Last year I wrote a post that talked about where I find the time in my day to do the things I value. I want to go back and talk to that Leigh as she seemed to have it all together. Finding and setting a routine can be difficult, especially when it’s not just you that is involved, it is a negotiation. Fast forward a year and the other thing I realized is that knowing your direction is also key.
Now that things are starting to find somewhat of a routine in Colorado, I have noticed that I have been trying to pull myself in too many directions. Everyday I was waking up thinking about something different. I want to run an ultramarathon, I want to get back into pottery, I want to find coaching clients, I want to get our business up and running, I want to work on our house design, I want to spend more time with the kids in the moment, I want to work on mine and Eliot’s relationship, I want to work on the special projects at work, and is this actually the work I truly want to be doing. It has been driving me a little batty and is probably why I was pushing myself so hard to get into a meditation routine.
None of these directions are new to me, they are all things I valued and did back in Australia but life is different and I haven’t taken the time to sit back and contemplate whether they are still right for me right now and where they should be prioritized. I needed to make sure that where I was focusing (and the key being focus) my attentions is aligned with my values right now. It was time to prioritize sitting down and working through them to ensure I had my priorities straight.
There is a lot of guidance out there about values based prioritisation but the last thing I wanted to do was add another thing I needed to do (research values based prioritisation) to my limited personal time so I turned to something I had already read six months ago. I have mentioned The Minimalists in previous articles and had read their book Minimalism: Live A Meaningful Life when we were in New Hampshire with the intent of working through it when I had a moment to spare. It was now time to follow through on that.
Josh and Ryan write about how they group their values into four main categories – Health, Relationships, Growth and Passion. I have been gradually working through and contemplating these categories over the last couple of weeks. It immediately made me realize that I don’t have capacity right now to pursue some of the things I had on my list. As an example, running an ultramarathon (I had planned on doing Grand Traverse a the end of August) is just not a priority right now. And it is OK to de-prioritize, I know that I will have time in the future to push it back up the list. I still have more to work through but even taking the time to contemplate has brought a sense of calm and clarity.
So if you are feeling a little all over the shop and unsure of your direction, I highly recommend taking the time to think about whether what you have prioritzed in your life right now truly aligns with your values.