What Really Matters
I find myself in a season of life focused on taking stock of what I spend my time and energy on. Candidly, I’ve spent way too much time and energy on shit that doesn’t matter to me at all. I try not to spend too much time obsessing over past decisions, but it’s difficult knowing that I’ve wasted so much time worrying, stressing, and focusing on things that were a blip on the radar. These things were so insignificant that it’s laughable I ever thought they were a big deal, for example, school. I spent so much time and energy in my younger years so painfully stressed about school for no good reason. The grade I got on a test in my junior year of high school doesn’t matter now. Hell, a grade for a whole college class barely even matters now. That’s just one example.
If I wrote down everything I’ve wasted time and energy on over the years, it’d be the length of the encyclopedia. Instead of thinking about that, I’ve decided to focus my energy on how to change that moving forward. I don’t want to spend all my energy on things that ultimately don’t matter to me. I want to spend it on things I know matter to me. What really matters to me are my relationships, health and wellness, career, and hobbies and skills that enrich my life and make me happy. That’s it. That’s the exhaustive list.
Conveniently, there are a ton of things that aren’t on that limited list. Waking up early is not on that list. Making a million dollars is not on that list. Working out seven days a week is not on that list. Making handmade Christmas gifts for all my friends and family is not on that list. That list gives me permission to stop trying to get an A+ on everything I do because I know where I want my energy to go. The dishes might not get done tonight, but this post will. Plus, I’ll be in bed before 2 am and that feels like such a win. I can’t give everything number one priority status, and for the first time in my life, that feels freeing instead of limiting.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, particularly in this challenging season of being pulled in a thousand different directions, I challenge you to take stock of what really matters to you too. Filtering all of the to-do items in my head with my new short list of top priorities has been the difference between shutting down completely due to being overwhelmed and thoroughly enjoying this holiday season. I’ve been happier, kinder, and calmer, and I’ve had more love and joy to share. My cup is full, and I plan to keep it that way. There will always be more to do, but there will never be enough time for the things that really matter most.