UPDATES

As of August 2021, I am starting my last two classes and will be eligible to receive my Masters of Arts degree in December 2021 (I will walk in May 2022). Can you feel my excitement! This journey, this very spiritual journey, has been extremely fruitful. I get so much further in my life when I surrender the details to God, and just focus on what I can do moment to moment and day by day. Perfectionism sucks and is unhealthy. That’s all for now.

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What has your experience with perfectionism been?

I really want to know. For real.

Leave me a note in my contact form to share your story with me.

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As of March 2021, I am 1/4 finished with my last two semesters of graduate school. I have been able to move forward in school with the help of the good Lord and my family, and have been able to maintain my promise to stay present in all of my relationships. It feels good. I am not super stressed out. I have to say no to some events, but it’s worth it. This has been giving me more practice with protecting my peace, my time, and my space so that I can maintain my focus on what I am doing and who I am with right now. How about you? Will you answer my questionnaire (scroll down)?

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As I enter into a new season of my own personal and professional development (via my last two semesters of graduate school), I am making a critical spiritually-based promise to myself and my family that I wanted to share with you, my audience and clients, also.

Before I get into the details of this promise, let me also say that I included my family in this promise because, besides getting my own oxygen first (i.e., parents put on oxygen mask first on an airplane to prevent passing out before they can help their child), they are my first priority and deserve my best. My oxygen, spiritually speaking, is continuing to grow and transform in my own personal walk with God.

Ok, so, my promise follows.

I promise to gratefully and gracefully live with love and excellence in this moment right now and to do the same for each moment today and every day.

~ Donna Marie Johnson, @leadlikeaqueen

My Complex Promise Explained

This is a simply stated and complex promise. What this complex promise means is that I will:

* Be content right here right now in this moment.

* Be grateful for the people, resources and money that I have right now in this moment.

* Focus all of my best positive energy full of love and grace to engage with and be a blessing to whoever I am with right now in this moment.

* Focus all of my excellence to complete all assignments that I need to work on right now in this moment (in whatever area needs to be addressed… chores, work, school, etc.).

* Trust God with guiding my steps so that I am where I need to be right now.

* Trust God with placing the people around me He has destined for me to be with right now.

Living From My Core

I believe that the core of my being is to live each day with focused positive love and grace-filled energy and gratefulness. My core’s source is Christ Jesus himself. At my core, I am in the center of God’s will. And I believe that in times when I am tempted to step outside of the core of who I am, it’s usually when I am living in a place of fear, anxiety, anger, and/or spacing/vegging out. The great news at these times is that Father God always uses Holy Spirit within my core to guide me gracefully and lovingly as I wake up and step back into being present to who I am at my core. From the moment of that new choice, I am whole again and can keep moving forward.

In these times of great uncertainty and constant change, my promise helps me to keep walking in faith despite it all. It helps me remember who I am and whose I am. It supports me in getting back on track when I stumble and/or fail. I always know I can make a new choice in this moment right now, no matter the outcome of past choices. Because of God’s grace and mercy via Jesus’ shed blood, each moment for me is new, as I continue to be mindful of my promise and live from my core.

Complex Calling

Ultimately, I am very aware that I cannot serve anyone God has called me to serve without keeping Him at the center of my heart, mind and life at all times because my calling is very complex. There is no humanly possible way I can do all of this without HIM. (All of This = schooling at home, supporting my disabled spouse, attending grad school, re-building my business, writing, and speaking… and all while taking care of my own ‘oxygen’ needs first)

Want to Share Your Story With Me?

I want to keep encouraging you by continuing to share my own journey. Would you like to share the story of your journey as an author and/or speaker with me?

Question:

How do you stay focused on your personal relationship with Christ Jesus even in the face of your own fear, anxiety or failures, especially during these uncertain times?

<p class="has-drop-cap" value="<amp-fit-text layout="fixed-height" min-font-size="6" max-font-size="72" height="80">UPDATE: One of the huge reasons why my promise is important is to keep me from falling back into the patterns that unhealthy perfectionism created in the past. I used to lose myself in my academics and in my work so that I didn't leave enough room for relationships because I was always worried about school/work even while I was with other people. So, it caused me to be a mile away from them even though I was physically with them. I am still working on this, but, at least I am aware and intentionally working on it.UPDATE: One of the huge reasons why my promise is important is to keep me from falling back into the patterns that unhealthy perfectionism created in the past. I used to lose myself in my academics and in my work so that I didn’t leave enough room for relationships because I was always worried about school/work even while I was with other people. So, it caused me to be a mile away from them even though I was physically with them. I am still working on this, but, at least I am aware and intentionally working on it.

<p class="has-drop-cap" value="<amp-fit-text layout="fixed-height" min-font-size="6" max-font-size="72" height="80">My goal used to be to be perfect, especially when others could see me or see what I was doing. Now my goal is to just be present and excellent in this moment, trusting that Father God is using me to be a blessing to someone right here right now. This really takes the pressure off and helps me just be me and just serve.My goal used to be to be perfect, especially when others could see me or see what I was doing. Now my goal is to just be present and excellent in this moment, trusting that Father God is using me to be a blessing to someone right here right now. This really takes the pressure off and helps me just be me and just serve.

JOURNAL CONFESSIONAL VIDEOS

Part 1

Also, see my most recent video updates via Instagram. (Link to IGTV, click here)

Important Update

In taking my own advice about checking on your people, especially during this pandemic era, I have had to end my graduate school journey for now so I can support a family member who needs me to be fully present for them at this time. This was a truly tough choice, but as I looked back at my promise… and at the advice I’ve shared with others, I had to remember to live what I say. I am very sad about this choice, but I trust God to help me and my family despite my feelings and to help me get past my feelings.