40 Day Devotional: Day 19: Spending wisely

  New International Version (©2011) Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money This afternoon I spent budgeting and tracking my finances. This thorough watching of […]

40 Day Devotional: Day 20: Facebook Fasting

“And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.” Matthew 6:16 NLT When reading the above text, I can opt to keep […]

40 Day Devotional: Day 22: It’s a beautiful morning!

Psalms 118:24 HCSB This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Good morning! Here in Holland spring is very near! Exciting times of new life, new growth and opportunity. I just love the fresh breeze in the air after winter. I find it also a little easier […]

Focus of 2013: Creativity!

My focus for 2013 is: getting more creative! The past year I’ve been looking inward, searching for ways to be more balanced and self-loving, dealing with fear and procrastination and from there reaching outward in love to others, rekindling old relationships. I regularly wrote about the benedictine monks and their daily practices, which inspired me […]

2 Solutions to perfectionism based procrastination

“What is perfectionism? Do you  hold to lofty standards, demand perfection from yourself, and make your worth contingent on meeting these standards?”  – Dr. Bill Knaus For three, almost for months, I have been stuck procrastinating on this very article. Afraid that I might not meet my own lofty standards for it, demanding perfection from […]

Procrastination pt.2: Friends with Fear

In my first article about procrastination I talked about procrastination caused by disorganization. A second cause T. Quek mentions is FEAR. Someone once told me that it is nothing but False Evidence Appearing Real. So, procrastination inducing fear comes in two different flavours: Rational vs. irrational “I know I should finish my article on procrastination, […]

A Benedictine solution to procrastination: pt 1: Organize

“An ancient proverb states: ‘It is not the size of the tree but the depth of its roots that make it strong.’ Procrastination usually has very deep roots. The problem of procrastination is one that often goes beyond self-discipline and whipping oneself from stasis to stress.” T. Quek Comparing this to the way of a […]

4 Benefits of Silence and Solitude

Sometimes I catch myself thinking silence is not important and actually a waste of my precious time. There are always chores to do, people to communicate with and ‘busi-ness’ to busy myself with. If life is so short, why bother sitting still once or twice a day? Why be alone if I can relate to […]

Benedict Project 4: Healthy routines

Starting my new part-time job, I noticed my freshly implemented routines are starting to be shaken up little. Time to get back on track, the Benedictine way! One of the key-factors to getting back into the saddle, is going to bed on time every night! I say, going to bed on time every night! That, […]

The Benedict Project 3: Time Management Tips

A few weeks into my Benedict Project I’m coming to the insight that getting up in the morning and going to bed at night at more or less fixed times is actually hugely depending on the art of starting and stopping a previous task. Given my passionate and somewhat impulsive nature, I have a big […]