01/02/2021
Before I die....
It's a powerful yet simple exercise to get your priorities right. Just spend a few minutes really contemplating your answer to finish off the following sentence.
Before I die I want to........(insert desire here)..........
It's a topic that Candy Chang presents in her insightful TED talk. You can watch it here. http://www.ted.com/talks/candy_chang_before_i_die_i_want_to
So are we focussing on the right stuff? Look at your answer or answers above and then check back this last month on the actions and directions you have taken? You are doing great if you are moving towards your desires. Chances are though like most people we could be doing a lot better.
Get your rocks right!
A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him.
When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks right to the top, rocks about 2" diameter.
He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them in to the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.
The students laughed. He asked his students again if the jar was full? They agreed that yes, it was. The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children - anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed. The pebbles are the other things in life that matter, but on a smaller scale. The pebbles represent things like your job, your house, your car.
The sand is everything else. The small stuff. If you put the sand or the pebbles into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, material things, you will never have room for the things that are truly most important.
Pay attention to the things that are critical in your life. Play with your children. Take your partner out for a meal. There will always be time for work, cleaning the house, etc.
"Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter."
What is a fresh start?
I would suggest that we decide when this is for ourselves. Sure there are some universal times that everybody agree is an opportunity to start afresh;
- The beginning of a new year.
- A birthday.
- Start of a season.
- After an event or holiday.
- Start of the month
- Start of a week
- A new day.
So you see it really is upto you when your fresh start is. Can you believe January is gone already and you may have started some resolutions or perhaps you are yet to start. Whatever the case;
''your opportunity for a fresh start, starts when you decide and act.''
