“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” – John C. Maxwell

“Meaningful change often happens as a result of a revelation rather than a resolution.” – Viola Davis

Many of us make resolutions – promises to change an aspect of our life in a positive way.  We pledge to eat better, to exercise more, or to save more money – all designed to improve our physical health, financial status, or living conditions in the weeks, months, and years to come.

I love the quote above from Viola Davis – suggesting change in our lives comes more from revelations versus resolutions. I hope you see (revelation) the significance found in the commitment (resolution) I am about to suggest 🙂

The good news is it takes only 15 minutes – roughly 1% of your total day.  And if you think that’s too much time out of your day at any given point, there is more good news!  The 15 minutes I am asking you to set aside is broken up into three 5 minute periods – making it far easier to fit into a busy life.

If you choose to embrace the 15 minutes I’m about to describe to you, it’s guaranteed to change your life in ways you can’t imagine.  You will see things differently, be reminded of what really matters, and let go of all that is weighing you down.

These 15 minutes each day will create more joy, more peace, and more purpose.  In fact, if you diligently practice what I’m about to share, I will venture to say you will change your destiny – the impact your life will have on others who share your journey here.

The First Five Minutes:  Start each morning inviting God into your circumstances with faith and expectancy.

The minute you awaken, the moment your eyes begin to open, take time to ask God to be a part of all you are about to face and encounter in the new day.  Invite Him into every circumstance – every situation.  Ask Him to be involved in both the positive things and the things that cause you concern – even the areas of your life where you struggle – where you know God doesn’t approve.

Simply ask Him to be there – to walk beside you through all of it.  This isn’t a prayer for blessings or to remove hardships. It’s simply asking God to be with you in all you face.

When you do this, do it with faith and positive expectancy – knowing without a doubt that God’s sheer presence changes everything!   He makes the good times and the blessings shine brighter. He makes the difficulties and struggles easier to withstand and confront.  When God is next to you, your journey is enlightened.  You see things differently, have strength to face what you didn’t think you could face, and live with a peace that gives purpose to each situation and circumstance you are about to encounter as the day unfolds.

The Second Five Minutes:  Take time in the middle of each day to refocus – to re-center your life.

So often we head out each morning with good intentions and as the day unfolds and life gets rolling, we forget about what really matters.  We get lost in the hustle and bustle. We allow negativity and distractions to set in and quickly our minds lead us toward a way of thinking that isn’t productive, accurate, or at all truthful.

Make it a practice to spend five minutes in the middle of your day refocusing, resetting, and re-centering your thinking, your direction, and your priorities.

Ask yourself, does this struggle with a co-worker really matter in the long run?  Am I allowing circumstances to control how I respond and react?  Am I focusing on the good or the bad as events unfold?  Am I looking at this situation in the light of truth or in a way that is destructive for me and others?  Am I building others up or ignoring and tearing them down? 

Spend this five minutes alone – away from others and away from distractions.  Allow this time to change and reset the rest of your day.  Remind yourself that God is with you – right next to you in all you encounter.  Re-center your thoughts on what is most important, on what really matters, not on the trivial, insignificant, or unimportant things that have a way of creeping into our day.

When I was a restaurant executive, I wish I would have taken the time EACH DAY to re-center and re-focus.  I allowed the stress, the pressure, and my emotions to take over at times.  If I would have stopped, shut my office door, or headed to the bathroom stall to be alone and spent just five minutes thinking about what really matters, it would have changed the direction of my life in ways I now can’t begin to change any more.

I would have left that five minute period with a renewed outlook – a positive change in direction.  Instead of worrying about something I had no control over in the long run, I could have told someone how much they meant to me – how their presence in my life made a difference.  Instead of focusing on all the problems, I could have looked hard and embraced all the blessings – being grateful versus troubled.  That simple five minute reset could have moved me away from unrest and uneasiness and driven me toward renewed thinking and purposeful, meaningful action.

The Last Five Minutes – Spend time each evening letting go of mistakes and any injustice in your life.

As you let down the covers to your bed and jump in for the night, take five minutes to release yourself from the mistakes of the day – accepting and receiving God’s forgiveness.  Remind yourself that you are human and that God’s love for you never changes based on how you perform.  Think about how forgiveness is simply received – not earned.  Let go of your failures and open your heart to God’s love and renewing forgiveness.

Too often we labor over our failures. We recount our mistakes in our minds over and over again.  We focus on the flaws and imperfections and by doing so, we subconsciously reinforce them and their place in our life.

Take five minutes to remind yourself that God knows you intimately….yet loves you immensely.  Let go and then receive 🙂

As you release your mistakes, let go of any injustice in your life – making a commitment to stop holding on to the hurt inflicted on you by others or by unjust circumstances.

Remember that God doesn’t enforce justice, long for justice, or seek justice….God is justice!  Righteousness, holiness, and truth are what He is all about! So if God is with you, you are walking toward it, walking with it, and walking in the peace of knowing it is inevitable!

Concentrate on this truth as you lie there and the ability to release any injustice you face will no longer uselessly torment your mind or thoughts.  You will be set free in the peaceful thought that God will make all things right in the end.

Are you willing to commit 15 minutes of your day like this?  If you do my friend, it can make for the beginning of a life that’s filled with purpose and peace.

May God bless you always!