Ten More Ways to Help You Live Fully
Additional ten ways to move forward in life with some Bible art, too

Hi friends,
I did it!! I finished my newsletter.
I missed writing last week. This little puppy has taken so much of my time. I haven’t written or painted!! But he is adorable and is learning. He is very smart. Too smart!!
Kong puppy toys are my life-savers, cardboard boxes filled with treats, squeaky toys and bones.
He is learning to fetch. He sits, lies down and comes (mostly).
Right now he is enjoying a kong and concentrating very well. I’ve tried puzzle toys but he uses his teeth and damages the toy. He jumps in his water bowl. We tried him in a kiddie pool - he loved it. I guess he’s a waterdog.
That last toy didn’t last long, so I picked him up and typed one-handed to edit. Now I’ve put him down with a box that has treats in it. He works on it to tear it apart.
A few weeks ago, I posted Reflect Back But Always Look Forward. I gave ten ways that have helped me. Here are ten more.
Ten More Ways to Help You Live Fully
1. Learn to take deep breaths
I used to count to 10 when the kids were driving me crazy. As I have said, we are in charge of our feelings and not theirs. Learn to breathe. Deep breaths will help us come back to centre.
Update: Bentley just about pulled over a lamp. He pulled on the cord. We’ve tried to hide the cord. Now I have used packing tape to tape the cord up high. Hoping this works. Now he is in my lap editing.
Remember we make the choices. What happens around us will not affect us as much if we remember that. Let’s learn to take control of ourselves.
2. Change up your routines
Routines are good but they can become boring. You will find by changing the way you do something you can bring life into the task.
Even our prayer lives can become routine.
Read a new book maybe about prayer. Join a new group to learn more. One year, I put my prayer requests from others in a box. Each morning I prayed those prayers.
Now I use the prayer journal I published.
Don’t fall into a prayer rut.
3. Care about others
If we focus on ourselves, we will be very insular. We want to warm our souls. Caring for others, a phone call, a letter, an email can make all the difference in your life. When we give of ourselves, we get so much back.
4. You are as young as you act
Smile. Laugh. Have fun. Enjoy the pleasure of being with others.
Being with children can make you feel young. Join in a game with them. Read a story.
When I led a Vacation Bible School each summer I felt more connected with kids. You can learn so much from them. It breaks the pattern of routine for sure.
5. Work hard
Work hard at whatever task you set. I remember someone saying, “Hard work never hurt anyone.” I’m not talking about over-committing or working long hours. I’m talking about putting in an effort and doing your best. Be as good as you can at what you do.
6. Backtrack if needed or pivot
Sometimes we make decisions that don’t work. That’s okay. Failure is okay. Turn around, pivot and start again.
We learn with everything we do. So no matter what happened you learned something from it.
7. Learn to control worry
Too much time is wasted by worrying. Think about it. If you worry and nothing bad happens you have wasted precious energy and time. If you worry and something bad happens, you will still have to deal with the results but you will be stressed from all the worrying and less able to handle the situation. This is another Bible journal about prayer.
8. Find a goal for your life
No matter how old you are, it’s never too late—or too early—to discover your purpose in life. If you’re a Christian, ask God in prayer to guide you. Pay attention to what you love doing and the talents He’s given you.
When you combine your passions and your gifts, you’ll find a deeper joy in everyday living. Maybe it's sewing, knitting, woodworking, cooking, chatting with friends, or playing games. These are just a few ideas—there are many more possibilities waiting for you to explore!
9. Don’t sit down for too long at one time
Certainly, as we age sitting can lead to stiffness of joints. Get up and move around every 30–45 minutes. A 5-minute break is good for your brain as well as your body.
Here is an interesting site for all ages.
10. Don’t sweat the small stuff
I know my daughter has an excellent way of teaching her children how not to get upset. She asks them, “Is it a big thing? Or a little thing?” Those small words help her children see if what they are upset about is important or not.
We will all have trials to deal with in this life. Some big, some small. Being able to name the size is important. We can let the little trials go — and say — “oh well.” Then, we can tackle the big ones.
May I pray for you and me?
Heavenly Father, please watch over my readers and their families. Help us find joy in our lives each day. Help us learn to pray for others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
If I can pray for you, please drop me a note or comment. Thanks for reading.
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I really enjoyed your article, especially the part about retaining our joy and childlike wonder.
Thank you for this: is it a big thing or a small thing? I am going to use it for myself and Eli this summer