How is your tool?
Guest article by Elmas Vincent, Lightpreneurs Guru
Some of you may know that I am giving myself a birthday present this year. By my birthday, May 25th, I will be 155lbs and in shape for the first time in many years. I did the Master Cleanse back in November and shed 15lbs and kept all but 2 off. But, I was still at 184lbs. I have launched my birthday gift by going back through the cleanse, and, as of this writing, have already shed over 5lbs. When I finish with the cleanse, I am going through a nutrition and exercise program to take me to my goal. But, it actually encompasses a lot more than just the physical aspects.
The reason I bring this up is that it is an important reminder. We must take care of ourselves first, BEFORE we can take care of anything else. This was a lesson I had forgotten and could not figure out why I was not fully back where I wanted to be. After hanging out with Courtney Long of Caring For Your Spirit, the lesson came back to me.
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Abraham Lincoln.
President Lincoln is referring to how it is more important for your tools to be ready for the task at hand than the actual doing of the task. You are the most valuable tool you posses. If you allow yourself to become dull, how effective are you at performing the task whether it be parenting, caring for someone else, or doing a business?
There are many ways we can allow ourselves to become dull. By not taking care of myself physically, I had become dull and lacking in energy and stamina to do my business to the level I would like to hold myself accountable. We can allow ourselves to become dull mentally. I am a big proponent of constantly learning by reading and going to seminars. By allowing myself to be “too busy”, I stopped doing those things and found myself growing mentally dull. By doing this, I was not as mentally sharp and working through tasks was taking longer and longer. Spiritually we can grow dull also. This can drain our soul and prevent us from hearing the true voice of intuition. This can block us from our true path and lead to much difficulty in life. I found myself “not having time” to meditate and recharge spiritually which has led to me taking the long way around in many aspects of my life.
What I have found over the last few weeks is that just making the time to sharpen myself has allowed me to give so much more to my family. I can give so much more to my business. Taking care of me provides so much more of me to give.
What can you do to sharpen yourself? What can you do for yourself physically, mentally, spiritually to create more of you to give?
Elmas Vincent, the Lightpreneurs Guru, can be reached at www.lightpreneur.com
