Life Rekindled

Photos from Debbie Bolton's post

It's always a good idea to focus on what works in relationships instead of what doesn't. You're not only going to hear inspiring stories from couples who have been married for years—you'll gain insight into what they did to make it last. Reflect on their wisdom and make the essential changes you need in your relationship.

Recognizing what could be improved, or having an idea at least, actually makes things easier. Find people who are married successfully, and learn what they've done to make it work. 💍

Successful people understand that they are influenced the most by the five closest people to them – the ones they listen to the most and spend the most time with. My question is, “who speaks into your life?”

The older I get in life, the smaller my inner circle becomes. Several years ago, I realized that I cannot be friends with everyone and spend time with everyone. Time has become, and maybe always was, my most precious commodity, so I am very selective about who my inner circle is. These are people who have proven themselves trustworthy and wise over the years and have earned the right to speak to my life and the lives of others. After prayerful consideration and some discussion, the inner group was formed. I found it amazing that the others who joined together were looking for the same thing I was. We meet regularly and are attentive to each other in the following areas – faith, marriage, family, business, and health. We also like to have fun!

Because I recognize that I have blind spots (things I do not see but others do) and cannot know everything, I utilize the following approach:

1. I choose to be open to input in my life and actively seek it out. My favorite book is one that contains 3000-year-old ancient wisdom. It says that the wise actively seek input and counsel so they will succeed and be safe. That is the person I want to be!

2. I carefully consider input that I do not initially like or agree with. Because I trust those closest to me, I seek input from multiple sources (many advisors). If there is a consensus, I will most likely follow their input.

3. When I seek input from my inner group, I give enough lead time for them to think and pray about the advice they will share. I do not announce to my inner circle what I am doing and ask for their blessing. I try to give the appropriate time before the decision is needed and seldom make impulsive decisions.

This three-step approach will help you make better decisions and avoid the regret of poor decisions. Remember that all worthwhile endeavors are uphill and take effort, so enjoy the journey of seeking wise input from those closest to you.

READ | Tests We All Take & Must Pass by Mike Bolton

It seems to me that the world is changing at a faster and faster pace. New versions of cell phones, online apps, computer programs, tech toys and they are all the latest, greatest and will save you time and money. I have an older friend who decided that the world is changing too much & too fast, and he is not coming along for the ride. He will keep his old flip phone, his old truck, and his old home where he has lived for almost 50 years with few upgrades. Keeping the familiar and jumping off the continual change superhighway is one option to deal with the fast-changing world but there might be another option.

The second option is to be a continual learner. When I was younger everything was new, and I had to learn diligently and quickly. This was a daily task and took a lot of mental and emotional energy. As we get older the ability to learn new tasks sometimes takes more energy than we have. What can we do? Here is a list of the things I do to stay in the continual learning mode day in and day out:

1. Focus on the areas that I want to have a degree of mastery in. Several years ago I decided that a narrower focus was more important than ever before in the fast-changing world. I narrowed my focus down to master these three areas – Mission & Life Purpose, Marriage & Relationships and Marketplace (Business) & Leadership. This allowed me to say “Yes” to the three focus areas and “No” to the rest. This simplified my life considerably.

2. Develop a growth plan to learn in these three areas. Most people have heard of the 10,000 hour rule to mastery – it takes about 10,000 hours of study and practice to master an area. The interesting thing about this rule is that in the first 2000 hours we accomplish 80% of the mastery. This is more mastery in 2000 hours than the masses of people today will ever have, and you will be considered an expert.

3. Everyday work on one or more of the focused areas of learning you have decided. This involves a list of books to read, courses to take and products to develop and sell. My wife Debbie recently said that your business should not be a hobby – hobbies cost, businesses are to make a profit. Whatever activity is not bringing value needs to be eliminated or delegated.

This three-step approach will help you stay in the game of life & business, and you will be relevant and successful. Remember that all worthwhile endeavors are uphill and take effort – enjoy the journey of continual growth.

The beauty of God's love is that it's always open. The Great Thanksgiving Day meal we're having doesn't just prepare us for a traditional feast; it prepares us for an eternal feast—a celebration of spiritual weakness and tribulation, peace, and acceptance. This holiday season, remember the best and most important things in life. Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing you a wonderful day full of love. 🦃🥂

LOOK | Connexus Conference 2022

Last October, Mike Bolton had a heartwarming preach about having hope within ourselves to share with others. Mike shared his faith and wisdom about taking charge of your thoughts and decisions.

Everyone's story is different, but it's important to realize that God has great plans for you. Hearts were touched by Mike's inspirational message, and we wanted to share it as we know there is hope within us.

Working as a team is dynamic because together we can do more than the sum of our individual efforts. I love sharing and teaching leadership principles that work with Debbie.

Sometimes you meet an amazing leader. I recently had a chance to connect with USAF Four star General Bruce Carlson (ret.). He had a great quote about leading a team. It’s the 60/20/20 rule - 60% of the team wants to get things done, 20% are on the fence and 20% will never get onboard. Work with the willing and move the others out.

Sometimes you meet an amazing leader. I recently had a chance to connect with USAF Four star General Bruce Carlson (ret.). He had a great quote about leading a team. It’s the 60/20/20 rule - 60% of the team wants to get things done, 20% are on the fence and 20% will never get onboard. Work with the willing and move the others out.

Sometimes you meet an amazing leader. I recently had a chance to connect with USAF Four star General Bruce Carlson (ret.). He had a great quote about leading a team. It’s the 60/20/20 rule - 60% of the team wants to get things done, 20% are on the fence and 20% will never get onboard. Work with the willing and move the others out.

Taking control of your time is the key to success. If you're not in control of your time, it will control you. And that means a lot of things—finding time for yourself, managing your time so that you can get everything done on your list and still have some free time for fun things like going to the movies or having dinner with friends, and finding the balance between work and personal life.

It's easy to get sucked into the vortex of everyday life and forget about yourself. But if you take just five minutes each day to reflect on what's important to you, who are you and what do you want? It'll help keep you focused on what really matters when it comes down to it and will help avoid mistakes like procrastination.

Did you want to follow us on social media? We're happy to share that we have pages for all of our followers to check out. 🙌🏻

We'll be posting there as often as possible, and we'll also try to make sure that each post is as interesting and engaging as possible. If you haven't already, head on over and give us a follow!

"Things in life happen to us. We have two choices: it's either going to make us bitter or better."

Life just happens. Some things are hard, but hopefully, eventually, we will be able to handle them. But then again, what you refer to as "just life" results from the choices we make in our lives and whether or not those choices will make us bitter or better.

The power is within you to make things happen for yourself.

The best decision for any couple is to communicate openly, honestly, and frequently. A relationship is built on compromise, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your idea of how things should be. When it comes down to it, doing exactly what you both want is the best decision for any couple. The world would be better if all people followed this golden rule and settled issues early on.

"The best decision for any couple is the one that you can agree on." 💍

"Every day, you choose your attitude, thoughts, and actions — you choose whether or not to be happy."

Your thoughts shape your attitudes and choices, and your attitudes and choices determine the quality of your life. It is not what you have or who you are but how you act in the face of challenges and adversity and how you choose to react. Happiness is a choice.

Don't assume; have the discussion. 💍

You can't fix what you don't know. When you get married, you commit. You're not just saying, "I do." You're committing to being in this together, so it's important to talk with your partner about the important things to you as individuals and as a couple. It is essential to understand that your partner may not think the same way as you do. Sometimes, the best way to navigate difficult conversations is by having them – don't assume you know what the other person's thinking just because they seem upset.

"Dealing with your family origins is not a one and done kind of thing. This is not a weekend course. This is not a one-day event. This is an ongoing process."

Family history is a complex, fascinating and rewarding journey. This process will be ongoing. You can better understand yourselves as individuals, be confident about your place in this world, and respect the decisions that have been made for you by others. This can also open up to other family members who may have things to say. It's one you should take with those close to your heart. The best way to start this journey is with support from family members, neighbors, and other people who know and love you as much as we do—though we realize it's not always easy for them either! 👨‍👩‍👦

Michael Bolton & Debbie Bolton | Bible Preaching

Mike and Debbie are a united couple who have faced many challenges in life. They talk about the hardships that have helped shape who they are today, their faith, and their dream for the future.

The best decision you make is to trust God's will and timing. Trusting that every situation, circumstance, move, or event has a purpose whether you have the answers or not. This can be difficult at times but with a bit of prayer and patience, your soul will be set free to trust God and live authentically despite all the chaos around you. The Christian life is a journey of faith. God's will dictates our decisions along the way, and you will grow in your ability to trust His timing as you discover His plan is perfect.

Michael Bolton & Debbie Bolton | Bible Preaching

LISTEN | Choices That Help Me Grow & Maximize Success
pod.co - https://pod.co/mwm/choices-that-help-me-grow-maximize-success
youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOJWPiEue_Q

In life, we must continually evaluate our choices and develop strategies to keep moving forward.

📌 Learning that taking responsibility is the foundational step in our success.
📌 Making choices based on good values.
📌 Choosing to focus on the now and follow through.

Minute With Mike is a part of the Life Rekindled brand focused on the topics; Marriage, Mission, & Marketplace. If you would like to know more about Life Rekindled. You can do so by visiting liferekindled.com

LISTEN | Minute With Mike Ep. 28
pod.co - https://pod.co/mwm/how-do-i-grow-my-capacity
youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT2_h0d7udA

Learning how you can use your strengths and talents to positively change the world around you.

💡 Knowing the importance of building positive relationships.
💡 Learning how to manage your emotions.
💡 The importance of motivating ourselves when things get challenging.

Minute With Mike is a part of the Life Rekindled brand focused on the topics; Marriage, Mission, & Marketplace. If you would like to know more about Life Rekindled. You can do so by visiting liferekindled.com

Life is full of surprises, but always in a good way. Don't just meet expectations; exceed them. Challenge yourself to be the best version of yourself. Teach your kids to do the same, and you can be a family that makes a difference grows strong, and lasts forever.

READ | Choices that Help Me Grow & Maximize Success by Mike Bolton

I have been re-reading the 2017 book by John C. Maxwell called "No Limits." In the book, John talks about focusing your energy on your strengths, not your weaknesses. The older I get, the more I am convinced that when I take time to work on my weaknesses, I can minimize them to a degree, BUT when I work on my strengths, I can significantly move my impact and success forward. I try to consistently apply the Pareto Principle, the 80/20 rule, which is spending 80% of my time and effort working on my strengths and 20% minimizing my weaknesses.

In his book, John Maxwell has a simple formula to grow your capacity: AWARENESS + ABILITY + CHOICES = CAPACITY. In previous Minute with Mike (MwM) articles & podcast episodes, I talked about awareness and growing your ability. In this article, I want to talk about the third part of the formula: the choices I make.

Everyone makes choices every day that affect their life. Some of the choices we make move us forward and other options hold us back. In his book "No Limits" John Maxwell lists ten choices we make that will grow our capacity and, therefore, our success. Here are a few of them:

1. Responsibility – we choose to take responsibility for our own life. Taking responsibility is the foundational step in our success. When we play the victim card and blame others, we choose to abdicate responsibility and will therefore take no positive action. Michael Korda says, "... the one quality all successful people have is the ability to take responsibility." It is also important to remember that taking responsibility makes you ready for action. "Action springs not from thought but from readiness to take responsibility," Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

2. Character – we make choices based on good values. Remember that good character is consistent in all areas of life and speaks much louder than the words we speak. "Good character is like a tree and reputation is like its shadow" Abraham Lincoln.

3. Abundance – we choose to believe that there is more than enough available in the world. John Maxwell asks a good question, "what does it look like to live on the other side of NO?" It is limiting because it keeps us from opportunities. It is easy because we do not have to do anything. It is comforting because it feels familiar. Lastly, it is crowded because most people live there. What about living on the other side of YES? Firstly, it is exciting because we will have to figure things out and use creativity. It is enlarging because we will grow in our experience. Lastly, it is rewarding because we often find more YESES on the other side of the first yes.

4. Discipline – we choose to focus on the now and follow through. It is so key in life to live a life of discipline because when we do, we find the freedom we are looking for. To live a disciplined life is to know what is most important and focus on it. I am reminded that I must act even when I do not want to act. If I waited for the right moment and the right emotions, I might never get much done.

Enjoy the journey of self-awareness, growth in your abilities, and making consistently good choices. Tony Robbins says, "most people overestimate what they can get done in a month and underestimate what they can get done in a year." I am excited for you to accomplish more & more and live out your dreams. Your best days are ahead!

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