Inside My Circle

Circle.A closed curve whose points are all on the same plane with an equal distance from the center.Concern.A worry or to worry someone; make anxious.Control.The power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events.Last week, I was worrying. Worrying about work, worrying about family, worrying about life. The stresses of life can be overwhelming at times, and there are many days if we don't refocus where it seems like there is sooo much to be concerned about and too little time to even address it all.Then Friday rolled around...and of course the weekend always brings a sigh of relief; for me, not just because I don't have to work, but also because I take a day of rest on Saturday, which I affectionately refer to as the Sabbath.Yet and still, because I am intricately involved at service at my church, there are some weekends where rest is not on the agenda. So in a way, the worrying can continue through the stress of obligations.However, two weekends ago I finished the book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. One of the foundational concepts of the book was the idea that everyone has two circles: one is the Circle of Concern, and the other is the Circle of Influence.Last week, my Circle of Concern was large. It was much larger than my Circle of Influence. The Circle of Concern represents all of my worries--most of which are things beyond my control.The Circle of Influence, however, largely represents things within my control; my attitude about situations and how I can change my behavior.Every day I'm reorganizing my circles, working on placing things where they belong....and it really is freeing. Starting with little things like preparing ahead of time, avoiding procrastination, and prioritizing my time are all helping.What's in your circle today?This week I hope your Circle of Influence grows and your Circle of Concern diminishes!Happy Thursday.-ABOutfit Deets:

• Shirt: Ralph Polo Lauren
• Sweater: H&M
• Pants: Forever21
• Sandals: ALDO
• Handbag: Thrifted in Paris