Charles Dickens said this, “I never could have done what I have done without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time…” Most people try to put their hands in too many baskets for the sake of multi-tasking. But I’ve learned that great people concentrate on one task and do it well. They recognize chaos as the enemy.

Why do so many people even those with a clear sense of purpose oftentimes lose their focus and their capacity to concentrate on one subject at a time? During my research for my book, Designing for the King, I discovered that people have too much inner chaos. I’ve found also that the ole cliché, “Jack of all trades and master of none” proved to be correct.

I’ve identified six forms of chaos that I am diligently working towards removing from my life. The goal is to be “Jack or Jill of just one trade.” The benefit is being focused, and concentrating on mastering it well.

Emotional Chaos

This type of chaos is typical when unforgiveness is clouding your focus. Holding grudges or carrying a chip on your shoulder is toxic. Forgive and move on.

Organizational Chaos

As important as organizing is to progression, it amazes me how so many people overlook this. You can accomplish so much more when you are organized.  Figure out a system that works for you and stick with it.

Timeline Chaos

When you begin to master your time well, timelines or lifelines (I don’t like the word deadlines) won’t seem like a nightmare in the making. Prioritize your day and use your time and energy on what will yield the most return.

Information Chaos

This happens as your attention is divided among so much to do. Every social media expert has a mailing. Where’s the value in allowing insignificant things to detract you from your focus?

Unhealthful Chaos

Many years ago I heard the Lord say, “My people wait until they are sick before they change their diet instead of changing their diets before they get sick.” You cannot concentrate well if your body is chaotic and dysfunctional.

Visual Chaos

Sustainable success is founded on being focused. I find it totally impossible to concentrate in the midst of visual chaos. You will find it easier to make the right decisions when your eyes have places to rest.

Because you are reachable 24/7 with your smart phones and lap tops, you tend to fall into chaos over-load and oftentimes cannot differentiate the significant from the immediate. Adapt to a chaos-free lifestyle and you will find your focus clear and sharp. Concentrating on the life design of your dreams won’t be far-reaching.

I enjoy sharing my passion with you.  If you know someone who would like to read this, share it with them. And always I welcome your comments and will personally respond to them.

Sharing my passion,

Deana

© 2010 All Rights Reserved

Then one day I heard Him say this to me, “I want you to elevate, educate and motivate my people.” While I was told to be patient, I was instructed to inspire someone else. As I needed encouragement myself, I was told to be patient! Thinking about this I came to the realization that nothing produces without first being in seed form. This seed could be a thought, a word, an action, or something tangible. God was saying to me work your patience by sowing into the lives of others the very thing that you are needing right now. As you do you will be walking smack into your destiny (entire, complete, wanting nothing).

I sow these words of wisdom and encouragement to enhance and elevate your thinking, enhance and educate your mind and enhance and motivate your heart:

1. There is greatness inside of you longing to be discovered.
2. No one can ignite it but you.
3. You must want it.
4. You must pursue it.
5. You must think about it.
6. You must talk about it.
7. You must never say anything contrary to it.
8. You must never loose hope — go in to possess it.

I’ve accepted the mission to enhance your lives, designing for you possibilities for the mind and heart. I want to help you to Design Your Best Life™. Every decision you make and action you take began with a thought. Yes, as simple as it may seem, a thought resulted in this online communication; a thought resulted in the bed that you sleep in every night; a thought resulted in the shoes in your closet. A thought! You can change your world with your thoughts. So what are you thinking? What’s on your mind?

There is only one person who knows exactly what you want and can truly make you happy. The buck stops with you. No one is responsible for you but you! Look farther than you can see. It’s called visualization. No matter how dark things are or seem to be, raise your sights, see the possibilities, and possess them. Always, let patience have its perfect work that you may be entire (complete) wanting nothing.

I will be sharing along these lines from now on. I am now on a mission. I want to help you transform your lives and your world from Zero 2 Greatness™!

I enjoy sharing with you and always look forward to reading your comments. Please share this with your friends and family.

Sharing my Passion,

Deana

©Deana Murphy. All Rights Reserved. You may reprint this post
only in its entirety with the author's byline below.
Deana is the Expert on Lifestyle Design™ and is your
Go-to-Resource for promoting successful lifestyle makeovers,
whether you seek one-on-one consulting, group trainings,
virtual workshops or live lifestyle makeover events.
Learn more about Deana’s expertise at  DeanaMurphy.com 

Imagine what life would be like if negative energy would suddenly convert into the positive. That alone would jump-start your engine to an enjoying life simply because you now see the glass half full instead of half empty. Begin viewing life from the productive view instead of the critical.

My birthday is less than a month away. Reflecting on my life experiences I’ve released myself from appraising past mistakes and hurts. Instead I’m heeding to life’s lessons with gratitude of having explored ways that doing life didn’t work out! Therefore, I know now not to take that route again and move on. It’s time for a re-birthing of the greatness within. And it feels so good! We are in total control of our lives. The sagging economy doesn’t determine our successes or failures. Only we can do that.

It’s time to open your heart, take a deep breath and be thankful for the preciousness of living. Always there’s something to be thankful for. Do you have running water? Do you have indoor plumbing? Can you read these words in this post? Can you smell dinner from the kitchen? Get the picture…you have a great deal to be thankful for. Seeing life through thankful eyes encourages unspeakable joy which speaks to the greatness in your heart.

Life is too short to dwell on sorrow and distress. Don’t allow the economy and others negativity to stress you. When thinking on enjoying life, the three “F’s” comes to mind:

1. Forgive… Forgive yourself first.
2. Forget…Snap out of it. It’s over!
3. Focus… Look ahead of you.

Forgive How many times have you said, “if only I’d…. The reality is, you didn’t. Forgive yourself for your mistakes. Then forgive others for having hurt or mistreat you. What do you gain with unforgiveness other than depression, heart disease, and hypertension? Make a quality decision today.

Write down all of the mistakes that you’ve made. Look in the mirror and say aloud, “I forgive myself for having done this. I now released myself from all guilt and pain.” Now write down all the names of people you may have hurt. Call out each name and say aloud, “Forgive me.” Finally write down all names of people who have hurt you. Call each name aloud and say, “I forgive you. I release you from all liability.” Now say aloud, “I am thankful for this opportunity to be free.”

Forget Forget about the past. You cannot change what has happened. Do all things without complaining and disputing.

Focus Reach forward onto the things that are ahead of you. Keep your aim high and your eye on your greatness.

By doing these three things, you will jump-start a life full of abundant joy from a thankful heart.

Thank you for stopping by to read my post. I appreciate you and your comments.

Sharing my Passion,

©2010 Deana Murphy. All rights Reserved. You may reprint this article
 in its entirety with author's contact and bio information.
Deana Murphy is The Expert on Lifestyle Design, media personality,
a dynamic speaker, an award winning best selling author who has been helping
people for years design a home they love, transform their lifestyle,
and showing them how to feel good from the inside out and unleash their
greatness. She has been interviewed for O at Home Magazine, Empowering Everyday Women,
Spectacular Homes, SORMAG, and Meredith publications to name a few.

Ready for a Change!

When I think about changing my home environment it reminds me of how Jesus changed the darkened, hidden places of my being into a ray of light and hope. With a renewed mindset and beaming anticipation I knew He had a purpose for my life. I was ready for a change. Venturing into a home make-over, whether one room or the entire home, can produce this same optimism. But before you jet out to the store to make your purchases, prepare your mind for the change. Consider what you want your home to accomplish for you. More importantly, how can your home design unify your family? Do you want it to remind you of the warmth and security of your home as a child? Or would you like it to help cancel the pain of the past? What about a design that will accommodate every family member’s desires and needs?

Too often we acclimatize lifestyles and living at home to the layout and features of the home. Imagine how our lives would be if God didn’t first re-arrange the universe. He designed His world in His majestic display of power with purpose. The same holds true for every design or decorating endeavor we undertake. Design changes should spring forth out of a renewed mindset. I’m not only talking about designing to appeal to forms and aesthetics. And I’m certainly not referring to making changes because your best friend or neighbor’s home is outdoing yours. That’s not the right mindset, that’s meddling. Creating the right home design mindset means to have a plan.

Design a Plan

Looking back over Scripture it is apparent that God did nothing without a plan. From the design of the world in Genesis to the soon and coming King in Revelation, His plan has always been wooing His people to Himself. It didn’t matter how impossible the darken world looked, God had a plan for the design of His world. He knew exactly what He wanted His design to do for Him and His family. This says to me that we must do no less when designing our home. Let’s consider the gathering or family room for example. This room generally serves as a multi-purpose area where we relax and entertain, play and work, or watch TV, read and do homework. But we certainly can’t engage all these activities simultaneously. And someone has to plan the room’s layout and décor for incorporating these activities. Then the schedule must be planned.

Meeting of the Minds

Actually the way you live at home determines how you should plan your design. If relationships are centered in your heart, then making a place that unifies the family and connects family with friends is one way to define the purpose of the home. Perhaps working from home defines a major purpose for redesigning the home. Evaluate the use of each space. I often advise my clients to have a design meeting with their families. In this meeting discuss what is important to each household member, write it down, and be willing to compromise and be flexible when possible. While function is a major consideration in the design process; what’s paramount is the emotional and spiritual well-being of the entire household. Here are a few suggestions to discuss in the design meeting:

Objection

• What is the main purpose for making design changes? More space? Ab better lay-out? New purchase? Reworking some existing things? Insulation to stifle the sound of drum practice or electric games?

• Do you want your home to reflect your spiritual life? If so, what would you need to do to be ready to reflect this? Would it be more patience with each other? Like-mindedness with your spouse? Unselfishness?

• Does your lifestyle define how you live at home? What functions must be performed for each room?

Editing

• Walking through the home and carefully looking at each room, what do you see that needs to be done?
• What do you see that needs to be removed? What isn’t needed that can be donated or just simply thrown away?
• Are there any hard places in your heart needing editing? What about spurts of anger over something simple as tidying up behind someone or taking out the trash?

Ambiance

• What kind of atmosphere do you want? Do you want it to be peaceful? energetic? restful? loving?
• What kind of atmosphere can you create that will sustain His Presence?
• Atmosphere is very important to the Lord. Remember that He transformed space  to separate the waters so He could design an atmosphere called heaven.
• How is the atmosphere of your heart? Does it need renovating? Only a touch-up?Do you have the right spirit in your heart? What about your attitude?

• What style, objects and activities will be pleasing to the Holy Spirit? Everything that looks good may not necessarily be sanctioned by God.

Bringing Order

• How can you arrange your activities to undermine any negative habits and keep the home in order.

• Assess your needs for bringing clarity to what to do with what you have.
• Which spaces can you use in nontraditional ways if functional issues arise?
• In what ways can you adjust and show more love and respect for each other?

Sentiments

• How can you incorporate past places of influence into the design?
• How can you incorporate those pleasant childhood memories into the design?
• How can you incorporate priceless family traditions into the design?

Cultural

• Are there any cultural influences and can it be included?
• Talk about your differences and how to effectively translate them into the design.

Preferences

• What are your likes and dislikes?
• What are your individual interests?

Bonding

• When and where is family time together? It maybe as simple as sitting around the table sharing your day.
• Remember children are people too. Don’t make the design so important that they aren’t allowed to enjoy it.

Differences

• Discuss personalities, values, and memories. This carries a high price in keeping peace at home.

Improvements

• What changes will benefit everyone and fortify the family?
• What are some practical ways to improve on what you have?
• How can you better designate the existing spaces to meet your family’s needs?

These lists are not all inclusive, but know how vital it is to do this. So much time is used when planning activities to entertain friends, but planning the details with the right mindset for living at home is oftentimes overlooked. When you think about it, you spend more time in your home than any other place, which makes home design the most influential art form. In view of that, home is an important part of health, spiritual and well-being of your family.

Making changes in our lives and homes is essential and always necessary. I challenge you to begin this spring/summer season with the approach of looking at home design from a different perspective. Yes you are eager to finally decorate those neglected and tough to tackle areas. You’re longing for a fresh start. But be mindful of your family’s needs, surrender any selfish ways of doing things. Renovating allows for a fresh start. Renovate your heart of those hidden attitudes so that His plan and creativity can rise up within you. Your home is a good gift. Design it with the right home design mindset.

I always enjoy reading your comments and thanks for reading my posts.

Sharing my Passion,

Deana

©2010 Deana Murphy. All rights Reserved. You may reprint this article
in its entirety with author's contact and bio information.
Deana Murphy is a dynamic speaker, award winning author and
 a conscious home and lifestyle expert who has been helping
 people for years design a home they love, transform their lifestyle,
 and approach life’s design in view of Spirit and family relations.
 She has been interviewed for O at Home Magazine, Empowering Everyday Women,
 Spectacular Homes, SORMAG, and Meredith publications to name a few.
 She has also appeared on HGTV and Fine Living.
 
 
 

These kids are fully charged and powered to resurrect every beautifully hidden painted egg, probably not so much to wolf them down but merely to simply have fun during their annual routine of seeking the competitive edge over their peers.

I’m reminded of how our lives sometimes can seem to slip into autopilot mode as the best within us are hidden from view while simply doing the routine things for the sake of just doing life… …competing for attention, recognition or  acceptance.

Just think about this for a moment. If we aren’t careful, life can sometimes become so mundane that we forget there is a rhyme and reason for being here. Our lives have purpose. We may not always know what it is but one thing for sure by running and rushing each day in search of the competitive edge will certainly not resurrect the dead areas in our lives. Gifting and talent, innovations and inventions dwell deep within us and today the challenge is RESURRECT THEM!

Take your destiny off autopilot. Write the vision. Read the vision. Speak the vision. Put your destiny in good hands – your own.

1.  Take your destiny off auto-pilot. Purpose today to opp-in and take advantage of opportunities that will better your quality of life. See the assistance of  like-minded people. Some things can’t be accomplished alone. And don’t just have a come-se come-si attitude, or whatever will be, will be outlook. Take control. Navigate by your gut. If you feel passionate about it, then do it.

2.  Write the vision. Make a list of the things that you feel and know needs resurrecting in your life. Perhaps it’s taking care of your body, exercising or clearing your heart and mind of the past so the new you can emerge, better habits, less distractions. Write down those areas that are dead that needs reviving.

3.  Read the vision. Read what you’ve written over and over each day.

4. Speak the vision. Speak what you’ve written over and over each day.         Speak in the first person, “I am,  I will,  I can.”

5. Put your destiny in good hands – your own. Step out, take action,        ignore the nay-sayers, stay focused, just do it!

Easter season brings to remembrance of Someone who was once dead; Who was resurrected by the power of divine purpose and destiny. This same power dwells within you. Give power to that purpose. Resurrect your life today!

I always enjoy sharing my passion with you, and I equally enjoy your comments. Happy Easter!

Sharing my passion,

Deana

©2010 Deana Murphy. All rights Reserved. No parts may be duplicated without
permission.  www.DeanaMurphy.com  http://designingfortheking.com

Actually the way you live at home determines how you should plan your design. I always suggest coming up with a design concept that unifies the family and connects family with friends. If you work from home as most of us do, incorporate an area away from the family activities so you can have quiet. Evaluate the use of other spaces and get some mileage out of every square foot of the home. Some areas can serve dual functions. For example, the dining room can also be a library or reading room.

I often advise my clients to have a design meeting with their families. In this meeting discuss what is important to each individual and respect everyone’s input and concerns. Iron out what’s needed and come to a peaceful agreement. Not everyone will like your colors or choices. We do want our homes to function in the way we live, but we should also consider everyone’s emotional and spiritual well-being and make home living peaceful with everyone. Creating family unity and a peaceful place of refuge is designing in itself.

Get together with family and talk about things like:

1. Why the design changes are necessary
2. What you want to accomplish
3. What needs to be given or thrown away
4. How you want your home to feel
5. Likes, and of course, dislikes
6. How can you improve on what you have
7. Do you need a designer’s assistance

Every member of the household’s input is valuable. Make sure all are in agreement. Be willing to compromise and be flexible when it comes to keeping peace. Family is God’s gift to you. Never take them for granted.

Thank you for reading what I share. Let’s talk.

Sharing my passion,
Deana

It’s sort of like when I’m designing a home. There are certain design elements I use to make a space work. With an interior design each step must build on the previous step. There’s an order of progression. I lay out the plan and focus on what works for the use of the space and won’t be swayed by another enticing style or décor that simply doesn’t work in the plan.

Now when it comes to designing my life, I’m apt to be more meticulous about the direction I take that impresses the space of my mind and heart.

All Choices are not Created Equal

My life is what I make it. I can’t point fingers at anyone if things go awry. I only get one shot at life’s design so I intend to guard my heart with all diligence because out of it comes the issues of life.

Just like interior design, I must follow certain prescribed principles, map a plan, focus on where I’m headed, speak my desired end all the time, and let nothing pull me off the path I’ve designed. I’m designing life one layer at a time.

How have you designed your life? What are you doing to change what you don’t want or don’t like? Let’s talk.

Sharing my Passion,
Deana