and it's a great reminder that striving to do anything in your own flesh will inevitably fail. Regardless of whether you set resolutions or intentions or goals or whatever, it is only by God's grace, through Jesus Christ, that you can do anything.
Leanne:Once you understand this, then you can better identify a specific intention that is tied to your values, feelings and purpose. This intention is your why and will serve as your guide on this journey. Next, you define smaller, flexible action steps. These will actually look and feel a lot like resolutions, but they are more like measurable goals, minus the rigidity. For example, you may feel convicted about your attitude in your home. Your intention might be to be a more peace-filled and calm wife and mom, so that you can be more effective in your love and service for your family. Your action steps might include waking up one hour before your children so that you can read your Bible and maybe get a 20 minute workout in. You are more likely to follow through with this goal because your intention is based on something that really matters to you. It hits close to your heart because it is rooted in something God is growing in you. As you progress through this intention, with its ups and downs, you gradually become the woman you wanted to be, while deepening your relationship with God, and that's what you really want, isn't it? The best part is that you can set these intentions anytime today, even here's what I want you to do Grab a journal or a notebook that you may have lying around, or even pause and grab it and then come back.
Leanne:Have lying around, or even pause and grab it and then come back. Write these questions down to help you to guide this journey towards making intentions. The first question to ask yourself is what is God leading me towards this year or in this season? Number two how do I want to feel while pursuing his best for me? What are those feelings and emotions, those things you want to really feel. Number three what values are most important to me right now? What matters most to you, to your family? And number four, what small actions support this intention? Once you've written those questions down, take some time to think through them, pray through them. In fact, starting with prayer is the best possible scenario. Starting with prayer is the best possible scenario.
Leanne:James 1.5 says If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all, without finding fault, and it will be given to you. Isn't that great? We can ask Him. He's not going to judge us. He's going to reveal to us the thing that we need to be working on, to be focused on. Ask God. It's so simple, and yet we it's often the last thing that we do Ask God to lead you towards the right intention to focus on, then link the manageable action steps to it, the manageable action steps to it. This is how you become a woman of excellence, a woman after God's own heart.
Leanne:Resolutions are task-driven outcomes. There's nothing really wrong with them, but they don't always last. Intentions are a part of your value and purpose-driven journey, one that leads you closer to God. Today, I want to encourage you to set one intention, maybe for this week or the month, and then pair it with simple, actionable habits. Next week, we'll continue this conversation by talking about building habits and routines to sustain these goals. This is actually one of my most favorite topics and I cannot wait to share it with you. I want to leave you with this final verse of encouragement from Psalms 37, verses 5 and 6. Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday.