The Power Of Planning

Hey Mamas,

I hope you are all well and in great health!

Today, we will be looking at the power of planning and why I believe planning is a great tool that everyone should use.

Benjamin Franklin once said “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” There is so much truth in this phrase because when we plan we have a structured regime of what we want to happen, where we need to be and what we need to achieve. Leaving things to chance especially as a busy woman and Mother can go either way. I prefer to be organised and know what is happening next, but I still leave room for some flexibility and spontaneity from time to time. I will not always do the same thing every single day, I make sure that if plans change, I can work my way around the change and that it does not affect Isabella-Grace and I so much.

Now you know my thoughts on planning, let’s move on to how you can plan. In my online store Amateurs De Papiers I sell a wide variety of planning resources to help you along your journey throughout life and as a Mother. One of my favourite planners is the 10 Year Plan And Monthly Goals Planner with vision board planner because it features all the things I love in one. So it is basically 3 different planners in one place for you to be able to see your goals, stay accountable and create a vision board each month. I like the idea of reflecting on where I am now and where I aspire to be too because this helps me to know what work I have done and what work I am still required to do to get closer to my goals.

You can use planning resources like what I have just mentioned or you can use downloadable resources. The choice is yours. I believe everyone has their own personal style and preference, so maybe you are someone who would rather use a folder/binder to keep their plans in or maybe you use a Filofax. The possibilities are truly endless and I would encourage you to explore the options that fit well with you and your lifestyle. The end goal with planning is to put your dreams, goals, aspirations and vision down, so that you can work hard to achieve them.

I have seen how planning has changed so many lives. I have met some who have not been keen on planning, but have purchased (at the time they were separate planners, then I combined them) my 10 Year Plan and The Monthly Goals Planner and they have given me great feedback about how they like to use the planners to maintain consistency. It is a joy to hear of how planning is changing their lives.

Now, I must stress that I am a firm believer that when we plan we have to be mindful of a very important factor and that factor is GOD of course! Without Him our plans will just never come to fruition especially if they are not God’s plans for our lives. You may have a dream of becoming a CEO, but God may desire you to work in ministry. You may want to be married with 4 children and God may allow you to be married and have less (or more!) God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, God’s ideas are not our ideas and He most definitely does not think as small as we do (I mean look at the entire universe God created all by Himself!!)

Submit your plans to God always and allow Him to lead you to His vision for your life. This is the most important step of everything I am about to say because this is the reason why so many plans fail. Trust me, I know because I have been there! I ran ahead of God countless of times planning to do this and that, God sat back and watched me probably shaking His head too and then He allowed each plan to fail. Of course I was upset, I had a huge thing about failure and not being able to do a project to the best of my ability, but had I consulted God beforehand this would have all been avoided. So Queens please learn from me and try to always pray before you leap!

I have a free resource for you! Please feel free to download this resource and do let me know your thoughts on it. I hope it helps you.

Before I end this post, I want to leave you with this biblical reminders:

1. “Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.” - Proverbs‬ ‭16:3‬.

2. “There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.” - Proverbs‬ ‭19:21‬.

3. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” - Isaiah‬ ‭55:8‬-9.

4. “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.” - Proverbs 16:1.

5. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” - Proverbs‬ ‭3:5-6‬.

6. “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” - Proverbs 16:9.

7. “Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.” - Psalm‬ ‭20:4‬.

With Love,

Roxanne-Sasha x