Faith Forward: The Workbook provides readers with tools that can facilitate the change they desire to embrace a wellness lifestyle. I define "wellness" as body-mind-spirit connections that address the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social person you are. The cores of "education, inspiration, and organization" are the essential techniques/tools contained in this workbook. This endeavor intricately illustrates how survival is linked to the coordination of concepts-instead of looking at them in isolation.Using education, inspiration, and organization-applied to all of you at the same time-will be the highlight of your finding wellness. Faith is the glue that allows us to move forward through the good, bad, or ugly circumstances of people, places, or things we must endure. When you are willing to apply these study elements and reflection upon the faith you have to your "it," or "situation" for change, then you will be inspired by your Spirit. You will find a new revelation of who you are when your spiritual practice-how you live-matches what you believe. In my book, Faith Forward: Wellness Tools for Creating Change-A Women's Three-Point Harmony of Body, Mind, and Spirit, I wrote about how I took a long hard look at myself and decided something was missing. I thought that if one followed all of the rules, did the right things, and had faith, everything would work out fine. The problem with this type of analogy is that it does not take into account the unexpected twists and turns in life. Looking back at my lowest points (poor health, loss of employment, relationship upheavals, the onset of serious chronic disease, low self-concept), today I can see that God was always turning the negative around for my good, and I was never alone. My life today-with faith from the truth of a relationship with Jesus Christ-has been transformed because of the tools I've found, and share with you now. Important Keys-Learn to set priorities and manage your time to avoid burnout and stress.-Understand the mechanics of setting and achieving goals.-Identify the internal and external barriers that have sabotaged your progress in the past.-Discover how to effectively organize your daily actions by gaining better options for making smarter decisions.-Make a plan that only relies upon the things you have control over. -Your plan is not meant to change other people-it is to transform, revolutionize, and alter you. -Don't be surprised when people treat the new you differently; your growth requires others to deal with you in a fresh way.-Know that your value is not dependent on how others perceive you; look above negative people and situations. -Use positive energy and time to invest in everything that contributes to your new normal.When you incorporate the principles of Faith Forward: The Workbook into your everyday life issues, it will help you identify what you really want to accomplish. You will be able to define your target, recognize your strengths (Appendix B), and describe your actions for change. Your action plan will designate small, reasonable daily steps to move you toward your goals. Completing the exercises will result in a sequence that is significant and unique to you alone-a place where you'll learn who you really are and become willing to achieve what you really want. The Spirit isn't limited by the past or the future; it is total engagement in the now. Wasting the now with whatever is standing in your way steals your opportunity to be in the Spirit now. This six week program (exercises to give you tangible tools) -or longer, if you need it-will be an "oomph" regime to grow on. In itself, the program is not the "answer" for your situation, but a conduit to uncover the answers. A sustainable growth that will power the next month, another year... The best is yet to come in years ahead!
About the Author: Gayle Smith, M.Ed, LC, is an Educational Consultant, Life Coach, and the CEO of Essentials For Change, Wellness Resources. Her education career of 30+ years (now retired) has touched educational facilities as a teacher, administrator, consultant, and adjunct lecturer, and community organizations as a volunteer, organizer, and executive director. Her passion for advocacy to create, maintain, or increase the quality of life for people and factor in lifelong initiatives is apparent throughout her career. Gayle's comprehensive and consistent assessment, evaluation, goals, and objectives integration strategies were demonstrated with precise delivery before "coaching" became popular. Promoting achievement among parents, staff, administrators, and the numerous community organizations she has collaborated with is just how she does business. Gayle became a certified life coach in 2007 with the Certified Coaching Federation. When supporting others, she found deep correlations between body and spirit in formulating new life directions. Her coaching training established strongly the concept that "Together, coach and client create an expectancy of purpose and destiny where the learning and practicing of skills uncovers the secrets to soar." Interest in health and wellness became a focal point when she experienced the onset of debilitating illness. Gayle's body, mind, and spirit philosophy is credited with remarkable improvements in others and reversal of illnesses and increased awareness of healthy lifestyles. Her workshops, classes, online courses, and discussions all deliver points of interest that allow others to find their place of "wellness," be it personally or professionally. Her compassion for people is evidenced in her "Health & Wellness" initiatives to reach and teach people about making healthy choices. When questioned about how she lost 107 lbs., her face lights up as she responds with a hearty, "It was body, mind, and spirit connections through a relationship with Jesus Christ that did the trick." Faith Forward: Wellness Tools for Creating Change-A Women's Three-Point Harmony of Body, Mind, and Spirit book and the Faith Forward Workbook are a testimony of Gayle's struggles to find herself and the faith that brought her through as she learned to trust God more fully.