Last night while I was getting ready to walk, I was thinking about how much I did not want to be getting ready to walk. I'm tired and busy and unmotivated, but then I walked anyway. While I was walking, I was thinking about how we spend our time, money, resources, etc. Aside from absolute obligations, like work/school/caregiving, the way we spend our spare/extra time is completely up to us. And what a gift that is! Many of us will say things like, "I'm too busy to help with ????" or "I don't have the money to do ????" or "I can't attend that ?????" when in reality we aren't, do, and can; but we choose to do something else. I've learned that how, what and when we spend our time and money on (besides the musts) are the things that are priorities to us. If you tithe, that's a priority. If you don't, it's not. If you volunteer for something, it's a priority. If you don't, it's not. If you attend that optional meeting, it's a priority to you. If you don't, it's not. If you go to the party, it's a priority to you. If you don't, it's not. And then there are the times when you have to choose between two things, and the one you choose most likely is the priority. Life is a series of choices, and we unknowingly or knowingly prioritize our choices by what is important to us. It's okay to say no to things (this took me a long time to figure out), and sometimes we say yes to things purely because they are important to someone that we care about which prioritizes ourselves and someone we love (both very important). We are often faced with a choice of 2 or more things that are both important, and then we have to make a difficult decision of which to choose. Priorities may change over time as well. For instance, last night I was walking and sweating and wishing I was not, but exercise is more of a priority to me at this time in my life; so I made the choice to do it. Twenty years ago, exercise was not a priority for me; so I made the choice not to do it. Most of us are fortunate enough to be able to make life choices for ourselves. Sometimes they are not our first choice, but they are a priority.
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
The Little Things
Something I've learned over the last few years: there are "little" things in your life that are important to you that might not be important to other people. Things that are not that "little" to you but seem so to others. Maybe you need your bed made every day, because it helps set the tone for your day or unclutter your mind. Maybe you need quiet time every morning to help you get grounded. Maybe you need encouragement from your team at work to validate and confirm that you are on the right track. Maybe you need a few days to process information, so that you can utilize it in the most appropriate way for the situation. Maybe you need to vent a whole lot before you react to something. Whatever it may be, there are things. I have a lot of little things that impact me...most have to do with all kinds of clutter: clutter of the mind, space, senses, etc. I have always liked organization, but I have lived with clutter for a long time without seemingly being phased. I didn't love it, but it did not impact my overall mental and physical health the way it does now. Many years ago, I had a serious head trauma and years later a series of mini strokes and a TIA. After the last bout, I realized that I am extremely ADD. I don't remember being ADD in my younger years and my neurologist confirmed that it definitely could have onset after the strokes. With this onset of ADD, it has made things much more difficult than I could have ever imagined. My brain is tired a lot. It works extra hard, and it is exhausting for my body and spirit as well. It has taken me a few years to develop some successful coping mechanisms on my own. But I also need the assistance of others in circumstances where we cohabitate together: work, home, etc. A suggestion I have is to let your people know how these "little" things impact you both negatively and positively and tell them WHY. If they know why, they will have understand and respect the importance; because remember these things may hold little value if any to them. If they know why and don't respect the importance, you may have a bigger issue. But if you don't tell them, you are not giving them the opportunity to understand. Communication is key!
