HABIT 3: Put First Things First: Principles of Personal Management
Focus on What Matters Most 🌟👍
Habit 3 is about putting first things first—like doing what’s most important, not just what’s loudest. Think about one thing you could do to make your life better, like exercising or reading more. It’s your choice to take charge and make a big difference every day! 🌈✨
It builds on Habits 1 and 2: You’re the boss of your life, and you imagine your goals. Now, Habit 3 is doing it—making those dreams real, step by step. It’s like planting a seed and watering it daily to grow strong. Start small, stay focused! 🌱🚀 #LifeGoals #Habit3
Be Your Own Boss Every Day 🧠💪
You’ve got special powers: imagination, conscience, and will. Habit 3 uses them to manage yourself. Instead of waiting for others to tell you what to do, decide what’s important—like helping a friend or finishing homework—and do it your way! 🕒🌟
It’s not about being perfect; it’s about sticking to what you value, like honesty or kindness. When you say “no” to distractions (like too much TV), you say “yes” to your goals. That’s real power—leading yourself! 🙌🔥 #SelfManagement #BeProactive
Plan Smart with Quadrant II 📅✨
Time has four zones: urgent-important, not-urgent-important, urgent-not-important, and neither. Habit 3 loves Quadrant II—things like planning or learning that aren’t screaming “now” but make life awesome later. Focus there! 🌍💡
Most people rush around in Quadrant I (crises) or waste time in IV (games all day). But Quadrant II is the secret sauce—building friendships or practicing skills. It’s your ticket to less stress and more wins! 🏆🌈 #TimeSmart #QuadrantII
Say Yes to the Best Stuff 🚀🌟
To win at Habit 3, say “yes” to big things—like family time or studying—and “no” to little stuff, like scrolling forever. It’s tough at first, but when you know what matters, it’s easier to skip distractions and shine bright! 💪😊
Think weekly, not just daily. Pick your roles (student, friend) and goals (ace a test, help a pal), then schedule them. It’s like building a cool life map—stay on track and watch success grow! 🌱🎉 #Priorities #WeeklyWins
Delegate Like a Pro 🤝🌍
Habit 3 isn’t just doing stuff yourself—it’s sharing jobs smartly. Tell someone what you want (like a clean room), not how to do it. Trust them to figure it out, help if they ask, and boom—more gets done with less stress! 🧹✨
Stewardship beats “gofer” delegation (do this, do that). Give clear goals, guidelines, and support—like teaching a sibling a chore. It’s about teamwork and growing together, making life easier! 🌟💙 #DelegateSmart #TeamPower
*Chapter Summary from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey (1989):*/ Buy book online here: amazon.com/Habits-Highly-…
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HABIT 2: Begin with the End in Mind: Principles of Personal Leadership
Imagine Your Future 😊🌟
Imagine going to your own funeral. Picture your family and friends there, talking about you. What do you want them to say? That you were kind, fun, or brave? Thinking about this helps you decide what’s most important in life, like love and helping others. Focus on that now! 😍🙌
This is Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind. It’s like picking your destination before you start a trip. Know where you want to go—like being a good friend—so every step you take gets you closer. Start today with what matters most to you! 🌈🚀 #LifeGoals #BeYourBest
Plan Like a Builder 🏡🔨
Everything’s created twice—first in your head, then for real. Like building a house, you dream it up before you hammer a nail. Think about your life the same way. What do you want to make? A happy family? Cool projects? Picture it first! 🧠✨
Habit 2 says to start with a clear goal. Don’t just be busy—be smart! If you don’t plan, you might end up somewhere you don’t like. Imagine your best life, then make it happen, step by step. You’ve got this! 🌟👍 #DreamBig #PlanSmart
Write Your Own Story ✍️📖
You can choose how your life goes! Don’t just follow what others say—write your own script. Like Anwar Sadat, who changed his mind about peace, you can rethink what’s important. Use your imagination to be who you really want to be! 🌍😊
Habit 2 is about being the boss of your story. Decide what you value—like friends or honesty—and live that way every day. It’s your life, so make it awesome with your own rules! ✊🌈 #BeYou #TakeCharge
HABIT 1: Be proactive: Principals of Personal Vision
Be Proactive: Take Charge 😊👍
You can choose how you act, not just react! Imagine standing above yourself, watching your thoughts. That’s self-awareness, a cool human power animals don’t have. It lets us learn from mistakes and grow, making us the boss of our own lives, not our moods or feelings. 😎✨
Viktor Frankl showed this in tough times. In Nazi camps, he chose how to respond, finding freedom in his mind. You can too! Focus on what you can control—like your attitude—and not what others say or do. That’s being proactive, and it makes you strong! 💪🚀 #BeProactive #MindPower
Self-Awareness Rules 😍🌟
Think about your thoughts—cool, right? That’s self-awareness! It’s like a superpower that lets you step back and see yourself clearly. You’re not your feelings or what others think. This helps you fix bad habits and understand others better, making life awesome! 🧠🎉
The “social mirror” can trick you with stuff like “You’re messy!” or “You’re slow!” Don’t believe it! Those are just opinions, not who you are. You decide your own map of life by choosing what’s real and good for you, not what others push. 🙌🌈 #SelfAwareness #BeYou
Freedom to Choose 🙏🔥
Between what happens and what you do, there’s a gap—your freedom to choose! Viktor Frankl used it in prison to stay strong. You can use it too, picking how you act no matter what. Imagination and conscience help you decide what’s right and make it happen! 🌟💡
Don’t let DNA, parents, or your boss decide for you—that’s old thinking. You’re not a robot or a dog reacting to bells! You’re human, with power to choose based on values, not just feelings. That’s proactivity, and it’s your key to winning at life! 😊🏆 #ChooseWisely #Proactive
Who you are comes from your habits—like brushing your teeth every day! They’re little things you do a lot, and they show if you’re kind or strong. Habits can pull you down or lift you up, like astronauts breaking free to the moon! 😊🚀
Changing habits isn’t easy—it takes time and heart. I know you can do it, though! Like learning to ride a bike, you practice and get better. Work on knowing what’s right, how to do it, and wanting to—and you’ll soar! 💖✨ #YouGotThis #GrowEasy
What’s a Habit? 👀
A habit is something you do a lot—like playing games! It needs three parts: knowing why, knowing how, and wanting to. If you don’t listen to friends, you might need to learn all three to be a better buddy! 😍🌈
I once forgot to listen, but I worked on it. It’s like climbing a ladder—each step makes you better. Keep trying, and you’ll break old habits and make new ones that make you happy and strong! 🌟💡 #BeKind #LearnMore
💪 Growing Up Together ❤️
We all start needing help, like babies, then learn to do things ourselves—like tying shoes! That’s growing independent. But the best part? Working with others, like a team, to do amazing things together! 🌼😊
First, you grow strong inside, then help friends and family. It’s like planting a seed—it takes time, but soon you’re all blooming! You don’t need to be perfect, just keep trying with love. 🌱💖 #TeamWork #GrowBig
Life’s better when we live kindly and honestly. Some people I’ve met have lots of success outside but feel empty inside. They want to feel good about themselves and love their families, but something’s missing. Let’s find what really matters together! 😊🌈
Sometimes we try quick fixes, like new goals or diets, but they don’t last. I learned we need to change how we see ourselves first—like helping my son feel strong inside. Real change starts in your heart, not just what you do! 💖✨ #LifeLessons #BeYou
🧠 Seeing Differently 👀
How we see the world shapes everything. I once tried fixing my son’s struggles with school and sports, but it didn’t work until I changed my view. Seeing him as awesome just as he was made all the difference! 😍🌟
It’s like looking at a picture—some see a young lady, some an old one. Both are right! Our views come from our lives, and that’s okay. When we try to see others’ ways too, we grow kinder and happier. 🕊️💡 #SeeTheGood #Kindness
Character Matters ❤️
Being good inside is the best start. Long ago, people said success comes from honesty and courage. But lately, some think it’s just about smiling or tricks. I found real joy comes from a strong heart, not just looking cool! 🌼😊
With my son, I stopped pushing him to fit in and loved him for him. That’s when he shone—straight A’s and all! Be your true self, not what others expect. It’s the quiet strength that lasts! 🌟💖 #BeReal #GrowStrong
“This comic book tries to undermine the notion of an inherent class struggle between labor and capital. Notable for taking jabs both at communists and at the capitalists who "confuse something good with the evil of communism".
Lent is a special time to get closer to God. Long ago, monks went to the desert to pray in quiet. We can’t do that, but we can try to be still. Turn off noisy stuff like phones or games sometimes. It helps us hear God better! 🤫✨
The world is so loud with TikTok, YouTube, and more. It’s fun, but it can fill our hearts too much. Let’s take breaks from screens and chatting. Maybe no social media for a bit? Quiet lets us think about God and feel peaceful inside. 🌟🤐
Try sitting still for 10 minutes a day—no talking, just listening. It’s hard, but don’t give up! God loves when we try. Being quiet helps us know Him more. Let’s do this together for a happy Lent! #Lent2025 #BeStill #Orthodox #ListenToGod 🙏💖
Archbishop Tihon Letter sent to Holy Apostles Church, 3/2/25, Oklahoma
Read full letter below: 👇🏻
1/2 “I have our Metropolitan Tihon calling the vessel on the beginning of the Great and Holy Fast.
To the clergy, monastics, and faithful of Northern Orthodoxy in America, our beloved children of the Lord, glory be to Jesus Christ. Glory be to Jesus Christ.
We read in the life of St. Athenios the Great that in the time of the great Palestinian monastic
fathers, many of the monks had a practice of retreating into the desert not just for the 40 days of Lent, but for the entire period between Theophany and Palm Sunday. This practice is
referenced in the hymns of the Triodion. At Matins, on Friday of the sixth week, the last day of Lent, the final Troparion of the second canon proclaims, All who dwell in the deserts, in
mountains and in caves, draw near and assemble with us, to meet the King and Master with palms in your hands, for He comes to save our souls.
Such a practice is unthinkable in our time, even for most monastics. Still, this practice holds an important lesson for all Orthodox Christians as we prepare for Great Lent.
Namely, that ascetic effort should not be divorced from silence. Hezekiah, a withdrawal from the tumult of the world. In fact, the cultivation of silence has a
special value in this age of constant noise. Social media platforms capitalize, quite literally, upon our endless engagement with one another.
Advertising is ubiquitous, invading every nook of our life, sometimes in truly insidious forms. Thanks to smartphones, a barrage of “entertainment”, podcasts, TikTok videos, YouTube shorts, spot-on TV shows, Spotify playlists, mobile games, is constantly at our
fingertips. News outlets try to persuade us to read or watch or listen to the world's happenings on a 24-hour-a-day basis.
Streaming services like Netflix and live streaming services like Twitch provide us with a nearly endless river of “content.” And the prevailing ideology tells us that self-expressions and making ourselves heard are among life's highest values.
However, if we constantly fill our eyes and minds with soul-numbing entertainment, what room do we leave for
the encounter with God?
If we constantly fill our ears with the sound of our own voice and opinions and expression, how shall we hear the eternal word of the Father? Therefore, I call upon each of us, all the clergy, monastics, and faithful of the Orthodox Church in America, to make a Lenten commitment to cultivate silence in our life in some concrete way.
I offer here but a few examples, asking each of us to consider adapting the practice of silence to the realities of our own daily life. We might fast from posting on social media, or perhaps fast from using social media entirely, even passively.
Limit our time on the computer by turning it off at dinnertime and not turning it on again until after breakfast the next day….”
(continued 👇🏻)
2/2 “…Make rules around cell phone usage, no entertainment apps, no podcasts or videos. Give up all streaming services for the entirety of Lent, or even give up movies, television, and videos altogether for the holy 40 days.
Regardless of our efforts, all of us would benefit from resolving to spend 10 minutes or half an hour in complete silence each day, both for the period
of the fast and beyond.
In this regard…practice silence, inner and outer. Sit in silence for 20 to 30 minutes each day.
It would behoove all of us to practice such deliberate silence in addition to the time we spend in prayer each day.
This practice of silence will take effort, and we may find that we fall short of our goals. But as with every ascetic effort, we recognize that we are passionate sinners, weak and erring, and in need of God's strengthening grace.
Despite our failures, we know that Christ receives and rewards authentic struggle. …To fall is human, but to remain fallen is proper only to the demons. If we come
up short, we repent and try again, and if we keep trying, by God's grace, we will notice a change in ourselves.
…When we cultivate silence, we weaken our passionate ties to the world. We challenge our tendency to idolize our own words and actions. We become more vigilant, noticing the movements in our mind and soul, helping us to see our own sinfulness and our need for Christ.
Perhaps most importantly, when we are still and silent, we allow God to act and speak. Be still, and know that I am God, says the Holy Scripture. The Word of God came to the Holy Prophet Elijah in the silence after the storm with a still, small voice.
When Christ quieted the winds and waves saying, Silence, be still, then the disciples recognized
His power. If we too wish to encounter His power and His person, we must practice stillness, allowing Him to calm the waves of passion and worldliness that trouble our heart and soul.
The Russian term for a monastic novice is послушник, the one who obeys, or more fundamentally, the one who listens.
Though we may not be able to retreat into the desert like the great monastic fathers of old, at least we can imitate the novice's way of life by cultivating a small measure of silence and attention in our lives.
In addition to our usual and necessary limited efforts in fasting, prayer, almsgiving, this lit, let us all become novices in spirit, through silence, learning to listen to God and to obey His Word, in which lies our salvation and His great mercy.
Wishing all of you a soul- saving 40 days with my primacial blessings and prayers.
I remain yours in Christ, Tihon Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of Alberta, Canada.”