The 6 Minutes That Changed My Life
By Nicholeen Peck and Pennie Rumsey
From Nicholeen
Self-government is contingent upon the will. No one can change their results, until they change their hearts first. And the action of the change of heart is called will-power. Strong willed people are amazingly powerful, for good or for bad. The idea in training yourself is to decide to either turn your will toward goodness or to strengthen the will.
Wills are strengthened by deliberately choosing to do something hard.
To train other people’s hearts a teacher must be firm and secure. Firmly rooted in principle and securely fastened to calmness, trust, love and truth. A strong willed person will resist firm, secure training at first. It is in their nature. But, after a short amount of time they will recognize the power within, the will-power, and they will be an amazing force for good.
One of my friends, Pennie Rumsey, recently wrote this account of how she is learning how to teach her heart and learn self-government.
Pennie Rumsey’s 6 Minute Transformation
A couple of years ago, I was in a Sunday meeting when a woman with young kids like mine shared how she gets up every morning at 4 am to study her scriptures. She totally inspired me and I decided then I would start getting up early to study.
As I have worked on this habit for a couple of years I have increased in consistency and the times of ‘relapse’ into old habits have decreased. But as of recently I was still pushing the snooze one time. Recently I challenged myself to be more exactly obedient and decided I would stop my procrastination and start getting up the first time my alarm went off.
It has only been a few days since I started this but I have noticed a huge result in my activities throughout the day. I have been quick to act, where before I was quick to delay my work. It’s as if I had been doing 100% of the work with 80% of the effort and only doing 50% of the time at the right time. The product of this formula was a lot of work with little results.
This morning while I was doing my daily workout, I had a thought going through my mind from a video I had seen the day before, “You can take a break when you go to sleep tonight. 100% only for 25 minutes.” Thinking of the “maintain” attitude that has not been getting me the results I have wanted, I decided to give it my full 100%. When I got done I felt like a limp noodle: a very satisfied happy limp noodle that had given my full 100% effort with no breaks.
I have never surfed but I love watching surfers. The idea of the timing intrigues me. I love the parallel truths of seeing that there are things in life that need to be done at the right time, and things that we must do to ‘paddle’ to get ourselves in the right place at the right time to be able to catch our wave. Choosing to act without delay will get us in the right place at the right time.
In the river of life there is really no “maintain”. We are either working to get stronger or by default we are getting weaker. If you examine the natural system of the human body you can see for yourself that it’s true. It’s just how it works.
How My Life Has Changed: A Note From Pennie
I have felt for many years that there are things I need to be doing to help people but I have held myself back for many different sad excuses. Since I have stopped pushing the snooze button, I have eliminated a little more of the procrastination in my life. I am finding the conviction somewhere from deep down inside to follow through with the ideas that come to me for my mission to help people.
I challenge you to challenge yourself more to give your full 100%. Find a way to eliminate one habit of procrastination in your life and increase “your personal best” like my workout DVD from Teresa Tapp says.
You are precious and needed. There is something specific and amazing that you were born to do that only you can do. It’s yours; no one else’s. You cannot delegate your purpose; you cannot give it away. It’s yours. Like a lost puppy it will always find it’s way back to you because it’s yours. You must pick it up and choose to take responsibility for it. Face your fears. Overcome your blocks. We will all be missing something great if you do not find a way to do your part. One step at a time. Please give your 100% every day, and I will too.
From Nicholeen
Self-government really is the power to change the world. And, it really does start with something as easy as choosing to get up when the alarm goes off the first time. That is real will-power!
Warmly,
Nicholeen