If we are going to run our race and finish our course, we must approach life more like a marathon than a sprint. Most of us fall into bed at night utterly exhausted, because we spend all day frantically running around trying to survive.

A few years ago, I literally hit a wall and realized that if I was going to make it to the end, I would have to change the way I did things. I could not thrive in life if I had no margin or reserves.

To flourish in life and reach the end of your race full of joy, you have to create margin. Here are some ways to start creating margin in your life –

• Eliminate all unnecessary distractions. These only drain your energy and resources!

• Learn the power of saying no. You can say no with kindness and respect, while still staying firm.

• Remember that some things are seasonal. You aren’t meant to do everything, forever. Seasons change, and that’s a good thing!

• Learn to delegate, not abdicate. Delegating what you can is healthy, abdicating responsibility is dangerous.

• Focus on the big things. Choose to invest most into the things that yield the most fruit. This will conserve your energy and keep you going towards the goal.

• Schedule some fun! Being sure to work some fun into your day will help keep you full of joy.

• Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Your destiny isn’t meant to be built in a day, either!

As we approach the end of 2018, I want to encourage you to make a decision that you are not going to become overwhelmed by all of the things that you have to get done, and instead do something counterintuitive. Change your pace, breathe, smile, do your best, and trust God with the rest.