Goal Setting & Vision Casting for 2017: Why This Year Will Be Different

Today I want to talk to you about getting the things done that you’ve set out to accomplish for each quarter, as well as the year as a whole.  At the end of this first quarter I want you to be able to look back and know that you used your time wisely and were intentional with the plans you laid out. I don’t want you to write down things to do from a place of feeling the need to be busy. I want you to be able to reflect on each quarter of 2017 and see fullness in your relationships as well as the work you set you hands to.  So here is how you should go about planning and preparing for a guilt-free 2017!

Mindset

Recently, I hosted a couple of goal setting and vision casting workshops to kick off the new year. Before the ladies came, I prayed over the time we were going to spend together and waited with an expectant heart for the ladies God would send my way.  My cup is still full from the time and fellowship I spent with these women who came and allowed God to pour into them and give them vision for the new year.

This was not the typical vision board party where you sit and do the task of creating a board that illustrates your vision for the year. (Don’t get me wrong, I love this particular task and I’m the queen of embellishing things!) However, this year God put it on my heart to talk to the women about mindset first.

Here's why: you can have all the vision in the world, but if your mindset does not match what you are setting out to accomplish you are going to run out of steam before the year's end. Yes, things from your board may still manifest, but each year we should also be doing internal work and making strides toward achieving growth from the inside out.

Assess

For transformation to take place we’ve got to start with doing what I like to call an internal inventory.  What have your carried into 2017 that did not serve you well in 2016? What things have you been telling yourself that don’t line up with God’s truth about you? Whether we like it or not, we will encounter other hurting people who will bump into us from time to time, and it’s important that we learn how to keep our hearts pure and clean, by guarding them and filtering out the yucky stuff.

During my live workshops I challenged the ladies to write down those things that they were carrying around because there is major power and freedom in releasing these things and not keeping them bottled up inside of us.

Now I challenge YOU to sit down and do a brain dump. Write down all of the things that are causing you to get stuck, or words that have been spoken over you that are just not true. Release them so that you can make room for God to fill you with his truth.

Your Word

The next thing we did was select and chat about our word for the year. Now this should not cause anxiety. If you don’t feel like you have a word yet, spend some time in prayer and ask God to show you the reoccurring themes in your current season. Where is He challenging you to go higher with him?

Don’t be afraid to ask him! He is actually waiting to partner with you this year on the most productive year you’ve ever had! Remember His voice is not one of condemnation, so the word you will hear from Him will be a word that empowers you to fulfill the greatness that he has placed inside of you. Don’t run from it - embrace it!

Priorities

Next you will need to set your priorities for the upcoming quarter and year. If you’ve never done this before, I suggest starting with your goals for this quarter. But, if goal setting and vision casting is something you do regularly, go ahead and tackle the whole year!

What priorities is God showing you? Is it your faith, family, finances, a specific area He wants you to be more disciplined in? Write it all down and be sure to follow it up with some actionable steps to take so that you will be sure to accomplish your goals.

Dream

Goal Setting & Vision Casting for 2017- Why This Year Will Be Different (1)

Goal Setting & Vision Casting for 2017- Why This Year Will Be Different (1)

Last but not least, I want you to dream - and dream big! You know those deep desires we all have in our hearts that we are afraid to unleash. Write those dreams and desires down. God challenged me recently and told me that there were things He knew I was dreaming of, but had not asked Him for.

I like to equate this to the relationship we have with our children or any family member or co-worker.  You know how you know people want things, but are too afraid to ask? Most times we don’t act on those desires until they ASK us. God wants the same from you! He created you with those desires and He is waiting eagerly to fulfill each and every promise to you! So - open up your mouth and ask!

I would love to help you flesh out your goals and vision for 2017 and I have a worksheet that I would love to share with you to help you in your process. All you have to do is get yourself signed up for a 2-hour intensive during which we will walk through your goals and vision together. When you sign up you'll receive your free goal setting and vision casting worksheet free as a special gift.

I can’t wait to see all the amazing things God has in store for you this year unfold! Cheers to 2017, friend!

3 Things You Need to Carry You Through the Holiday Season

In a perfect world what would your Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays look like to you?

Would you be surrounded by extended family or maybe just your immediate family?

Would you choose to go on an adventure with just friends?

Or would you choose a quiet low key option where you take in rest, and maybe spend some time serving the less fortunate?

Whatever you choose this holiday season there are 3 things you need to carry into every situation you encounter. Are you ready to be equipped? Wouldn't it be great if this season you walked away feeling completely full, both literally and figuratively? Here are the top 3 things that will allow for you to have the best time spent no matter who you are with or what you are doing!

Managed Expectations

Oftentimes we walk into our relationships ill-prepared. It's natural to think that everyone thinks the way we do, which can sometimes get us into situations where we are expecting things from both family and friends that they are not able to give.

Before you go to that next gathering be sure that you have managed your expectations. This looks like giving grace to loved ones (people can't read our minds.) It also looks like having a bit of extra patience (we are all doing the best we can!)

Most importantly - have compassion, and remember that family gatherings are not supposed to be torture. They are supposed to be fun! So, however you need to change your perspective so you can be a part of that fun, do it - you will be so glad you did!

Love

What would your time spent with family and friends look like if you always remembered to come from a place of love? We need to remember this holiday season that love is an action word. Is there one person at your holiday gathering that you typically have a hard time loving? We all have those feelings at some point or another, but this holiday season why not make an effort to show that person love?

Maybe you can prepare something for them or just make an effort to engage in conversation that you normally would not with them. If they happen to be the host of your holiday celebration, bring a small token of appreciation. Love always prevails and it always wins (even when we can't see it!)

Peace

Recently in my daily devotion time I read a definition of peace that just made me want to shout! I often find myself telling people to follow peace. But, what does that actually look like? Here is how Priscilla Shirer defines peace in her book Fervent:

Peace is the deep, inner, eternal stability the believer possesses by virtue of relationship with Jesus, a sense of balance that's not subject to external circumstance. It's also the quality that enables us to live harmoniously with others.

Our goal should always be to live harmoniously with others! It does not mean it will always be easy, but with prayer and seeking to understand rather than to be understood, you and I will be off to a great start!

Remember that, as you prepare for your gatherings and celebrations this time of year, you have the power to be the light. Embrace your family and friends, think of new games to play, create those traditions and most importantly - enjoy each other and have fun! We are all working to build our legacies, so choose to build one with love!

I would love to hear from you. How will you be spending your holidays this year? What are some of the traditions that you are looking forward to being a part of? How do you celebrate? Do you play games, carol, or bake together? Feel free to share in the comments below!

The holidays can sometimes be stressful or overwhelming - especially when encountering challenging relational dynamics. These 3 things will help you make it through! | EntriceRowe.com
The holidays can sometimes be stressful or overwhelming - especially when encountering challenging relational dynamics. These 3 things will help you make it through! | EntriceRowe.com

How to Have Healthy & Effective Communication in Your Marriage

Over the summer my husband came to me with a desire in his heart to go on a mission trip. When he first presented the idea, I immediately panicked. My fear was not a result of him going on a trip around the world, but from the fact that I felt like my life was going to be completely out of my control while he was gone. The funny thing is that much of our lives is already out of our control. So, here comes the “God” lesson. I would be left with our 4 kids to care for by myself for 14 days. And before you begin to feel sorry for me, I want you to keep reading. My husband and I hashed out whether he should go or stay (actually it was more of me hashing, his mind was made up!) He was going and I was going to have to figure out how to communicate to him how I was feeling about the trip, in a way that did not lead him to be defensive or resistant to hear my heart.

This was not my first rodeo in having strong feelings that were the opposite of my husband’s desires. But over the course of our marriage God has taught me how to position my heart on matters in my marriage that only he can give me proper insight on. Over the last several months God really started working on my heart and refining my attitude towards my husband and his big trip.

Now, I would like to share with you 5 of my best tips for cultivating healthy and effective communication in your marriage.

1. Start with prayer!

One of the biggest things I’ve learned (through trial and error) is the importance of praying before I have a BIG conversation with my husband. Although we are one, we still have different thoughts and ideas in terms of how things should be done.

If I just go to him before God has the opportunity to prepare his heart it can result in hurt feelings, me over explaining myself, arguing and a host of other things that are not productive in marriage.

There is power in God preparing your partner's heart for what you have on your heart. So go to God for guidance in how you should address your spouse.

2. Timing is everything

This is something you have to be strategic about. I never approach my husband with “we need to talk.” I’ve learned that timing is crucial to effective communication in all relationships. I always check to hear how my husband is doing before I lay big news on him. If he is distracted or doing something fun, I know that it’s not a good time to tell him big news.

So, create time and space in your marriage to check in regularly with each other. Also remember your tone is half the battle in communication. When we speak from a place of love our spouse is usually much more willing to hear our hearts - so be pleasant in your delivery!

Most things we want to put a timeline on, but do we really need to? Don’t allow fear to make you say something you may later regret.

3. Remember you're on the same team

When you approach from a place of believing "we are in this together" you are less likely to come at your spouse on the defense! Remember the end goal is for you to both have peace. It may take a little work to come to an agreement here, but it is possible. Ps: I’m going to share more about what God shared with me about the mission trip at the end of this post.

4. Always have a servant's heart

When we look for ways to be selfless instead of selfish it speaks volumes to those we are in relationship with. Now, I’m not suggesting here that we be doormats in our relationships. It’s definitely important to have boundaries that you stand by. But, whenever I put my husband’s needs before my own I not only see God meet my needs, but I see my husband’s heart towards me manifest through the gifts of the spirit (Galatians 5:22).

5. Remember God's perspective on marriage

Since marriage was God’s design, we know that it must be his desire for our marriages to be life-giving. When we shift our perspective to figure out ways to speak and pour life into our marriages, we are much better for it. When you are in a place of struggle in your communication remember God’s promises and remember that he has a purpose for you and your spouse. Don’t allow the enemy to tell you lies - keep your thoughts full of God’s truth.

So, back to the mission’s trip. Right now my husband is in Uganda. God began to speak to my heart and show me that I could let go of my tight grip and trust him for my provision, covering, and protection in my husband’s absence. While my husband is gone, God is strengthening me. He is teaching me how to have more patience with my kids and more tolerance for the unknown. I’m learning how to wait with an expectant heart for his creative blessings and miracles.

Will you and your spouse partner with God today for a kingdom marriage?

He wants you healthy and whole and he has a plan for you. I would love to stand in agreement and pray for strong communication in your marriage. Feel free to leave a comment if you would like me to pray for you!

[bctt tweet="Check out these great tips for communicating effectively in marriage!" username="EntriceRowe"]

Communicating effectively with your spouse can be a real challenge, which is why I'm sharing these 5 things I've learned to help you develop better communication! | EntriceRowe.com
Communicating effectively with your spouse can be a real challenge, which is why I'm sharing these 5 things I've learned to help you develop better communication! | EntriceRowe.com

Learning to Communicate with Yourself: Tips for Resetting Your Inner Critic

This post has been on my heart for quite a while. I’ve been very consciously watching and taking notice of both how I talk to and perceive myself for several weeks. Why have I been doing this? Well, because I've discovered something important about communication. If you don’t know how to communicate well with yourself, you are going to have the hardest time communicating with those around you. How you perceive yourself has a lot to do with how you perceive the world around you.

[bctt tweet="How you perceive yourself has a lot to do with how you perceive the world around you." username=""]

Ever heard of the term “inner critic?” It’s that little voice in your head that points to all things terrible about you and your life. It’s time to kick that critic to the curb! Learn how to reset that inner voice and you will have smooth sailing towards living up to the person God created you to be.

Follow the 3 tips I share below to begin falling in love with yourself!

1. Always address yourself in a positive manner

Take your thoughts captive! What exactly does this mean? When negative thoughts want to swirl around in your head you have to make a conscious effort to change the soundtrack and replace those words with what God says about you!

Girls, get in the Word. We’ve got to make it a practice to feed ourselves spiritually every single day! You have the mind of Christ. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are clothed with strength and dignity! See where I’m going here? To keep it simple, why not print this daily affirmations worksheet I created and hang it somewhere you'll see every day so you can repeat them to yourself.

Affirmations Printable
Affirmations Printable

Just pop your name and email below to instantly download this beautiful printable!

[convertkit form=4933501]

2. Know what you want

Do you have a hard time staying true to your heart's desires because you are afraid of what others may think? Many of us know what we want but never release it into the world because of our fears of how we may be perceived by others. Learn how to be okay with YOU. There was only one of you created and for a very good reason.

Take some time to get alone with God and ask him to show you how he sees you. Don’t be afraid of what he reveals. Remember, God is love so he is going to show you your positive attributes. Whenever he reveals truth about changes we need to make it will always be lavished with grace and love.

3. Evaluate your relationships

Are your friends and family contributing in a good or bad way to your inner critic? Are you getting more criticism than love? People have a tendency to want to “fix” other people. Remember you are not in need of a critical fix. We can all get better with constructive criticism, but if there are certain people who are constantly telling you that you need an overhaul, you may want to reevaluate the relationship. Hurting people hurt people, so if you are constantly being hurt with words by your people, it may be time to get new people.

At the end of the day, we all have areas of growth that we need to work on. Don’t hide from yourself! Getting to know yourself will really help you in your other relationships. You deserve to be treated with respect and to get what you want in life, which starts by deciding that you deserve the best!

Motherhood Doesn't Have to Be a Hot Mess

I know that I might catch some flack for saying this, but.....do you ever get tired of us mamas being portrayed as not being able to handle the portion we've been given?? Now I'm not by any means dismissing the fact that there are some MAJOR tough moments that we face in our mothering journeys.

In fact, I'm writing this post in the midst of a bit of "weekend hangover" (my husband traveled last week and I was flying solo with my four kiddos) there are loads of laundry that need to be done and I'm pretty sure my kids tattled on each other at LEAST 100 times between 6-7am!

I'm not suggesting that motherhood isn't hard. But what I am suggesting is that the struggles of motherhood don't define us as mothers. The real story is in how we overcomes those struggles, not in the struggles themselves.

Mamas, this is my plea: we need to take our power back!

Do you want to know what I learned at the end of last week while my husband was out of town? I learned that I had given my kids way too much of my power.

I found myself getting easily frustrated by the tattling, easily frustrated by the messes made around the house - easily frustrated by just about any and everything they did!

But, after making everybody go lie down so that I could regroup and get my sanity back, I decided it was time to sit the kiddos down and have a talk with them about my expectations for them daily - especially while Daddy is out of town for work.

Typically conversations of correction are followed by long sighs and a bunch of "I didn't do it!" But this time, my kids could tell that those excuses weren't going to fly and if they enjoyed living in a house with warm meals and clean clothes, they had better listen up to the lady in charge! ;)

I am convinced that the reason kids often get squirrelly in their behavior is because they aren't clear on our expectations.

Think about it for a moment. Kids typically follow the rules at school. They follow the rules in church class. They usually even follow the rules when they go to Grandma and Grandpa's! So what makes home different?

When we send our kids to each of these other places we usually also spend time getting our children acquainted with the rules and the consequences there will be for not following them. So, right away our children know they are expected to behave.

The question is: how do we bring about the same kind of behavior in our own homes on a more regular basis?

Now, please know that I am NOT by any means suggesting that I don't have amazing kids. I love all of my little cherubs! But, the minute Daddy goes out of town it's like they've been replaced by wild things and their one and only mission is to keep me pulling my hair out!

Well, this past weekend (after several come to Jesus moments!) I decided I was not having it and that there had to be a better way. So, I sat my kids down and gave them a little review of who their mama is and what she will and will not tolerate.

I think as moms it's SO important to open ourselves up to our kids. They need to see us as human so that they don't grow up one day thinking one of two things: 1) I can never live up to what my mom was OR 2) Wow, my mom sure has a lot of flaws that I just didn't recognize as a kid.

The gift I have always desired to give my kids is to see their mama as a woman who loved herself enough to make herself a priority in her own life.

So, here I am mamas to encourage you in whatever season you may be in. It's time to take back your power!

If that means putting the kids on a solid bedtime routine, dig deep and enlist help if necessary - you can do it!

If that means training the kids to whine and complain less, then teach them your expectations and hold them accountable while making time to hear their hearts and share your own.

If that means sitting down to figure out age-appropriate chores that will help around the house - do it! Don't underestimate the desire your kiddos have to help you (especially when they are little!)

If that means pausing to address difficult behavior, just remember that our kids act out when there is something they are craving or if there is something they are dealing with that we are not aware of. Get in your prayer closet and ask the One who created them to help you on this journey.

Don't ever be ashamed and don't you dare give up your power. You can do this! From one mama to another, I am cheering you on!

I have this little mantra I like to say that I want you to remember: Tomorrow is another day. 

Reminding myself of this truth helps me walk in grace and mercy no matter what areas I fall short in my mothering each and every day.

Instead of handing over my power to my kids, I'm going to allow myself to see where God wants me to grow. I'm going to see where God is trying to do a new thing in me.

I refuse to succumb to my flesh and say I can't. I can and I will, because He has called each and every one of us for such a time as this!

If you could use more encouragement, motivation and inspiration like this to help you through your marriage and motherhood journey, I'd love to invite you to join me in The Guilt-Free Girlfriends community over on Facebook (it's totally free!)

And, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Mamas, it's time for us to stop celebrating "hot mess motherhood" and take our power back! | EntriceRowe.com
Mamas, it's time for us to stop celebrating "hot mess motherhood" and take our power back! | EntriceRowe.com

Dealing with Your Fears

Fears - we all have them. So, how do we navigate life on a daily basis in spite of our fears? I would like to challenge you to think about how you think. Take a minute and think about how you talk to yourself over the course of the day. Are you speaking words of life or death over yourself? I like to think about my children when they get into a challenging situation. My kids will say “I can’t do it!” and they say it with quite a bit of emphasis. But, as their mom I typically won’t take “I can’t,” as a valid response. Why is it with other people we encourage and validate but with ourselves we tear down?

Each and every day we can give ourselves the gift of life. We can say, “I can and I will.” We can have the courage to push through resistance and not worry what other people might think of us. I think the beauty of making mistakes is that they teach us so many beautiful lessons. And, when you are able to see the process of another individual you are able to see that the climb isn’t as steep as you think.

I remember when God first asked me to show people my process and parts of my life that seemed too messy to expose (at least to me.) So often we want to show the final product to people, but learning does not take place from seeing just the final product. People need to also see how you got there!

This is something I think about often, because these moments of realness and authenticity that we can offer to others will help them get free of the need to be “perfect.” We should always offer our best to God, but we also need to leave room for his best.

So don’t be afraid to make mistakes or to fail. Give your best efforts, but also hold yourself to a standard of grace! Give yourself the space to live life joyfully, without the pressure of always having to be right or perfect. Give yourself the gift of courage, give yourself the gift of encouragement, give yourself the gift of compassion, and give yourself the gift of kindness. Because when we can give these gifts freely to ourselves, we can then turn around and give them to others!

What gift do you need to give yourself this week?

Be sure to really take some time and listen to the way you talk to yourself. If you don’t like what you hear, decide today to speak life. For as God's word reminds us “…the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” - Luke 6:45 (NIV)

We all have fears that get in the way of of us walking into the fullness of God's will for our lives. The question is not when or what we will fear, but HOW we will overcome our fear. Come read about the gifts you can give yourself to move past your…
We all have fears that get in the way of of us walking into the fullness of God's will for our lives. The question is not when or what we will fear, but HOW we will overcome our fear. Come read about the gifts you can give yourself to move past your fears! | EntriceRowe.com

5 Assumptions That Sabotage Our Relationships

I was listening to the radio the other morning, when I heard the morning show host pose a question about relationships and expectations. His question was, "Should you lower your expectations for people you are in a relationship with?" I wanted to dial in badly and answer his question! But, I was in a hurry and didn’t have time to give him these pearls that I am going to share with you today! Just thinking about relationships can make some people fearful. Other people delight and marvel at the opportunity to meet and create bonds with new people. As Christians we should always be seeking God for the relationships that he has for us. After all, he has called us to partner with him in building his kingdom.

So how and why do relationships get so complicated? What can we do to share the love of Christ but not get discouraged if things don’t pan out in certain relationships? Today I want to discuss the assumptions we often make in our relationships that cause things to go awry, and offer some tips to help you manage your expectations. Let’s dig in!

Assumption #1: Everyone thinks like we think

What a perfect world it would be if this were true! Or, maybe not because things could get boring rather quickly. I like to think that meeting people with different opinions creates space and opportunity for growth.

What exactly is it that causes us to want to hang around people that have the exact same beliefs as us? Yes, our inside circle should be filled with people that share our core values. However, for the purpose of growth people that we are in relationships with should also challenge us to become better versions of ourselves.

We tend to like hanging out with like-minded people because it’s “comfortable.” Think about this: is that comfort allowing you to become stronger and taking you to new levels in your personal, spiritual, or professional life? If not it may be time to evaluate your relationships.

It can be very dangerous to hang out with people who “always” agree with you! Challenge yourself to have relationships where you share values but are different in terms of how you like to live out life. For example I tend to be a homebody. So it’s important for me to have friends that enjoy adventures that will pull this homebody into some fun!

Assumption #2: People should know what we're thinking

This is a very dangerous assumption. Our friends and family cannot read our minds. We must speak up! It’s also not wise to put that kind of pressure on a relationship. It may feel scary to speak up and often times we don’t want to because we don’t want to get a NO.

We have to give our relationships the space for people to be able to tell us no without us falling apart. If you get a no, typically it has nothing to do with you. That person simply cannot fulfill your request!

Recently I needed to go to the doctor and all 4 of my kids were home. I was low on options for having someone watch them so I called my husband at work and asked if he could come home. This particular time he couldn’t, so he told me to see if I could get a babysitter to come and watch the kids.

Now, I could have easily gotten mad because he didn’t drop everything and come home. Instead I chose to shift my perspective and see the YES he was giving me. He said, “I can’t come, but why don't you see if you can get a babysitter.”

You’re probably wondering how in the world that was a yes. Well, I needed someone to watch the kids and he couldn’t do it, but he DID provide me with the resources I needed (money to call someone to watch the kids.)

So before we get bent out of shape we have to release people from our expectations that can sometimes be mismanaged!

Assumption #3: People have intentionally hurt or wronged us

I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody this vindictive (at least I hope not!) What I have found to be true is that often times people have their own things that they are dealing with that have absolutely nothing to do with us.

We have to grow to a place of maturity where we understand the world does not revolve around our circumstances and us. Don’t assume anything. If your feelings get hurt by a loved one, be brave enough to ask their intentions if it is something really bothering you. Otherwise let it go. As often as you can smile and share love!

Assumption #4: We should never be corrected

Don’t get caught up here! I just read an article recently that talked about being able to take correction as a sign of wisdom. Of course guard your heart and run things through a filter. But, if someone is sharing truth in love with us, we must not get defensive and shut down. Take what you can apply and always remain teachable.

Assumption #5: Our way is the right way

There is a difference between always being right and God’s standard of truth. If being right is ruining your relationships, the cost of being right is too high. God created us for relationships. We need people and should not be isolated.

Sometimes we need to step back from the need to be right in order to embrace others. I think sometimes we feel like if we don’t show them, then they will never learn. That couldn’t be further from the truth!

God truly does meet all of us exactly where we need to be met. Always extend grace and the love of God. We should all strive to focus less on being “right” and more on building strong enough relationships that we get the opportunity to speak truth in love.

It is my prayer that your relationships bring you life and not frustration! If you’d like to talk more about expectations and relationships, I'd love for you to sign up for a 30 min discovery session with me!

So how are you doing with those expectations in your relationships? Would love for you to share your thoughts in the comments below!

5 Assumptions That Sabotage Our Relationships

When It's Your Spouse's Time to Shine

Adjusting to sharing time can be difficult in marriage. When my husband and I got married almost 11 years ago we went from being the boss of “our” own individual time to having to share time pretty quickly. Because our first child was born a year into being married we had to learn how to share time so that neither of us felt like we never got a turn to do the things we wanted to do (without the baby in tow!)

As we went through the process of adjusting to the newness of being parents it didn’t always register for my husband that he needed to check in with me before he made plans. This was an area that I had to learn to give grace and not immediately get frustrated.

I knew that he was not coming from a place of malice; he did not carry a baby for 9 months so his life was not immediately altered upon conception like mine was. I had to gently express my needs in this season, where we could have easily gotten into many arguments of me feeling overlooked.

One of the things that I’ve learned the longer that I’ve been married is that your turn will come around. This is a concept that I actually teach my children as well because they can easily run into feeling like they have not been treated fairly because they did not get what their brother or sister got.

The same can come up in marriage when you have to spend a season allowing your spouse to shine while you take the back seat. In those seasons its important to have a support system and be sure to express your needs to your spouse in a way that keeps the lines of communication open and does not cause resentment.

Here are a few tips for keeping communication open when it’s your spouse’s season to shine!

Get help

This may be a season where you need to rely on family for additional help if you have children. If you don’t have that option, but you typically rely on your spouse to help out with chores inside and outside the house, if there is room in the budget, it may be time to outsource.

Communicate

We should be able to express to our spouse how we are feeling. Remember to always speak truth in love. Be sure not to keep things inside and then feel like you have to unload in a rant. Timing is crucial when you have to say something that may cause a reaction, so be sure to factor that in when communicating your needs.

Be supportive

The gist of this post is that your turn will eventually come around and, when it does, you will want your spouse to be your number one cheerleader! That typically happens when you have done the same for your spouse. Even when I have not fully understood, I’ve put on my happy face because when my turn comes I would like the support!

How do you show your spouse support when it’s their season to shine?

When It's Your Spouse's Time to Shine