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Transcript

Beat Distraction With Whole-Heart Focus · WholeHeart Conversations

• 0:00
  Constance Lavonice: I've been discussing cultivating resilience against the schemes of the devil, the strategies that the devil uses to hinder, defeat, and destroy us.
• 0:15
  Constance Lavonice: One of these schemes is distractions.
• 0:20
  Constance Lavonice: Let's talk about it.
• 0:23
  Constance Lavonice: You're listening to Whole Heart Conversations, a podcast especially for women that provides biblical encouragement that fosters WholeHeart, spirit, soul, and body resilience.
• 0:40
  Constance Lavonice: I'm your host, Constance Lavonice.
• 0:44
  Constance Lavonice: Distractions are anything that divides our attention and pulls us away from our desired intentions.
• 0:55
  Constance Lavonice: They divide our attention.
• 0:59
  Constance Lavonice: Distractions keep us from being effective and reaching the full potential that God has already ordained for our lives.
• 1:12
  Constance Lavonice: Distractions also affect our mental health.
• 1:16
  Constance Lavonice: It can cause feelings of discouragement, sadness, depression, anxiety, fears.
• 1:25
  Constance Lavonice: Distractions affect the quality of relationships.
• 1:32
  Constance Lavonice: So what's the strategy?
• 1:34
  Constance Lavonice: What's beneficial?
• 1:37
  Constance Lavonice: What's good?
• 1:39
  Constance Lavonice: The strategy is holistic.
• 1:43
  Constance Lavonice: So think spirit, soul, and body.
• 1:50
  Constance Lavonice: First is our spirit, our relationship with God.
• 1:58
  Constance Lavonice: How do we align our heart with God?
• 2:05
  Constance Lavonice: It's through our spirit.
• 2:08
  Constance Lavonice: Proverbs chapter twenty, verse five states, a plan in the heart of a person is like deep water, but a person of understanding draws it out.
• 2:23
  Constance Lavonice: This means that you have the counsel and the wisdom of God within you to give you all knowledge and understanding.
• 2:36
  Constance Lavonice: The first step is to look within the Spirit.
• 2:42
  Constance Lavonice: What do we need to do to align our hearts with God?
• 2:48
  Constance Lavonice: What do you need to do?
• 2:51
  Constance Lavonice: Do you need to read your Bible?
• 2:56
  Constance Lavonice: Pray, meditate, surround yourself with other believers?
• 3:05
  Constance Lavonice: What do you need to do spiritually?
• 3:09
  Constance Lavonice: The second step or strategy is to examine your soul, your mind, will, and emotions.
• 3:25
  Constance Lavonice: What's distracting you?
• 3:27
  Constance Lavonice: Think about it.
• 3:29
  Constance Lavonice: Observe yourself for forty-eight hours.
• 3:33
  Constance Lavonice: Make a list.
• 3:34
  Constance Lavonice: Is it technology, the phone, tablets, computers, notifications, your mind wandering?
• 3:44
  Constance Lavonice: How is it wandering?
• 3:47
  Constance Lavonice: What are the interruptions that keep you from accomplishing your goals or stated or unstated intentions?
• 3:59
  Constance Lavonice: List it so that you can see the pattern and make a note of the emotions that you are experiencing as a result of these interruptions.
• 4:15
  Constance Lavonice: Write it down.
• 4:17
  Constance Lavonice: Emotions are signals that are helpful in managing our environment.
• 4:26
  Constance Lavonice: Our emotions function as a warning.
• 4:31
  Constance Lavonice: For me, it's distraction.
• 4:34
  Constance Lavonice: I get distracted, discouraged, and then feel defeated.
• 4:40
  Constance Lavonice: Distracted, discouraged, defeated.
• 4:45
  Constance Lavonice: And when I'm feeling discouraged, I know that's not from God because God has given me through his spirit love, joy, peace, patience.
• 4:56
  Constance Lavonice: So discouragement is the opposite of joy, and it doesn't come from God.
• 5:05
  Constance Lavonice: So that's a signal to me that something else is going on.
• 5:13
  Constance Lavonice: And when it relates to distractions, it that feeling of discouragement notifies me that I'm being distracted in the moment.
• 5:29
  Constance Lavonice: So what are the emotions that go along with the distractions?
• 5:42
  Constance Lavonice: The final holistic strategy to consider is your body.
• 5:49
  Constance Lavonice: What are the behaviors that are beneficial to incorporate into your daily routine?
• 5:59
  Constance Lavonice: The strategy for countering distractions.
• 6:04
  Constance Lavonice: The first step is being mindful of when you're being distracted.
• 6:11
  Constance Lavonice: Practice being present in the moment.
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  Constance Lavonice: Mindfulness.
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  Constance Lavonice: And when your attention wanders, bring it back to the present moment.
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  Constance Lavonice: Second, write down your goals or tasks.
• 6:32
  Constance Lavonice: Write it down.
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  Constance Lavonice: Just don't keep them in your mind.
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  Constance Lavonice: Because if you write it down, you're more likely to accomplish it if it's written.
• 6:49
  Constance Lavonice: So write those goals or tasks down, but keep it simple.
• 6:57
  Constance Lavonice: One to three objectives, specific and realistic, that you can complete that day.
• 7:08
  Constance Lavonice: Just one, two, or three.
• 7:12
  Constance Lavonice: You may complete more, but keep it simple.
• 7:17
  Constance Lavonice: And then consider the energy that your body needs to be most effective.
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  Constance Lavonice: Hydration, the food that you're eating, exercise, your need for sleep.
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  Constance Lavonice: Are you giving your body what it needs to fuel you throughout the day?
• 7:42
  Constance Lavonice: What you do to your body is important to your functioning in having a clear mind and a mind of clarity in helping you to recognize distractions.
• 7:58
  Constance Lavonice: Put all of these steps into action through practice.
• 8:04
  Constance Lavonice: Spirit, soul, and body, behaviors, the strategy, and practice them.
• 8:16
  Constance Lavonice: Practice, practice, practice.
• 8:19
  Constance Lavonice: Whatever work we are called to do, do it as unto the Lord.
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  Constance Lavonice: Colossians 3, 23 through 24, because that's who we are serving.
• 8:36
  Constance Lavonice: And the Lord has equipped you with all knowledge and wisdom and power to recognize and overcome any scheme of the devil, including distractions.
• 8:56
  Constance Lavonice: And if this message resonated with you, subscribe and share with a friend who needs encouragement in managing distractions.
• 9:09
  Constance Lavonice: And text the show.
• 9:11
  Constance Lavonice: I would love to hear from you and let me know what's on your heart.