It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
Today we're talking about DAILY RHYTHMS.
I tend to come back to this topic so much because:
1) It's really important in my life, and I know it!
2) It's so easy to mess this up and forget how important it is!
Last December I wrote about RHYTHM and then spent much of the "Covid Season" learning about SLOWING DOWN, REPLENISHMENT and PRIORITIES. You'll find this as a theme because it's something I continue to learn about, and something I work hard to have in my life. Maybe it's easier for you, but this is a daily challenge for me.
Today, I want to share a short conversation I had with my friend Jim Olsen. Jim is the Director of Hacienda El Refugio, a retreat and training center nestled in the mountains outside of Quito, Ecuador. You can find out more about El Refugio HERE.
As I've been asking leaders that read this Tuesday Note to share some of their "tips, tricks, habits and hacks", Jim shared the following with me.
Here's an 6-minute conversation with Jim:
Here are the 4 things Jim focuses on daily:
1) Implement a morning routine that provides space to think & pray
2) Get on my knees and begin the day in prayer
3) Read a chapter from 3 books a day to learn. Right now I'm reading books on ministry leadership, family/marriage and spiritual growth.
4) Create some space by taking a longer walk home.
These four things have made a difference in my life by creating some pockets of time to connect with the Lord throughout the day which grounds me at my center. This sets me up for success in my relationships with my family, with coworkers and with myself.
• The morning time helps me start my day right
• The prayer time helps to remind me of who HE is and helps me focus on the day ahead of me.
• Reading challenges me, teaches me, it's practical stuff that helps to keep me sharp.
• The long walk home helps me be ready to engage with my wife and kids, helps me to be more present, and helps me end the day well.
Thank you Jim for sharing a few of the things that have helped you in your life and your leadership.
For those of you reading this, what do you do each day that brings this kind of value or focus into your life? You don't have to have 4 things, but work to identify at least one and define the value that it brings you every day.
As I mentioned, Jim runs a great ministry in Ecuador that has been hit hard because of the impact of Covid-19 on camps & retreat centers all over the world. El Refugio just launched a t-shirt campaign that is being used to provide funding to El Refugio to get through this season. They continue to adapt and pivot and are finding new ways to connect with young people and leaders while not being able to host in-person events at the Retreat Center. Your purchase of one of these shirts will be a great encouragement to Jim and the El Refugio Team! ORDER HERE
I just ordered mine!
I'm looking for others willing to share some of their tips, tricks, habits and LEADERSHIP HACKS. Thanks to many of you that have responded and who's tips I'll be sharing over the coming weeks.
Here's the format:
#1) What Did You Discover? What's the TIP?
#2) Why Does It Make a Difference In Your Life?
#3) Describe What You Do.
E-mail me HERE if you'd like to share on this platform.
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"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller then the trees." Henry David Thoreau
"The man who gets down on his knees to pray can see more than a man who stands on a mountaintop." Unknown
"Every day is a new beginning. Take a deep breath, smile, and start again." Unknown