December Magical Moment #3 Priorities

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Gingerbug

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December Magical Moment #3 Keeping Track of Priorities

PRIORITIES: What's important in your life? The answer to this question varies from person to person, during different life stages, and depending on the time of year. One thing about priorities though...they are hard to define....and even harder to look at realistically. I revisited setting priorities recently and here are some reflections worth noting:

TIME: As with anything else time is a factor. Since I proclaim that relationships with family and friends are a main priority for me, I decided to collect data and see how much TIME....I have been giving to this life priority. I discovered some shocking stuff. The amount of time I am devoting to this has gotten lost in the shuffle. Work, chores, budgeting, and YES even time on the boards have cut into time I can spend on this TOP area of my life. I've even been ignoring my Monthly Life Goals....and as a result I'm feeling a bit stressed and not having near as much fun in life. So as we move through December and into January....my focus is getting readjusted.

PRIMARY: Define the top three in your life....Mine are realtionships, Spiritual Growth, and Personal Growth. Notice I don't have work in there or cleaning the house either. Here's why. Work is just that...work...I love my job and do it to the best of my ability. BUT most of the priorities there are already set...its the nature of the work place. Cleaning house: if having a clean environment increases time I can devote to my top three then it is well worth maintaining. Worth noting is the tendency to do better at work and managing the home if I am satisfying the BIG THREE. So when I have an idea, obligation, or change in my life...I consider whether it will enhance or distract from my three main priorities. If it enhances...its a go....otherwise...its a NO.

OTHER PEOPLE: Other peoples priorities are not MINE....sometimes we get sucked in to doing more or doing certain things because other people do. Know yourself and know your family...choose wisely not because so and so is doing it...Choose what you want to do and forget the rest....the number of cookies baked, the events attended, and all of that...is just....THAT....doesn't really matter....do what you want, when you want, with a happy heart...and your family will have happy hearts also.

Would love to hear your thoughts and reflections about priorities.
 

coffeenut

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Re: December Magical Moment #3

Ginger, Thanks for this topic. This is an area that I have to keep very aware of. I have to constantly remind myself what my priorites really are. If I were to list what my top three priorities are they would be; Spiritual-My relationship with Christ, It is so easy to let this one slide. I really need to challenge myself to stay true to who I am. 2 my family realtionships and 3 my friends. Even good things sometimes can take away from what our priorities should be. My challenge for the new year is also going to be to remember to keep priorities stright.
 

MrsSoup

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Re: December Magical Moment #3

My number one priority is my family. I, too, have let things get in the way of spending more time with them (like the internet). However, i've been doing pretty well lately. I get on in the morning before everyone wakes up and check email and boards. Then I enjoy my day. If I have a few minutes and everyone is busy doing something I might hop on for a minute or two but that's about it really. Morning is my main computer time, unless i'm doing homework.

With my husband going to Korea in a month, time is something we really don't have. I feel like i'm rushing to do things or have him do things that need to be done before he goes. I'm trying to slow down and just be.

After family, my second priority is probably personal growth. I really need to do some soul searching, although it's hard with two small children running around.

My third is school. I'm a full time college student, majoring in Psychology. I'm a Junior and my classes are getting harder and harder. I really need to focus more and not procrastinate. I make wonderful grades, but I usually put things off until the last minute.
 

Ahorsesoul

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Re: December Magical Moment #3

Several years ago I took a long drive to Texas by myself. I had a lot of thinking time on the drive down there and then the return trip. A total of four days with just myself. I came up with my life priorities on that trip.

My life goals: Scrapbooking, Genealogy, Horses and my Health. The first two sound more like hobbies when they actually are to leave future family generations with memories of their ancestors. I hardly knew my family, very dysfunctional, so documenting their lives of these strangers became important to me. My ancestors will be remembered because of my life goal.

Horses are the love of my life. They renewed my dying spirit. We moved off the farm now so I am without a horse but I have plenty of memories. I wanted a horse since I first saw one but had to wait until I was almost 40 before I had one. A dream come true.

Health: I have nerve damage to my arms due to an accident at work years ago. I developed fibromyagia and chronic fatigue. Then had a small stroke. I literally couldn't move off the sofa until I decided I would do everything possible to feel better. Thanks to a friend I found a wonderful doctor who treated fibromyagia and didn't believe in just giving pills to dope my up. After 5 years of working at this goal I feel a whole lot better. Into this also fell my house. Getting my house decluttered for me and my family because important too. Because of decluttering the house my life also became decluttered. It all leads to better health; physically, mentally and spiritually.

Now when activities come up I have no problem saying "No, thanks". If it doesn't fit a life goal I probably will not take time to do it. I certainly wish I had come up with this when I was a lot younger!