“…no dress rehearsal, this is our life.”
(Gord Downie)
Priorities
Some things we think we know. Like our lives being one shot, one opportunity, one chance to make a dent.
If it IS one shot, my perspective at this point in the play we call life is “make it worthwhile!” And the following questions arise:
WHO is this journey worthwhile for?
WHEN did you know this was the case?
Depending on someone’s journey in this game called life – HOW they see things is different. Everyone has a unique perspective.
An understanding that everyone has a different set of eyes has been the LARGEST factor in my growth as a human and coach and husband and father and son.
That awareness took time to develop, for ME, and me alone – that was MY speed and MY journey.
So, let me ask you this: What do you FEEL is DEEPLY important to you?
This importance we at OPEX call priorities. As you read this, think about the million different ways someone could answer the question I just asked you.
Priorities change with experience, time and space. Say, for example, you unexpectedly lose someone close to you – someone that you cherish? Your priorities 3 weeks later would be very different than they were before you experienced the loss.
Discovery
I have always used a simple approach to determining my priorities, and I’d like to share it with you – in the hope that it might be something you can use to help in your own growth.
At a younger age, my priorities were “what I LOVED to do” – right or wrong. As I aged and my experience grew, they were “what I have become and what I do”. And now that even more time has passed, they are “what I believe and teach”.
You can see that there has been a progression in my priorities. I need to understand the past and what it has held; I must also be present now and alive and aware, and I must also be open to the future and the mystery it might hold.
No matter whether I’m focused in that moment on the past, present or future, I have some things that I use as my SPARK, as a reminder to recognize when I am fully alive and living out my priorities.
For me, I feel this ALIVE feeling when I teach others about fitness, when I discover something about myself through physical effort and when I am alone and creative.
There are other times, too, and whenever I have felt these MASSIVE waves of a full heart and mind – I have taken notice.
Everyone has their own way to remember their priorities – I keep them on my phone – close by – I call it the list.
And when I go through each of those moments in which I have felt the most alive – it comes back to the areas I talked about above.
You can also ask yourself these simple few questions to see what matters MOST for you.
– What goals have you set that have signs of coming true?
– Where are you most organized?
– What do you LOVE talking about?
– What REALLY engages your attention?
Action
You may have your own method of keeping track – but keep track!
My job day to day is to keep reminding people of the priorities they have, possess, and need to realize. We all need little reminders, it’s ok, it’s all good.
Realize that the WAY in which people LIVE INTO their priorities varies for us all – this is also a massive growth process.
Knowing that you are unique in your WAY makes the journey to discover and create action on your priorities exciting.
Take a look at your entire day. Minute by minute – DOWN TO THE MINUTE.
Check and see the time YOU give yourself to spend on these priorities or actions towards them.
Schedule it in, write it down to spend time ON IT. Who is going to do this? Only you!
One of the main things I see in my practice today that moves people AWAY from their priorities is their unwillingness to be unique and love their own individuality. So, go for it!
Live your own – be unique. #uniqueiscool
Unique means you have something special to share – in your own way – it makes the collective MORE whole – see it that way!
When you do, THEN and only then can you get down to business on implementing actions towards your priorities. Good luck, I’ll be rooting for you!
This post original was featured here on OPEX Fitness. Image via Unsplash | This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and then purchase we will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for reading & supporting Happy Living!