TimeRich with April Bragg

Ever looked at a talented friend doing something that you secretly wish you could do, but you're plagued by the thought "I could never do that.  She is so confident!"

Well, I've learned a little secret.

There's not much that we cannot LEARN how to do.  Even things like speaking on stage or video - which is the thing that I wanted to learn how to do - even though the mere thought had me breaking out in HIVES!

So, in this 100th episode of Bragg...About Life, I thought I would share with you my story of going from "I'll NEVER be on video" to now starting a YOUTUBE video!  And going through this journey showed me there are 2 questions and 1 secret ingredient I use all the time to cultivate confidence.   And that's why I'm calling it the Confidence Formula.

Now, I'd love to hear from you - what area of your life would you like to apply the confidence formula to?  Tell me and I'll cheer you on!

Ever wished you had more time?
Ever feel guilty for wanting more time for yourself?

What if those 2 things are linked?

There's a reason why most women's time management problem is not going to be solved by "becoming more efficient" or "going to a digital calendar".

I know.  I tried.  I even bought a HUGE wall calendar and wrote EVERYTHING down - and still didn't have time.

Because there were 3 people stealing my time.

And that's why I now know this - if we don't stop the steal, it won't help to make more time - because that extra time will just get taken too.

(kinda like government with our income taxes - but I'll keep this non-political, lol!)

Listen, TIME is the currency of our life.  It's what we use to buy experience and memories and share our gifts and presence with others.  

May this video inspire you to see your time as your most VALUABLE asset to steward.

I'm concerned that we as Christians have accepted BUSY-ness as NORMAL.  

I'm not talking about being productive.  I'm talking about that rushed feeling we all have when we believe "there's not enough time for me to do what I need to do."

Does your life feel BUSY - all the time?

In this episode, I explain the difference between being "busy" for a season versus being busy as a lifestyle, and how I was taught that Godliness looks like "being busy all the time" and why I believe that is actually a lie from the Enemy rather than way God designed us to exist.

I also share the BIG reason why I have chosen to reject "busyness" as a normal state, especially for Christians.

Finally, I share a few reasons why we fall into the busy trap, and 3 steps for breaking free from it.

Don't you love a great shortcut - a life hack - something that makes life easier or better?

That's what I think WISDOM does.

Only problem was, I used to think, "It takes a LOT of time to become wiser. Or a LOT of experience."

Well, recently, I realized that I have been using a shortcut to WISDOM for a long time.

Today, I'm sharing that Wisdom shortcut with you.

I like to think of it as "Put 100 years of wisdom in the same room and grow wiser in one day"

And that's why I love the idea of "Cultivating Intergenerational Wisdom"

In this episode, I share where I got the idea, how I implement it, and how you can start too.  

I'd love to hear your perspective - do you have wise women in your life from different age groups that you love to spend time with?  

The Faith To Do Hard Things?

I have a saying.  "Life's not meant to be HARD; it's meant to be LIVED."  

I started telling myself that sometime in my late 30's.  

See, up to that point, I was always trying to make life easier.

And, in A LOT of areas, I succeeded.  

I simplified my home, I automated my homeschooling, I mastered budgeting, I even got on board with exercising on a regular basis.

It felt like I was a real ADULT, lol!  

And then God prompted me to do something NEW, something DIFFERENT, something HARD.  

Because life isn't supposed to get easier and easier - we're supposed to GROW AND GROW.  

As we grow, what WAS HARD becomes easy, and we have more capacity and more capability.

WHY is life like this?  

BECAUSE it does US good, it does the WORLD good, when we exercise FAITH.

So, in this episode, I share what "HARD" thing I'm up to these days, why I believe we are called to WALK by FAITH, and how I hope YOU too will commit to WALKING BY FAITH...

Even if it feels hard.

PS - That book I was talking about?  Here's the first chapter for FREE - https://aprilbragg.com/book/

If we ENJOY reading the Bible, then we will naturally do more of it.

And also, sometimes finding even 5 minutes a day to call our own is challenging!

In this episode of Bragg-About Life, I share 3 main ways to read our Bible  - or as I like to call it, "Finding Your Bible Reading Style"!

But, here's something that I didn't say in the episode - ANY time spent in the Word of God is potentially transformational. 

One verse, quoted from memory, on repeat throughout a difficult day, is my FAVORITE way to spend time in God's Word - even if I don't actually OPEN the Bible (or OPEN the BIBLE APP on my phone - which is how I exclusively read these days!)

A Bible verse posted on the wall, a daily verse notification, a coffee date and Bible study with God at Starbucks, a Youtube video of the Bible being read to you - let's use our God-given CREATIVITY to ENJOY learning more about God, His love for us, and His success principles for life - a little bit every day!

Remember, it's a journey so, have fun with this - I'll allow it! (LOL)

Do you feel guilty for not reading your Bible "enough"?

Yeah, that's gotta stop!

What if a "have to" attitude is getting in the way of you genuinely enjoying spending time in the Word?  

In this episode, I share the reason I stopped reading my Bible altogether for a season of my life, and the AMAZING discovery that came from that act.

Now, I don't want to spoil the ending - so listen to the episode to find out what I think about reading my Bible now!  

And, here are all the goody links I promised in the episode:

https://www.heavenlyplaced.com/ is my personal favorite Bible reading resource from someone who TRULY enjoys reading God's Word, and hopes to inspire others to enjoy it too!

Wanna listen instead of reading it?  I've got you!  https://www.youtube.com/@HeavenlyPlaced

And if you want to go deeper, then join the "Be Transformed" Challenge here - 

https://aprilbragg.com/challenge/

I didn't know that God had given me SO.MUCH.POWER.

That's just 1 lesson I learned from working with a coach.

I also didn't realize that the reason I lacked joy in my life was NOT based on my current circumstances - but rather on the way I was thinking about them, and feeling like a victim to those circumstances.

I didn't realize that ONE THOUGHT could change my life.

Finally, I didn't realize that working with a life coach would make DREAMS come true.

Yes.  It souonds like an EXAGGERATION.  

But how else could I describe the transformation in my life, in my marriage, in my relationship with my kids, in my relationship with God???

See, I fell into a common error - I didn't know what I didn't know.  And what I didn't know was EXACTLY how I was keeping myself from experiencing and enjoying God's PROMISED ABUNDANCE for my life.

That's why I recorded this specific episode.

Not because I want to twist your arm and talk you into working with me (in case you did not know, I am a Certified Life & Relationship Coach).

No, I share this episode because you too might be where I was 5 years ago - wondering, "If I'm a Christian, why am I not happier?  What am I missing?"  

Sometimes, God sends discontent in our hearts so that we'll NOT SETTLE for less than His VERY BEST.

So, here's my quirky little story of how I, the world's biggest skeptic, found life coaching, used the tools (plus my knowledge of Biblical principles) to transform my life from the inside out, and WHY I then became a coach.

Hope you enjoy this - and feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have any questions!

I've heard it been said - God cares more about your holiness than your happiness.

Which leads us to believe - God is not interested in our happiness at all.

And I think that idea is completely contrary to Scripture.  

I'm gonna be honest - it breaks my heart when I ask the question "Are Christians supposed to be happy" and people resound with a confident "NO!"  

Did you know that "Blessed" in the Bible (in both Hebrew and Greek) means "happy"?

So, are Christians supposed to be blessed?  YES!

And that's what I think the problem is.

We know with our head that we ARE blessed, even if we don't always feel happy.

But when we FEEL happy, it's because we are REMEMBERING how very blessed we are!

Want to be happier?  Why wouldn't we???

Well, in this week's podcast, I share the 3 times we are happy, what happiness really is (the 3 P's), and my answer to my mother's question, "April, are you happy?"

EEK.  Moms have a way of cutting straight to the heart, right?

I think God created us to crave happiness for 2 reasons - 

1. When we're unhappy, it can be a powerful signal to seek God and ask why.  "Delight thyself in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of your heart."  
2. I think our happiness, our contentment regardless of the circumstance is such a profound witness to non-believers that God is GOOD, God is LOVE, and God's WAYS are health, and truth, and life - in a very real, very practical way. "Godliness with contentment is great gain."  

So, maybe our holiness and our happiness really cannot be separated from each other?

I mean, holiness WITHOUT happiness?  What does that even look like?  My guess is - the Pharisees of Jesus' day, who were always criticizing the Perfect Son of God for having too much fun on the Sabbath!

Just some thoughts to think on this week!

PS - Know you're missing out on some happiness but not quite sure why?  Book a free Clarity call here - https://aprilbragg.as.me/Clarity

Ever felt held back in life by your inability to MAKE MORE MONEY?

Ever felt uncomfortable asking for a raise or offering to sell your product or service to someone else?

Wondering why people aren't EXCITED about your stuff - EVEN if it is free? 

That's because we've bought into a lie - that sales is a creepy thing that people do in a creepy way to make money for selfish reasons. And we don't want ANY part of that - nor should we!!!

In this interview, Kat Schubert, co-CEO of "THE Salesgirls", is going to dispel the myth that sales is creepy, and that women can't (or shouldn't) master this life skill.

We'll also answer what "selling" really is - and how selling can help ANY WOMAN, whether you're a career woman, entrepreneur, single or married, or mom, MAKE THE MONEY YOU DESERVE by learning how to do ONE THING - Persuade for Good!

GRAB THEIR BOOK:   Persuade for Good: How to be a Person of Influence Who Changes the World One Conversation at a Time - 

JOIN THEIR CHALLENGE:  Sell Your Offer Challenge: How any female entrepreneur can make more money consistently (even if you believe that selling is the worst part of doing business)