It’s the first day of Fall 2013 for all of us at Belmont University. As I got in bed last night, I couldn’t help but think about how I wanted to start this year off.
I decided to get up earlier than usual and head to Bongo Java to get the best-value breakfast in town (Bongo Basic…duh) and spend some time reading and praying for the school year.
And I kept thinking, what if I lived with this kind of intentionality every day? Why don’t I?
To be honest, it’s probably a mix of laziness and self-absorption. I get “too busy” (and then too tired) to get up early every morning and I just have “too much on my mind” so I get lost in the day-to-day To Do list.
That’s lame. I want to live with more intention. So, here are my Fall 2013 intentions.
1. Be Me.
I’ve learned this from my superwoman boss. In every meeting I’m in, every decision I make, every interaction I have with a student or colleague, I want to be fully me. I know my values, who I am, how I want people to feel when they leave a conversation with me, and I want to make sure I am true to that all the time.
2. Say YES to things that align with “me”–how I want to be spending my time, where I can be effective–and say NO to the things that don’t.
Typically, I need to be better at the saying no part.
3. Surround myself with people that encourage.
We all have Debbie Downers & Negative Nancys in our school, home, and work environments. But I want to pursue people who encourage me, are edifying, are a breath of fresh air, are energizing. I want to surround myself with people who fuel my values and aspirations.
What about you, my dear college student?
Do you know who you are? Be YOU.
Then choose to get involved and say yes to experiences that align with who you are, what your values are. Say no to the things that don’t.
And please surround yourself with people that edify you. Way too many of us spend our college years with a group of friends that either don’t fit who we want to be, don’t share our values, or just aren’t good friends. Don’t get caught in that trap. Pursue friendships with peers who will encourage you, uplift you, and cheer you on. Isn’t that what great friends do?
