Are Your Priorities in Check?

For most of us sadly, the answer is no.  We live in a world where we are always accessible.  We are ruled by our ‘to do’ lists, and feel guilty if we take a day off. The more you can get done in a day the more accomplished you are…right!?   I mean.. WTH?   Why do we keep doing this to ourselves and what are we teaching our children?  I remember when I was young pretty much 99% of the time my parents were home  by 5:30, maybe 6.  Remember the Dolly Parton movie 9-5?  9 to 5 was the norm, and yes, I totally just dated myself.  And BTW if you haven’t seen it, it was a really funny movie 🙂   But back to the point things were easier,  and slower.  Now the norm is 6-7 or even later and the pace is fast and always moving.  Here is a question… how many of us have a gift certificate laying around that we haven’t used because we are ‘too busy’??  And again…WTH??

This is why we are all walking around like zombies, always tired and overwhelmed.  So lets make a change! Make a decision – decide that you are a priority. “I am a priority”!  Make the intention to add something for yourself to your ‘to do’ list every day.   It will be a struggle at first and you will catch yourself saying ” I just don’t have time” but you have to retrain your mind and just like with everything else it takes practice.  5 minutes to sit quietly, 10 minutes to take a walk, 15 minutes to read a book or call me crazy… use that gift certificate.   I love the saying we are human be-ings, not human do-ings 🙂  Give yourself permission to let yourself be.

I love these suggestions from Arianna Huffington’s new book Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-being, Wisdom, and Wonder   and Guy Kawasaki      And of course a little commentary from me 🙂

1. Redefine success. There’s no prize for working the most hours per week or making the most money. At the end of our lives, we’re all about the same amount of dust, so the question is how much joy you’ve brought into people’s lives and how much have you made the world a better place.  Seriously something to think about.

2. Avoid burnout. Burnout, stress and depression are worldwide problems. At Arianna’s Third Metric conference in 2013, she learned that burnout is not only affecting Americans but also workers in Germany, the United Kingdom, China and the rest of the world. Working harder doesn’t necessarily mean better results — in fact it can have the exact opposite effect. It’s called the zombie effect – minus the brain eating 😉

3. Nurture your well-being. Make time to take care of yourself in terms of exercise, meditation, yoga, music, art and family life — this isn’t selfishness, it’s good sense.  You are worth it!! And use your gift card!! If you don’t have one splurge!

4. Sleep your way to the top. Get more sleep. Not getting enough sleep is associated with health risks and higher stress levels. Every element of your life can be improved by getting the proper amount of sleep. Ha Ha  I love this one!! Those of you that know me know I love to sleep in.  I am not an early morning yogi and no matter how hard I have tried in the past to convince myself that I was, it was just never me, it just never felt right.  Yes, I do get up most mornings with the kids at 6 but at least once every other week my husband trades with me and lets me sleep in.  And on the weekends, if we don’t have anything going on we trade.  My point is, if you like to sleep, sleep.  Take naps, sleep in and don’t beat yourself up for it.  Embrace it!!

5. Take a digital detox. We all see the people in restaurants spending their time focused on a screen instead of the faces in front of them. When’s the last time you turned off the cellphone and focused 100 percent on the people you’re with? Challenge yourself and your loved ones to turn off the digital interruptions. The email will be there when you turn your phone back on.  This kills me.  If your hanging with friends and family put the phone down!! You don’t get that time back.

6. Keep learning. We learn many of our life lessons from our parents, relationships with our spouse and our children. We may not have appreciated or understood all the lessons our parents shared but remembering the advice can shed light on a difficult challenge you’re facing. Learning shouldn’t stop when you’re out of school — indeed, that’s when learning may truly begin.

7. Listen to your inner voice. Have you ever had a hunch about something, ignored it and in retrospect you knew that you should have followed it? We all have. The next time this happens, listen to your gut feelings and be in touch with the perspective of your own thoughts.  Your intuition is like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it is.

8. Act like a child. Spend time with your kids or grandkids and see life through their eyes at a museum or art gallery. Take a trip to your bucket list location that you’ve always wanted to see. Every action doesn’t have to advance your ability to earn money or exercise power.  And dance, dance, dance!! Some of my favorite memories from childhood include dancing. Dancing in the kitchen, in the living room, where ever.  We dance ALL the time at our house and I encourage you to do the same even if your just dancing by yourself.  By yourself a disco ball and get down people!!

9. Find solitude. Mediation helps relieve stress and helps us tap our inner voice. If you don’t like being with yourself, how can you expect others to like being with you?  This such a struggle for us.  Quieting the mind can be so challenging when the rest of your day is at top speed.  I read something that recently referred to our minds as puppies, bouncing all over the place, no focus, no control.  That pretty much nails it.  But just like most puppies, your mind can learn (relearn). It just takes gentle reminders, repetition, and intention. 

10. Give back to your community. Being a compassionate person and helping others can help solve some of society’s biggest problems. Find a way that you can share your unique talents or time with a local shelter, an elderly home or at your children’s school.  Yes please 🙂 We are all one, connected in this amazing, beautiful way.  Share your love, your kindness, your compassion, it’s contaguious.

“When we choose to stop pressuring ourselves, to stop glorifying being busy, we start to appreciate the small yet miraculous things that surround us each and every moment. We connect with that peace in us that is always available and our natural state of being. Let yourself slow down and simplify”  unknown 

Thank you guys for taking the time to read my latest blog.  Honestly it has been awhile since I have written one so be kind.  Hoping to get back into the swing of things because I do love writing them and I love to read your comments.  Hope this connects to you in some way.  Love you guys ~ Melora