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In Season 3, Episode 2 of A More Beautiful Life Collective Podcast, I share a candid story from my own chaotic week that reminds us how easily life slips into survival mode instead of truly living. Too often, we get stuck on autopilot—chasing obligations, numbing out with distractions, and waiting for “someday” to finally create the life we dream of. But God isn’t calling us to perfection or busyness—He’s inviting us into daily faithfulness and alignment with what matters most. In this episode, I unpack why so many of us feel stuck, and I give you a simple three-step framework to start building rhythms around your core values: naming what matters, creating habits that make space for those things, and saying no to what doesn’t fit. You’ll also get practical next steps to shift from just surviving to creating a life you love today. To help you dive deeper, I’m inviting you into the free 30 Days to a Life You Love Challenge, a Christian intentional living challenge, and the Life You Love Toolkit, resources designed to help you cultivate peace, purpose, and lasting change.
S3E4 – Clarifying Your Mission: Influence, Ministry, & Your Why – A More Beautiful Life Collective Podcast
In Season 3, Episode 4 of A More Beautiful Life Collective podcast, we're exploring why clarifying your “why” is the keystone to living with purpose and avoiding burnout. We unpack how hustling without direction leads to overcommitment, comparison, and exhaustion, while a God-given mission statement provides traction, focus, and freedom to say no. Learn to align gifts, burdens, and seasons with your calling, filter decisions through a simple mission, and turn everyday influence—parenting, ministry, creative work—into fruitful Kingdom impact. Perfect for Christian women seeking intentional living, faith-centered productivity, and clarity of purpose.Read the full post here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/clarifying-your-mission-influence-ministry-your-why/Get the 30 Days to a Life You Love Challenge here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/30-days-to-a-life-you-love-challenge-tracker-slow-living-printable-tracker-faith-simplicity-peace/Get the Full Life You Love Toolkit here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/a-life-you-love-toolkit-christian-intentional-living-planner-toolkit-for-women/Get the Build a More Beautiful Life: 5 Days to Align Your Faith, Family and Work here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/build-a-more-beautiful-life-faith-and-family-devotional-workbook-5-day-christian-pdf-to-align-faith-family-and-work/Get The Faithful 12 Goal-setting Kickstart Planner Here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/your-12-week-year-pdf-guide/ Get Cultivate: A Faithful Framework for Aspirations, Goals & Habits here: https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/product/cultivate-a-faithful-framework-for-aspirations-goals-habits-christian-goal-setting-workbook-faith-based-planner-printable/ …Visit our Shop to get a copy of any of the resources mentioned in this episode: I’m your host, Cayce Fletcher, and you can learn a little bit more about me here. While you’re here, would you consider leaving a comment, rating, or review? You can find our podcast, A More Beautiful Life Collective Podcast, wherever you listen to podcasts. Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or watch on YouTube. Subscribe to the blog for access to our latest content and some freebies. I love creating and sharing resources with you. You can find all of our resources at A More Beautiful Life Collective Shop.Keep creating a life you love, and cultivating your heart for God.
Hey everyone, and welcome to Season 3, Episode 2 of A More Beautiful Life Collective Podcast. I’m your host, Cayce Fletcher, and today, I wanted to tell you about one of the highlights of my past week.
It was nighttime, and I was trying to nurse the baby and rock her to sleep. My husband, who seemingly works nonstop on his business, had to work late and missed bedtime, and my two older kids needed to brush teeth and sit on the potty before bed.
Now, every night we do the same routine. Pajamas -> Teeth -> Potty -> Bed. So, I felt like I had the confidence to send them to do the job. I was determined to try to keep the baby happy as she started to nod off to sleep.
I silently rocked her, looking out the window and willing calm to fill my home and heart. A peaceful, tranquil evening….
That was shattered by my son running in and saying that my daughter had dumped toothpaste all over the sink. She then ran in with toothpaste in her hair. As I looked closer, I also noticed that there was a big clump of hair caught in the toothpaste… and another chunk missing.
Come to find out, my son had put the toothpaste in her hair. She, in an attempt to get it out of her hair, picked up the scissors and started chopping away.
Oh toddlers.
My little girl’s hair – which had never been cut – was gone.
Admittedly, I was upset.
I just wanted so badly for things not to be so difficult. I wanted to have a peaceful moment reading a book with my children before singing sweet lullabies in their beds, but instead, I was reprimanding my daughter (and my son) for messing with toothpaste and scissors.
Maybe you’ve felt this way too. You want to live a beautiful life, but you get caught up in surviving. Our husbands work late. Our kids drive us up the wall. Our jobs make too many demands. And the budget is just not enough.
We have these dreams – but we are stuck just treading water.
When’s the last time you felt like you were actually living the life you wanted, not just surviving?
Why So Many of Us Feel Stuck
In the last episode on becoming the woman we want to be, we talked about how many of us feel like we are stuck on the opposite side of a canyon with the girl we want to be staring back at us. We see her; we want to get to her. But we are stuck.
Why are we stuck? Why can’t we get there? Why can’t we become her?
Well, I think it’s because we are creatures of habit. Roughly 43% of our day is determined by habits. When we get busy and life starts to do what life often does, we begin to take the path of least resistance.
We start to run on autopilot. Work, chores, kids, bedtime – then, repeat. And on autopilot, life becomes a blur of obligations. Just a list of to-dos.
In these moments, we think we’ll ‘get around’ to building the life we dream of. But, truly, someday never comes.
And, every day, we are just treading these paths of least resistance more and more. The deeper the trench is worn, the harder it is to get out of.
In these moments, it’s easy to fill up our lives with clutter. It can be physical in the spaces of our homes. But it can also be mental, in the form of vegging out, whether through scrolling or streaming.
This cultural noise and the constant-on-the-go nature of life can drown out God’s voice. Then, all of a sudden, we wake up to gray hairs, an aching back, and bewilderment at ‘where the time has gone.’
Are you a Christmas kind of girl? I think you either are or you’re not – but I definitely am. I love the decorations and the music and the food, and the lights. There’s just a joy that fills the air.
When we were first married, I remember being in the midst of a house under construction. We had no kitchen, and we were never really settled. We had stored all of our wedding gifts in a closet to open “when everything was finished.” It just seemed like better days were around the corner.
And, a month passed, and then another month, and another month.
Christmas rolled around, and I asked if we would put up a tree this year. It just seemed like how could we celebrate now when everything was so not the way we wanted it to be? How could we possibly make something beautiful out of this mess?
I wanted to change, but I felt like it was insurmountable. So, we just put it off. We ran on autopilot, and the tree stayed in the box another year.
A Life You Love Is Built in Small, Intentional Steps
At the moment, what I should have told myself is not to buy into the lie that your life has to be completely picture-perfect right away to start making steps towards building something better.
My kids are ‘dumpers.’ They love to take all their toys out of their toy closet and dump the bins out. It’s almost as if they want to see every single toy have an enjoyable playtime. But if you’ve ever lived with that, you know that it can drive you crazy.
It’s hard to feel the motivation to consistently clean up after each day because I know that the next day, I will have to do the same thing all over again. But the longer I put off the little actions, the more overwhelming it is for me and them. And, the harder it is to get back into the habit of picking up.
So how do I solve these issues? It’s not with a major overhaul. It’s not throwing out every toy my kid has (though that thought has crossed my mind). It’s not through some new course, book, or organization item.
Truly, it’s just through faithful rhythms.
Here’s the truth: God isn’t asking you to overhaul your entire life in one day—He invites you into daily faithfulness.
We have to change our mindset. We don’t necessarily need ‘balance’, we need alignment in our lives.
What does this mean?
We need a life that matches our values and our calling.
I don’t need to perfectly portion out my day in a pie chart, dividing up the time I spend picking up toys with my bible time and the time with my husband.
What I do need is to figure out what I truly want my life to be. Then, I daily have to step forward in faith, making that dream a reality.
Here’s how we pursue this daily faithfulness.
Want to do a 30-day Christian intentional living challenge? This challenge will help you step forward into this more beautiful life. Sign up below.
Step 1. Name what matters most.
We need to clarify our values to determine what should fill our days. When we look at all the things that can fill our lives, we have to prioritize the things that truly matter.
Some values you could have include:
Faith & Spiritual Life
- Relationship with God
- Prayer & devotion
- Scripture study & meditation
- Serving in church or ministry
- Spiritual growth & maturity
- Worship & praise
Family & Relationships
- Marriage/partnership
- Parenting & children’s upbringing
- Extended family connections
- Friendships & community
- Hospitality & generosity
- Mentorship & discipleship
Personal Growth & Learning
- Curiosity & lifelong learning
- Wisdom & discernment
- Creativity & self-expression
- Emotional intelligence
- Discipline & perseverance
- Reading & reflection
Health & Well-Being
- Physical fitness & exercise
- Nutrition & healthy eating
- Mental health & emotional wellness
- Rest & Sabbath
- Mindfulness & stress management
- Outdoor time & connection with nature
Work & Calling
- Excellence & integrity
- Productivity & focus
- Innovation & creativity
- Leadership & mentorship
- Service & contribution
- Work-life balance
Community & Service
- Volunteering & outreach
- Advocacy & justice
- Stewardship of resources
- Environmental care
- Encouraging & supporting others
- Local church engagement
Finances & Stewardship
- Generosity & giving
- Financial responsibility
- Saving & investing wisely
- Simplicity & contentment
- Ethical spending
- Planning for future needs
Joy, Leisure & Hobbies
- Play & fun
- Travel & exploration
- Arts, music & creativity
- Hobbies & crafts
- Connection with nature
- Celebration & gratitude
💡 Tip for reflection: Pick 5–10 values that resonate most. Ask: If I could only focus my time and energy on these, what would they be?
If you want to build a beautiful life that feels aligned with your values, get the Build a More Beautiful Life Devotional: 5 Days to Align Your Work, Family, and Calling. This devotional will clarify your values and calling and help set up simple habits to walk into that new life today.
Build a More Beautiful Life | Faith and Family Devotional Workbook – 5-Day Christian PDF to Align Faith, Family, and Work
$4.99
Step 2. Create rhythms that make space for those things
How does this practically look?
It’s not enough to state our values. We can talk about the things we care about until we’re blue in the face, but if we don’t ‘put our money where our mouth is,’ ultimately it doesn’t matter.
We have to make our actions reflect what we value.
This means we have to consider our habits and work on habits and actions throughout our days and weeks that build these values into our lives.
In the example of faith and family, we can brainstorm a list of actions that make space for these values in our lives. Family dinners and devotions are one simple rhythm that, if completed every day, will bear such fruit in our lives.
Here are some rhythms to get you started:
1. Spiritual Life & Disciplines
- Daily Scripture Reading & Reflection – 10–15 minutes each morning or evening.
- Prayer Rhythm – morning, midday, or evening, or a specific prayer for family, church, and community.
- Weekly Worship & Fellowship – attend service, small group, or Bible study.
- Journaling Spiritual Insights – write down lessons, prayers answered, or reflections.
- Sabbath or Rest Day – intentionally pause work and screens to focus on God.
2. Rhythms & Anchors (Flow & Consistency)
- Morning & Evening Anchors – consistent start and end-of-day routines (stretch, devotions, review).
- Weekly Planning Session – Sunday evening or Monday morning to set priorities.
- Habit Stacking – attach small new habits to existing ones (e.g., read after coffee).
- Mini Daily Reviews – 5 minutes midday to check in on goals and intentions.
- Monthly Reflection – review accomplishments, adjust rhythms, celebrate wins.
3. Personal Growth & Learning
- Daily Reading – 15–30 minutes of books or articles aligned with goals.
- Skill Practice – dedicate time weekly to a craft, hobby, or work-related skill.
- Educational Podcasts or Videos – integrate learning during commute or chores.
- Weekly Journaling Prompts – reflect on growth, challenges, and insights.
- Monthly Goal Setting – set small, measurable learning goals each month.
4. Family Discipleship & Home Culture
- Daily Family Devotions or Scripture Reading – morning or bedtime.
- Weekly Family Meeting – review schedules, pray together, plan meals or activities.
- Intentional One-on-One Time – regular time with each child or spouse.
- Shared Meals & Conversation – at least 4–5 meals together weekly.
- Family Service Project – monthly or quarterly ways to serve neighbors or the church.
5. Health & Wellness
- Daily Movement – walk, stretch, exercise 20–30 minutes.
- Hydration & Nutrition Check-ins – track water, fruits, and vegetables.
- Sleep Routine – consistent bedtime and wind-down ritual.
- Weekly Meal Prep – plan and prep healthy meals for the week.
- Mindfulness or Rest Practices – meditation, breathing exercises, or quiet reflection.
6. Work & Creative Calling
- Daily Prioritized To-Do List – focus on the top 3 tasks each day.
- Time Blocking – dedicate blocks of time for focused work or creative projects.
- Weekly Creative Session – uninterrupted time for brainstorming, writing, or design.
- Review & Reflect – weekly check on progress, successes, and areas to improve.
- Celebrate Wins – mark completed projects or milestones weekly.
7. Finances & Stewardship
- Daily Spending Awareness – track expenses or review purchases.
- Weekly Budget Check-In – adjust and plan the upcoming week’s spending.
- Monthly Giving or Tithing Rhythm – schedule regular giving to the church or charities.
- Financial Education – read or listen to one personal finance article or book per week.
- Quarterly Review – evaluate savings, debt repayment, and investments.
Step 3. Say no to what doesn’t fit
If we say that our faith and family matter most, our days should be aligned with this. We will choose to say no to the things that get in the way of living out these values.
When we establish our values, it also means that we are establishing what does not matter. If faith and family matter most, we will also have to eliminate those things that matter the least. It could be fitness goals, sports schedules, or even an immaculate home – but something has to be removed from the list and deprioritized to set the priorities that we want.
Three Simple Actions You Can Do Today
We want our lives to be lives that intentionally reflect our values. Even more than this, we want our lives to be a testimony to who and whose we are.
Let’s start creating a life we love today.
Here are three simple ways that you can start creating a life you love today:
- Name your “non-negotiables” for a week
- Add one micro-habit that supports those (e.g., 5 min of prayer, walk outside, 10 min creating)
- Identify one distraction or drain to remove
With three kids, my life is an ever-present fight against chaos. Some days it seems like I have things more under control than others, but I am always working against the tide of laundry, dishes, and toys strewn across the floor.
I want my home to create peace and calm for myself and my family. This is one of my values.
But to cultivate these values, I need to create habits that support this. So, this week, I’ve been practicing doing a 5-minute tidy right after breakfast to make beds, pick up the floor, and reset the house before homeschool. A few minutes each day leads to big gains later.
What am I not doing while I am tidying? I’m not scrolling through Instagram or doing something else that drains my time. A simple habit that says yes to your values says no to distractions.
30 Days to a Life You Love Challenge – A Christian intentional living challenge
If you’re ready to stop waiting for ‘someday’ and start building the life God is calling you to, join the 30 Days to a Life You Love challenge that I’m hosting in my Facebook Group.
This Christian intentional living challenge is not about perfection—it’s about progress and peace.
It’s about small steps towards a life lived with intentionality.
Then, if you want to go deeper, grab the A Life You Love Toolkit to make sure what you start actually lasts.
Remember…
Remember: You don’t have to overhaul their life. Just start today with one faithful step.
We’ve been promised abundant life in John 10:10, but we have to walk forward, rightly ordering our days so that we can receive that abundance.
Let’s do this together.
- Start by signing up for the challenge here.
- You can also share this episode with a friend who’s feeling the way.
- Subscribe to the blog, podcast, and our social media for daily encouragement.
Thanks for joining us this week! You can find me on Facebook and Instagram at @amorebeautifullifecollective. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog, and join us next week for where we’ll talk about what it means to create our dreams and live abundantly in our calling.
Until then, keep creating a life you love and cultivating your heart for God.
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