Why take the time to write? Does anyone really care? For starters, some reasons not to blog:

1. You want big money. You have read about some self-help blogger who boasts of 5 figures every day. First off, don’t believe everything you read. Second, even if this is true, realize that this probably takes the time equivalent of two full-time jobs.
2. You want influence and recognition. Forget it. Do you know how many blogs there are on the internet? According to wpvirtuoso.com, there are over 152 million.
3. You want to make a difference in others lives. This is a noble desire, but how practical is this, considering the deluge of media with which most people are saturated on a daily basis?
4. You want to be an authority on a particular subject. Sigh. No, blogging does not make you any more of an authority on anything. You need education and research for that.

So, why do I blog? While there may be some smaller reasons (or desires) for why I do so, it really all boils down to one thing: it increases my level of consciousness!

Even if blogging never earns me a penny, even if no one reads what I post, I will continue to blog because it makes me more conscious of my thought patterns and more adept in articulating myself.

Who needs a better reason than that? If you are considering blogging, I would encourage you to go for it. If you do it for the right reason, you will be tremendously blessed.

What would you change about your life if you know this was your last week to live? Your answer to this question is a good litmus test to see how consciously you are living.

Ideally, if asked this question, you should be able to say that you would change nothing about your life. Is this possible? Well, yes, but perhaps for a different reason than you are thinking about.

I am not inferring that you can live in a perfect environment (beautiful climate, no health problems, good relationships, etc.), or at least not right now. However, it is definitely possible to live fully according to the paradigm that you have set for yourself.

If you set a paradigm that challenges and stretches you, but is within your capabilities, and believe that following that paradigm will ultimately bring you the most joy and fulfillment, you can reach a spot where you are consciously satisfied with your existence.

So, if you are feeling depressed or unmotivated, think of this as your last week to live, and give it all you have got. Then, if you happen to make it to next week, give that all you have got. Make sure you live in both scientific and philosophical modes of existence.

Experience the power and fulfillment of living in appointed times by faith. Don’t live in the future. Live right now.

Breathe. Believe. Succeed.

Have you ever felt something you did was a waste of time? Of course you have! We all have.

Have you ever asked yourself why you felt it was a waste of time? In other words, what makes some activities time-wasters and other activities a good use of time? This is a very hard question to answer. Let’s consider some possible causes that make activities time-wasters:

1. Tediousness. Slow, monotonous busywork is generally less than enjoyable. However, there are definitely tedious activities I do that, though perhaps unpleasant while doing them, I feel are very worthwhile and necessary, such as cleaning bathrooms or doing homework.
2. Discomfort. Some activities and work cause pain or physical irritation, from repetitive stress syndrome when typing on my blog and playing musical instruments to a sore back when removing the leaves on the pool cover. Again, though, I tend to view these tasks as productive, despite some of the aches and pains they might cause.
3. Awkwardness. Not fitting in at social events and feeling uncomfortable in certain environments can seem like a poor use of time. However, the only way to develop ourselves oftentimes is to venture into what initially can be awkward encounters and situations, though over time these can become comfortable and even commonplace.
4. Superfluity. Some thing are not necessary for our existence and may seem like unnecessary luxuries. This could include music, sports, games, and various forms of entertainment. However, is the essence of life just about survival? The ability to be creative and not just follow animal survival instincts is what makes us human.
5. Amusement. Not using our minds, but crowding them out with distractions such as videos, iPods, and cell phones, could definitely be construed as a less than ideal use of time. However, consider the power these tools possess to share knowledge and build relationships.
6. Nothingness. Meditation, sleep, and other forms of inactivity can seem like ultimate time wasters and something to be limited as much as possible. However, if not for the intrinsic benefits they can bring, such as inner peace and a connection to the universe, they definitely indirectly affect the quality of our time and productivity of other activities.
7. Triviality. Babysitting kids, cleaning the house, and mowing the lawn are all mundane activities. However, unless you plan on employing several personal slaves, you will have your fair share of necessary inglorious tasks.

None of these categories seem to work in describing what we deem ‘wasting time.’ So let me suggest something different. Instead of trying to objectively categorize activities as being productive or being a waste of time, I propose we view this subjectively. For me, anything that aligns with my paradigm of Living in Appointed Times by Faith is profitable, and anything that does not align, however objectively viewed to be good, is in reality a waste of time.

Thus, when I am actively following my preset paradigm of what to do, say, and think during scientific appointed times, I am using my time to the fullest. During the philosophical appointed times, it is impossible to waste time, since I am not living for anything. If you embrace this concept, you can leave the fear of wasting time behind and move into a more conscious existence.

Faith is defined in various ways. The workable definition I use most often is that of applying yourself 100% to the task at hand even when you don’t “feel” it.

Now, don’t psyche yourself out and try to give more than 100%. This is technically impossible. However, even if you could “do” this, it would really only mean you were deceived or are currently deceiving yourself as to your true ability. Live consciously.

Live in the present and never in the future. Find out what task you should be or want to be engaged in now and give your whole attention to that. This may at times be planning for the future, but even this action is done consciously IN THE PRESENT.

Faith is usually displayed most prominently during the scientific times. This is when you have to believe in yourself and the rationality that went into making a paradigm for you to follow. However, faith is also employed during philosophical appointed times. It can be tempting during slow portions of these to switch back to an accomplishment mindset instead of really living in the moment.

Don’t operate on feelings. View them as the natural outworking of your thoughts, habits, and purposes. A tree does not strain to produce fruit; it “strains” to find sources of water and take in sunlight and the fruit comes automatically. The quality of the fruit it produces is determined by how much nutrients it gets from water, soil, and sunlight. The same is true with our feelings.

So, focus on living based upon your will and not your emotions. This will give you conscious fulfillment even if full emotional fulfillment lags behind. When in time your feelings tag along for the ride, this is just icing on the cake.

Remember that this is not just following a plan; it is giving yourself 100% to that plan. For example, suppose you want to do three things today: clean a room, research a topic, and write a paper. You don’t really feel like doing any of these, but know that you should, so you go ahead and do them anyway. However, the whole time you are engaged in these activities, you are thinking about how pleasurable it will be when you are done, how good dinner will taste, or just random thoughts. This is not faith. You are not believing these tasks can really bring you fulfillment in any sense, now or later.

Instead, admit to yourself that you don’t feel like doing these things. Tell your feelings to sit in the back seat. Put your consciousness at the steering wheel. Smile. Engage your mind on the activity at hand. As Colossians 3:23 states, “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” Exercise faith!

I must have stumbled into some poison ivy while wearing my invisible shoes. All I know is that my feet have turned into two big itch zones. This is incredibly annoying, but is great practice for living consciously and not following every urge to itch.

I have not been doing very well on controlling impulse itching, so this blog will be my reminder and motivation. I am planning on not itching them any more for the rest of this scientific appointed time (see Living in Appointed Times by Faith).

Here are some lessons I’ve learned along the way:

1. Giving in to an itch feels so good the split-second that you start doing it, but then the itch just gets worse, pulling you to itch again, and the gruesome cycle continues.
2. The sensation to itch will pass if you just ignore it and think upon something else.
3. The feeling of accomplishment after you deny the sensation to itch and the urge goes away is empowering and worth the temporary struggle.

This principle of denying the itch parallels so many other areas in my life, such as the urge to check email, the urge to eat quickly, and the urge to be amused. If finding the power to deny itches in your life is important to you, consider reading this article by one of my blogger heroes, Leo Babauta.

Oftentimes, when I mess up or do something stupid, the hardest person to get forgiveness from is myself. If I have offended someone else, I usually can confess to them and receive release. If I offend the Almighty, I can trust in the promise of I John 1:7 that if I simply focus on living correctly in the present moment, the past is forgiven. However, in both of these circumstances and in those where the only person I let down is myself, there are times where I struggle and struggle to get over my failure. I tend to replay it over and over in my mind and allow my psyche to tell me that I am insignificant, stupid, or clumsy. I have learned to do three things in these situations:

1. Realize that my sense of worth and value comes from living according to my paradigm in this present moment, not one day ago, one hour ago, one minute ago, or even one second ago.
2. Realize that by succumbing to discouragement I am not helping my failure, but only enlarging and worsening it.
3. Choose to forget the past by actively thinking positive thoughts and doing immediately what I should be doing in this present moment (which is not moaning over failure).

As you move into action and leave the paralyzation of failure behind, remember to breathe, have faith in yourself, and enjoy life!