How You Can Switch From Surviving to Thriving in the New Year

Have you ever gone to load the dishwasher and saw a dirty dish towel that needed to go in the laundry? So you took the dirty dish towel into the laundry room and realized you forgot to swap the load that was already in the washer. So you swapped the load and then figured you’d put in another load to keep on top of the laundry. So you grabbed the laundry bag and headed upstairs to your bathroom where you keep the laundry sorter. You happened to glance at yourself in the bathroom mirror and saw that it had toothpaste splattered on it, so you figured you had better wipe it off really quickly. And, while you were at it, you figured you might as well go ahead and clean the sink…

I could keep going. Maybe this isn’t an exact scenario for you, but the point is that distractions are everywhere. This kind of scenario doesn’t just happen with laundry and chores. How many times have you started on a work task only to get a text or an email and then ended up, hours later, wondering where the day had gone? 

It’s way too easy to get distracted, consumed with everything on our to-do lists and responsibilities, and to lose sight of what God wants to do with our day. 

Make the switch from surviving to thriving in the new year by taking time throughout your day to stop and refocus on God. 

In Psalm 46:10, God tells us to “be still and know that I am God.” Part of cultivating a healthy relationship with God is allowing ourselves time to be still and not feeling guilty about it.

I don’t know about you, but I constantly have to remind myself that being busy isn’t a goal in life. 

In fact, the greatest ability we have is our availability. We need to leave room on our calendars for creativity, spontaneity, and for God to use us. When we allow space for God to work in our day, He is able to use us in incredible ways.

Throughout your day and especially when things get busy, take time to refocus on God. 

Do whatever it takes. Take a restroom break at work, sit on your porch for a few minutes at home, spend time with God while your children are napping… whatever works best for you and your schedule. Just make the time a priority. That may mean that you need to look at your schedule and let go of some things that aren’t adding value to your life. However you need to do it, make it a priority to create space in your day for God to fill. 

Make the switch from surviving to thriving in the new year by listening.

Allow God to reveal answers to you. When God speaks, it’s up to you to listen and obey His Word. 

Make the switch from surviving to thriving by making God and your family your top priorities. 

At least once a week, put everything else aside and focus on your family. Go for a walk together. Pop some popcorn and watch a movie. Play a board game (even if your kids complain that it’s not fun). Just as Jesus was the Good Shepherd for us, we must do our parts to shepherd our children and be examples of love to them. 

Make the switch from surviving to thriving by practicing rest every week.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NIV).

It’s time to be still and know that He is God. We need time to dream God’s dreams and to learn how to create them. We need to learn to be present in the moment. 

We need perspective.

It refreshes our spirits, souls, and bodies when we rest in God’s presence. It’s always hard for me to put the to-do list aside and listen, but it’s so rewarding.

One of the biggest keys to keeping your joy is to establish and protect your day off every single week. No “quick” email breaks, business calls, or meetings––as hard as that may sound. God created you for a day of rest. 

When Satan realized he couldn’t tempt Jesus, the Bible says he left Him to wait for an opportune time. Satan is always looking for an opportunity to tempt us––and he usually strikes when we’re worn out. When we don’t take time to rest, we set ourselves up for temptation.

Often, the biggest areas where we miss it have the easiest and simplest things to do. That’s because we expect them to fall into place naturally, but practicing the habit of rest every week takes effort. 

We have to be intentional about unplugging from the stress of our day-to-day lives and finding rest in God’s presence.