Words have power. They can have a huge positive or negative impact. The next few days we will work on that in the Groundwork Basic conference. Messages we got in the past can hamper us until the day of today. Fortunately we can work on it! Receiving God's truth can help us to become really free and live out of this freedom. Still it is true that words above all say something about the person who speaks them. Only when the receiver believes them they affect, and sometimes even hurt. When somebody makes a remark about your strange green hair, then you don't pay too much attention to it. You probably think that that person isn't that smart. When somebody makes a remark about a less positive character trait (one you are painfully aware of), than it really strikes you. Positive, encouraging words on the other hand, can also do a lot to someone. How about us? What do our words say about us? Which words do we speak to the people around us? I am greatly encouraged by the words of God that I read in the bible. I really recommend you to read them daily and let them speak to you. They show who God really is! Also for Him the maxim applies...

This is the text for today. It comes from the 'Coachingskalender' which is really worth reading. How true it is!

I already wrote something before (but in Dutch...) about having healthy emotional boundaries. Just as all your body cells, healthy emotional boundaries help you to let in what is good for you and keep out what is bad for you. Some people (and there are more of them than you think) have gone through awful things. For example, they were abused as a child, have had a bad relationship or what seemed a good relationship was ended abruptly. If there is nobody who cares for you and with whom you can share your feelings you start to protect yourself against grief. You hide it deep within you. You close it carefully and try not to think about it anymore. But it is still there and can pop up in a sudden, unexpected moment. Also, what happened changed your view on other people and life. You hardly trust other people. You shut yourself off. Than something like that can never happen again. It seems the best solution. But... you also cut yourself off from joy, new positive experiences, new people you can love. You miss a lot. Healthy emotional boundaries - they are of vital importance! 

A little bit more about last week's theme. Do you by any chance also hate your lack of self-discipline? Then I think you'll recognize the paradox of sacrifice. That paradox actually is very simple. You know really well what you should do to be in the long term happier, healthier or financially more independent, and thus having a better life. Despite that you often choose to play another computer game or don't go and do some sport. And you make choices for things that work negatively in the long run. You choose for comfort now in stead of comfort later.

But how can you motivate yourself to take the less easy decision? How do you make sure that you take the stairs in stead of the elevator? There are two ways:
 
1) Give yourself a mental push, like: 'Come on, go and make that phone call or come off that couch and go and do something!' It could help when you reward yourself afterwards.
2) Think. Not only about this choice but especially about your goals in the long term. How great you will feel when you stay healthy or having your own book in your hands. Realize how you can take one stap on the way to that aim. It doesn't need te be a big step. Also small steps lead finally to your goal!
 
Suddenly, the decission you have to take isn't difficult at all.
 
Lack of self-discipline sometimes has to do with the lack of exciting or attractive goals. What are your goals? Write them down and hang them in a place where you can see them daily. Talk about them with people who stimulate you to obtain your goals. Good luck!