Live Life With Purpose with Adam Smith

We all have this story of where we have been, where we are currently at in life, and where we are going, and usually the biggest contributor to this are the relationships in our life, and the biggest relationship we could ever have is our marriages. When your marriage is great, then life is great. But on the other hand, when your marriage isn’t going so well, then life doesn’t quite equal your expectations to living out a great life. We have all been there. If you have lived any sort of length of life, then you know life isn’t always perfect, no matter how much we want it to be. In these times life may look depressing, but it doesn’t have to. Our lives can be full of life when we choose for it to be. No, life may not always be perfect, but we can strive for it, and the first step is in showing that we care. Showing that we care about the people around us and care about where our lives end up in general, because living a great life makes a difference. When the marriage relationship is where it supposed to be, life is where it is supposed to be. The biggest part of leadership that we can all get better at is in our homes. It is a huge responsibility, but we can make it easier through making it the number one priority in our lives. Marriage is work, but the rewards from the work are plentiful. Just like anything else, you reap what you sow. It is up to you the amount of focus and energy you put into your relationships, but I do guarantee that you will get out of it what you put in. At some points in life, you feel the work more than other times. When things with your spouse are in harmony, everything else seems to fall into place. I don’t know about you, but I love these times in life! The goal should be to have these times more often. There has been a trend for years now where bad marriages have become the “norm”, but it doesn’t have to be this way. It is time to stop accepting this as as an okay thing. We all can do better than mediocre, right? If excellence in our marriages is a major priority, then we should at least have a better plan to actually make this happen.

Here are the 3 main areas for you to put a little more focus on to make your relationship with your spouse better overnight:

To explain what I am talking about, let me tell you where Jasmine and I are currently at in life. Jasmine is pregnant with a little baby boy! We were just apart from each other for over two weeks and she is fighting sickness through her pregnancy right now. She is such a trooper, but it would be easy to let the lack of time we are spending together because of everything else going on to get in the way, but we strive to use our time well. Of course it isn’t that we are perfect with our time, but it is that we are striving to be. each of us know this about each other and understand obstacles, but at the end of the day we have both learned to set time aside more quality time for one another. You see, it isn’t always the amount of time that you think you have, but how you use it that counts. The need for quality time together right now is apparent, yet we are connected more than ever. We have been down that rocky road of where our marriage wasn’t going well, and we know that feeling of despair in the midst of it all too well. We don’t want to ever go back there again, and we know how to get there as well as how not to get there, and it begins with spending quality time with your spouse and family.

Here are some necessary questions to ask yourself along the way referring to your time:

Is there a good balance to your life?

These are just a few questions to ponder, but they are definitely valid ones. With time becoming less and less due to our schedules becoming busier through more obligations and expectations from others, we have to prioritize our most important relationships more than ever before. Scheduling time with your spouse isn’t a bad idea, as it ensures that time is actually devoted to one of your biggest priorities, the relationship you have with your spouse.

2. Communication

3. Date Your Spouse

The points listed will help you both connect with each other. I would say a good rule of thumb is that if there is something in your life that allows for “disconnect”, then it is at least worth a discussion on what needs to be done to solve the issue or even a discussion on how to connect more through that area could help. 90% of the time there is actually an easy fix that can be done to improve the situation. Use these three point to dramatically improve your leadership in your home. Start there, and everything else in life will come.

My challenge to you is to begin focusing more attention on your home starting today. Leading starts in your home. You and your family deserve it.

The post #031: Leading Starts In Your Home appeared first on Adam Kirk Smith.

Minimalism is a concept that isn’t looked at often, because people want more and they want it now. Most people find themselves in a busy lifestyle and want a way out, but they keep adding more. Very rarely does someone take the time to think about what it is that could bring balance back into their life. The best answer to a busy schedule is a new lifestyle and mindset, and minimalism offers both of these things.

Minimalism is defined as a style or technique (as in music, literature, or design) that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity, but what if we took this idea and made it a way of life for ourselves? Minimalism creates a simpler way of life for people who will adopt this idea. The minimalist lifestyle carries over into every area of life and becomes part of everything we do. We all need to adopt this mindset now, so we can better prepare for the future.

We are all busy right now, and if we keep committing to things past what we can actually handle, we will eventually become over-burdened and stressed out. Whatever happened to a simpler way of life? When we begin bringing back a simple balance to our lives, it spills out into what we can do for others. This simplicity and minimalism brings more time into our lives for others.

The main benefit of minimalism is that it forces us to take a step back and take a good, hard look at our lives. Doing this also reminds us to enjoy the life we are already living out. So, where does implementing minimalism into our lives begin? It starts as a way of life.

If it is easier for you to conquer physical things first, and then go onto tackling the other ways you can implement minimalism into your life, then do it that way. You can start with the physical clutter that you see on daily basis around your home and office. Getting rid of things frees up not only physical space, but mental space to think as well. This is a great way to free up your mind to think about more important things.

Once you have your physical space where you want it to be, then begin focusing on the things that take up your time and your mental space. How can you get rid of things in your schedule to enjoy your time more with your family and also spend more time diving into the lives of other people more often? How can you lessen your commitment to those things that either don’t interest you or aren’t productive for you to be doing in the first place?

There is a balance to saying “yes” to things in life and being over-committed, and it is found in minimalism. Minimalism ties you to less possessions of this world and helps you focus on what matters most, which will always be people.

The post #030: The Power of Minimalism appeared first on Adam Kirk Smith.

I am guessing that you have a lot going on your life. In fact, you may barely be hanging on for dear life, just hoping for life to somehow slow down and your want is that life will give you back margin in your schedule once again. If you are looking at life this way, you are looking at life from the wrong point of view. You need to look at life in a more positive view. The answer is not to somehow manage the craziness, but you need to learn to bring more peace into your life. That’s your answer.

Here are three ways to bring more peace into your life and view life in a more positive light:

1. Don’t be afraid to look at reality.

This may sound weird to look at reality, especially if you are in a struggle right now, but doing this is necessary to move on in life. You are not fully able to deal with the issues at hand, until you are able to look at your current reality. When you do this, you are able to take care of the issues at hand and deal with what is happening in your current reality. If your present circumstances are great, then it will be easier to look at. This point is to really speak to those of you in a current mess, and need a way out. Don’t be afraid to look at where you are currently at and start making a plan to move ahead to a more positive reality. Once you do this, you will feel more peaceful with your circumstances and learn to build resilience along the way. Do this and learn to see a more positive world around you.

2. Be quiet.

In the busy, noisy world that we all live in, we would all benefit from taking at least 10 minutes out of our days to meditate on God. You won’t be sorry you implemented this routine in your life and from it you will learn the power of being still. Being quiet not only allows you to think, but it also gives you more time to search yourself and prepare for what is ahead. In this time, it’s not a bad idea to do nothing. We all need to have time in our day where we just sit and be. Doing this will allow you to discover more peace and will help you live in more harmony than you do right now. There is power in being still and quiet.

3. Help others.

I couldn’t do this episode without including this point. We all need more reminders to do good for others. There is something peaceful that comes from doing good for the lives of others. When people receive the benefits from your help, you help bring peace to others and yourself. Do more good and see more peace lived out through everyone involved.

When you decide to look at your current reality no matter where you are at in life, when you decide to be quiet and still, and when you help others, you bring exponential levels of peace back into your life.

Do these three things to find more peace in your life, today.

The post #029: Have More Peace In Your Life appeared first on Adam Kirk Smith.

My most popular blog post ever on my website is “You Need to Make More Mistakes” and it probably will be for a long time. I see that people are looking for more than a reason and an excuse to make mistakes, they want to take things in their own hands and try to save themselves. People want to take their own weaknesses and make themselves strong, when their passions and desires came from God in the first place. People want to self-help themselves to redemption. What people haven’t been able to look past is the idea that self-help is a way to help themselves. They never look further than this and see the true purpose for help. The only reason to seek help is to pour into yourself and then pour into others. We are all vessels that are intended to pour out into the lives of others. It never stops.

The point to realize here is that no matter what we do in our own power, it will never be good enough to save ourselves. None of us are good enough to do that. Now, that doesn’t mean to neglect living a great life, because we are to always be a blessing in the lives of others through what we say and what we do, but the only thing that can save us is Jesus, not our works. Every time we try to take life into our own hands, we will fail. God is the source that gives power, energy and strength to carry out a great life. Again, we were created to rely on Him. Every time we try to earn approval through works, it negates what the cross has already done. God doesn’t require you to do something to get something from Him. That’s the reason it is a finished work. His cross is bigger than anything you and me could ever do! That’s what is so beautiful about a relationship with Jesus Christ. God gives gifts, not rewards. It is not about what you do, but God gives us gifts freely because of His love for us. Go ahead and make mistakes not because you set out to do so, but because you aren’t perfect. It will happen. No matter how big the mistakes are, or if you can fix them in your own power or not, when you mess up Jesus is still there my friend. If you have ever wanted to know my beliefs and concerns on this matter there it is. Yes, I write a self-help blog and speak on the topic, but my goal is to always point to Jesus through my life, because He first loved me. We all love, because He first loved us.

God’s love and passion for us is bigger than anyone can fathom.

That’s right. The maker of this universe loves you and me more than we can even begin to understand.

God knew you were going to mess up. 

And the thing is, He says that it is ok.

As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is his love to those who fear him. And as far as sunrise is from sunset, he has separated us from our sins.

Psalm 103:11-12

He knew these things were going to happen and decided to look past all of the “mess ups”.  After all of this, He still just wants to know us more.

Unconditional love is a beautiful thing.

Let God’s love for you define you because it already has. Don’t let your circumstances define you.

And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God defines your life…

1 Cor. 7:17, MSG

Now, try to look at unconditional love from your daily point of view. Think of how many times someone has done something wrong against you. That one time someone cut in line. That time that someone said a bad thing or a lot of bad things about you. It is difficult to stay calm in every one of these situations and come out of it immediately loving the person who wronged you, right? When you think of it, these situations are small in comparison to what people do on a daily basis, and yet God sent His Son for all of that and more. So, maybe something has been bothering you for awhile. Maybe something so big that bitterness has set in and it now feels good to hold onto. We have all been there, but there is something that feels even better than a grudge… freedom in knowing complete happiness.  If there is someone or something that is keeping you back from expressing God’s love in your life and through your life, it is time to let go of it and let God take over. Right now is the best time to let your resentment go. Don’t let it go another day.

Yes, you will make mistakes but that’s okay. Realize that God is the source and show His love in every situation beginning, today.

The post #028: Why “You Need to Make More Mistakes” Is My Most Popular Post appeared first on Adam Kirk Smith.

What should I do now?

Maybe you have done all you know to do and you are now stuck. We have all been there. Feeling stuck is when we usually become complacent thinking that not much can happen so we don’t move, instead of seeking out direction. It is in these times of feeling stuck that listening to God is not only necessary for your own sanity, but it is required to move forward. But, even in this moment of feeling stuck, movement is what makes things happen.

Here are the three things you need to do in your moments of feeling stuck to bring the best possible outcomes:

1. Listen to God.

2. At some point you will have to put in some effort.

3. Be influenced by awesome people, books, videos, and podcasts in the meantime.

So as you can see, feeling stuck doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You can be productive during these times. There is so much you can do when you feel that there is no next step to take. Make sure you take enough time out to meditate, read God’s Word and listen to what He is saying, at some point you will have to go and do, and pour into yourself through people and resources to move ahead in life.

Do these three things and take the next step, today.

The post #027: What Should I Do Now? appeared first on Adam Kirk Smith.

In episode 6, we talked about the power of words and just how powerful they really are. You can either use your words to tear people down or you can use them to lift others up. I don’t know about you, but I choose lifting others up. It’s definitely more fun and your words might just be the thing that motivates the other person to see their strengths and go after their dreams.

Motivation lifts spirits, teaches you how to build others up, creates bonds, strengthens friendships, draws others to you and embodies positivity. Doesn’t that sound like something you want to do? Encouragement is the outward expression of love and positivity. Encouragement is lifting people up through words because you care.

Here are three ways to use encouragement in your everyday life and show people how much you really care:

1. When you don’t know what else to say, use encouragement. 

I hear a lot of times that people just don’t know what to say in situations. If you encounter a situation like this, use encouragement to show people just how loved they are. See the best in people and show them, when they might not be able to see it all. Displaying what you notice for them to see will bring them into a better state of mind and help them see their positive traits in a better light.

2. When people are down, use encouragement.

What better way to lift people up than by lifting them up with your words? People have so many great qualities within them, and sometimes they might just need a friend to show them what they are. Encouragement lifts the spirits of others and helps them see the hundreds of good things going on around them and in their lives, instead of the one bad thing that they are focusing on.

3. When people are hesitant or unsure, use encouragement.

Again encouragement is that thing that gives courage when people are feeling unsure. Encouragement builds bridges to people’s fears. It helps them see that they can actually do it and encourages them to take the first step. Of course in encouragement, you aren’t telling lies or just telling them things to bring false hope, In encouragement, you are simply telling the person the best things you see in their life and presenting the positive traits they obtain. When people are in bad situations, they can sometimes only see the negativity going on in their lives, and you can be there to help them begin seeing the positivity all around them.

Of course we will use positivity over negativity any day of the week, so always use encouragement. The opposite of encouragement, which is discouragement, tears people down and fails people when they need a friend. Of course there are times we may disagree with what people are doing, but discouragement isn’t the answer. In times like these, options are the answer. If you oppose something, you should always bring what you see as a better option to the table. Without options, your words are just negativity. Be a friend and be a light with the life you live out. Always bring positivity and encourage others every step of the way.

Go and encourage, today.

The post #026: The Need For Encouragement appeared first on Adam Kirk Smith.

Forgiveness is a thing that is hard to do sometimes. We sometimes want to hold onto a grudge and make the person who wronged us pay for what they did to us. If you have ever held onto bitterness though, you know that it is a terrible feeling. You know that it will burden and destroy you. It has a way of creeping in almost undetected until you realize that it has a hold on you. Now, whether it creeped in or you knew that you didn’t want to forgive, there is hope. You can decide right now to let go of the past and hold onto the future. Hope is a beautiful thing. I am not demeaning what you went through, as it probably was a big deal, but let me encourage you to seek out help.

I would encourage you to search your heart and if there is anything there that you are holding onto that isn’t healthy and that would keep you from pursuing relationships, get rid of it. If that means going to a person that you are holding something against, go to them and straighten it out. If that means that you are finally done once and for all with what happened years ago, then great! When you are able to let go, you are able to move forward. If you are holding onto the past in a negative way and not to learn from, then it is impossible to move forward. Don’t give others the opportunity to hold you back. Forgive, be free and love people. That’s what we are all called to do.

The post #025: Forgiveness appeared first on Adam Kirk Smith.

This episode may not be what first comes to mind when thinking about the idea of giving. Maybe you thought that financial resources were all that you can give, but there is so much more to life than that. You have resources to give right now, no matter where you are at today:

1. Time

2. Emotionally

3. Physically

4. Financial

Giving of your resources is a principle that works, because it is always given back to you, but that’s not why you do it. It works because it blesses other people. Giving changes things. It opens doors into the lives of others, takes the focus off of you, and puts the focus where it belongs; on others.

The post #024: Giving Is A Principle appeared first on Adam Kirk Smith.

How many times have you thought that you communicated what you needed to and it ended up that the person you thought you communicated the details to misunderstood you? Either you didn’t say it right, the person on the receiving end didn’t listen well or the importance of it wasn’t communicated and it just didn’t end up being done. Whatever the case may be, we have all been there. We have all had instances in which we could have communicated better or should have listened better to another person.

Communication is a two way street. Communication in relationships is one of the most important things in it, because it is where we release what we need in that relationship. It is a way to openly and honestly give feedback as to where we are and what we need. It is a lifeline to get others to take note and to express these feelings in the right words. Communication done correctly is well thought out and received in a good way.

Yes, communication is really this important. Here are the people who you communicate with the most and how you can communicate more effectively to each of them:

1. Your Spouse and Children

These are who you impact the most in your daily life. These are the people you as a spouse are most responsible for. Whether we realize it or not, even our body language, our silence, the joy that we bring and the words we speak all play into our communication as a whole. Your spouse and children look to you for direction and even look forward to you communicating with them. Where would you be if you or your spouse didn’t talk to each other? You both would be clueless, right? Without communication, there is no updates to the status of your relationships. Even as an onlooker from the outside, you can tell where relationships are at through not only verbal communication, but also body language. Everything speaks volumes within a hug and a kiss or silence and a cold shoulder. Your communication leaves wakes in the atmosphere you bring into a room. Make it memorable for all the right reasons. Love your family with everything you have, including the communication that you give.

2. Your Boss and Coworkers

In a work environment, communication is vitally important as well. It causes the work environment to run more smoothly or when communication isn’t where it should be, people aren’t on the same page. When communication is bad here, things aren’t running smoothly and productivity comes to a halt. Communication brings honesty and vulnerability to the forefront. One of the best ways to deal with your bosses is to communicate to them where you are at in your projects and your plan, especially if you work for micromanagers. This way everyone is happy. You are given room to breathe and work and your boss is happy because they know what is going on and what you are doing with your time. With coworkers, it is important to communicate with them because you are all playing for the same team. When you communicate with them, everyone is on the same page and you can teach each other things to help each other become better. Another way that everyone can communicate with each other at work is about their lives outside of work. If all you talk about is work with each other, then that is the depth of the relationship. But when you talk about more than work, these relationships will flourish and the bond between each other will grow even more.

3. Your Friends

When life begins to happen, relationships with friends sometimes dwindle. These friendships go away because communication stops, but it doesn’t have to. You can  call each other up, put dinner on the calendar once a month so you make sure it happens, shoot each other texts, make out of the blue phone calls, or write each other hand written letters. There are so many ways to keep the communication alive with these friends and all you have to do is commit. Commit to one way to communicate with friends to keep the relationship alive. Communicating with friends not only keeps those relationships alive, but it allows you to communicate with people outside of your direct circle. Friends usually have a different perspective than those that you hear from everyday. Friends are like a breath of fresh air and we all need these relationships to stay close to us through the good times and the bad.

Begin with implementing these points in your relationships at home, at work and with friends to communicate more effectively and start seeing better results, today.  

The post #023: Communicate More Effectively appeared first on Adam Kirk Smith.

Being available is the most important thing you can be for others. Why? Because people need you more than you could ever imagine. The problem is we all get busy and stuck in our routines without ever looking outside our own issues. We get lost in our daily activities and the idea of being there to help others isn’t one of our main priorities. To live a life of purpose, this has to change.

Here are four ways to be available right now:

1. Realize that when you make a difference in the lives of others, it comes back to you and it is passed on. It’s contagious! When you do something, it doesn’t just stop with the person you are doing it for. It always finds it way back to you and when you do something for someone else, it will be passed on to others as well.

2. Fill yourself up with so much, that you have to give it away. Read, study and listen. All of these things will fill you up with information, so that you will be ready to give it away. When you hold something so good in that it has to come out, it will bless others.

3. Get rid of the unnecessary in your schedule. We have covered this point before in a previous episode, but it is really that important. If it has to do with people it is necessary, but anything that doesn’t, get rid of it. This way you open yourself up to make an even bigger impact in the lives of others.

4. Be open to change. If you are at a point where you have things in your life that need to change, you will have to be open to change to move forward. Don’t be someone that is stuck in their ways and stuck in their ways. Move ahead when you are open to good change in your life.

Do these four things, be available and make a bigger difference, today.

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