It is a sad reality that it took me so long to realize this and I hope that by sharing this, I may help you to save your precious time and minimize the level of stress in your life.

I will give one caveat at this juncture before I continue: if you do not BELIEVE you will not achieve. To all appearances, it may seem that you are living the life; however, only you will know the truth of that statement. There are two precious gifts you take for granted.

TIME, THE 1ST PRECIOUS GIFT YOU WASTE

1. Time wasted on the pursuit of trivial things.
2. Thinking about things you do not have.
3. Worrying about what the future may bring.
4. Reliving your past repeatedly.
5. Not having clarity about what you want.
6. Getting caught up in gossip.
7. Not knowing who you are.
8. Thinking that you can change others.
9. Sweating the small stuff.
10. Holding on to grudges and unforgiveness.

The 2nd precious gift you take for granted

We live in a world that tells us the accumulation of wealth and accolades are a manifestation of success and happiness; yet, I will say the acquisition of health is the best manifestation of happiness and success. Do not get me wrong, I appreciate the things that money can buy; however, I know what is most important for my happiness: a healthy balance in the four pillars of health. When your pillars are healthy, your health, your second precious gift, is optimized.

Learn to examine the health of your pillars

1. Check the health of your spiritual pillar.
   1. Do you spend time in the word frequently and daily?
   2. Do you spend time developing your relationship with God?
   3. Are you speech, actions and thoughts Christ-like??
2. What is the health of your physical pillar?
   1. Do you move often?
   2. Do you eat a healthy diet?
   3. Are your portion sizes healthy?
3. How is the health of you emotional/mental pillar?
   1. Are you acting from a place of paucity or abundance?
   2. How are you feeling?
   3. Are you emotionally intelligent?
4. Check the health of your financial pillar.
   1. How do you relate to money?
   2. Do you spend money recklessly?
   3. Do you know your assets and liabilities?

Prioritize your health with clarity

Living a healthy and fulfilled life starts with clarity. Clarity in knowing who you are and your purpose. Once you understand that fully, it is so much easier to make a plan and focus on fulfilling that purpose, which leads to the peace, joy and contentment that you desire. When motivation wanes and you get distracted or discouraged, stay committed by remembering your why (YOUR WHY-is to fulfill your purpose and live the abundant life God promised).