Stop your world from spinning out of control. Start today to get your bearings.
It takes 30 – 60 days to establish a habit. After being social distanced we have accepted a new normal and with that a new schedule. This is the ideal time to settle your life into a purposeful routine to be more fulfilled, satisfied and joyful. Here is how to establish habits/goals/bearings that will immediately benefit you spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. In the long run you will see a change in your productivity, health, relationships and even financial decisions.
Here are the 10 basic bearings that are essential for your life, your whole life, spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically to be everything you hope for and that you haven’t even dreamed of yet.
Bearing 1 Prayer
Bearing 2 Worship
Bearing 3 Lead every thought away captive into the obedience of Christ
Bearing 4 Be still and know that I Am – Christian Style Mindful Meditation
Bearing 5 Read your Bible
Bearing 6 Drink Water
Bearing 7 Walk/Cardio Training
Bearing 8 Resistance Training
Bearing 9 Eat Healthy Whole Foods
Bearing 10 Write it down/Record it/Journal
Details of one of these Bearings will be posted for the next consecutive 10 days. Add one a day until you have incorporated them all into your daily life. Then continue them until they become more than habits. They become bearings.
Although they may seem simple it has taken a lifetime to compile this ideal set of “bearings” and now I am sharing them with you. It is my sincere hope and prayer that you will implement them all and see how wonderful life can be when you are fully focused and healthy physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
Why bearings? What are bearings? “Bearing” is the ideal word for what these ten additions do for your life. Here are five definitions of “bearing”. We will use them all.
I first began contemplating bearings one day when I was working out. I was lifting heavy weights and getting tired and my husband passed by while he was building our awning and said, “You are losing your bearing.” Never having heard before I asked “My bearing?” He explained that it was a military term that pointed to posture and how a person carries themselves. The military trains soldiers to a certain standard of excellence and character. I was beginning to lose my form, my bearing. He pointed out that it is important to maintain bearing even when you get tired. Otherwise you may lose the benefit of the exercise and in some cases cause an injury.
He went on to explain that military bearing is the ability for a leader to present themselves in a professional demeanor, conduct themselves with dignity, carry themselves with confidence and purpose. If an officer has a strong military bearing his/her company will follow suit. If they are sloppy their underlings will be too. This is why soldiers practice marching and perfect their uniform. They are practicing the basics of military bearing: how they appear, walk, dress, and act. Military bearing also points to a person’s character, their moral compass. They are expected to behave with honor, dignity and confidence. This gives their own army and the enemy the idea that they have their act together and they do.
How do you carry yourself? Do you lose your bearing when you are tired or are not feeling well? Do you lose your bearing when you don’t get your way? As women, we deal with hormonal and emotional issues that perhaps men do not. Many of us struggle with our emotions due to stress, circumstances or hormones from time to time. How do you maintain your bearing?
Bearings are a way of knowing what direction in which to navigate. The sailors of old found Polaris, the North Star. From there they could navigate the dark seas using the night sky. They would say they need to “get their bearings”. That is how they knew which way to sail. The North Star never changes its position. So no matter what time it is still due north. It is 100% reliable. If you can see the North Star, Polaris, and you know what direction home is. You can get there.
Bearings are smooth metal balls that go around a larger ball or wheel to make it turn smoothly and with as little friction as possible. One day our jeep, Charlotte, would no longer shift smoothly. My husband immediately said, “We have lost a bearing.” Once our bearings were replaced on our jeep and we saw how smooth she shifted we realized that the bearings had been going bad for a while. She needed new bearings to make her shift and drive smoothly again. Now Charlotte drives smooth like silk: good bearings.
These ten bearings in life makes everything feel like a smooth ride rather than a roller coaster. They all are necessary and they all need to be done to have the full effect of the smooth ride. If just one of them is dismissed, forgotten or deemed unnecessary the gear will not shift properly and the transmission will feel gritty, buck and that roller coaster sensation will commence. Make all ten bearings a part of your life and enjoy living that feels effortless and untroubled like sailing on a sea calm as glass.
Bearing is also used as in bearing weight. A particular wall or pillar in your house may be a bearing wall or pillar. This means, of course, that the structure of the house and roof is supported by that wall or pillar. What bearings do you have that hold up the structure of your life? If you don’t know it is time you developed some. Otherwise your house could collapse at any time. You wonder why you don’t enjoy stability in relationships, jobs or emotional peace. Build these ten bearing pillars in your life and you will have support and strength in every circumstance than could come along.
These ten bearing pillars take the weight off of whatever burdens you are bearing. You will have the insight and peace to handle no matter what arises now or in the future.
Each of these ten bearings put a ball into your wheel to give you a smooth as silk ride. They hold up the structure of your life. They give you posture, poise, professionalism, dignity, self-control, honor and wisdom. Most importantly, all ten bearings start with the North Star of the universe, God and our Savior Jesus Christ. You will be able to navigate every dark night in the sea of life with bearings pointed at Him.
Look for the next blog post Bearing 1: Prayer. Start each day getting your bearings from God, The Almighty, the Creator of all things.
