Big Rocks, Little Rocks
Rivers are filled with rocks. Big rocks, smaller rocks - and even the tiniest of pebbles - make up the beautiful ecosystem you experience when you explore a river like the Youghiogheny (pictured above). On a beautiful day like the one when this picture was taken, there seems to be just a perfect amount of water, sediment - and yes, rocks - running through this channel. But what happens when there’s too much of either of those things? That’s right - this tranquil river becomes a raging torrent of water and debris that races along its path, eroding the landscape, taking down trees, and flooding the surrounding area. It’s a far different experience than the scene above.
Think of your life as a river. How your river flows is directly related to how much you put in it and how you prioritize. The big rocks are your most important priorities; smaller rocks are less important, the sand of the riverbed are even further down the priority list. Over time, the water of your life flows over and around these priorities.
What does your river look like? Is it tranquil and serene, a place where you enjoy existing, or is it overfilled and raging out of control? Do you have too many rocks blocking the flow? If you’re not happy with the flow of your life, it’s time to make a change!
How to do a priority reset:
Utopia: Figure out what matters to you. Take a few moments to think about your perfect life. In a life where you were 100% happy, how would you ideally spend your time? Write these activities down in a list from most important to least important.
Reality: Figure out what’s taking up time. This can be as easy as writing down all of the things in your current life that take up time: Family, pets, friends, job, exercise/wellness activities, hobbies, etc. Put each one on a sticky note, along with an estimate of the amount of time each consumes. Now, line up your sticky notes in order, starting with what is taking up the most time and ending with what takes up the least.
Stand back and assess. Pull out your “utopia” list and compare it to the chain of sticky notes. How do they match up? Were there any surprises?
Plot your path forward. Can these lists be reconciled? For instance, if volunteering is important to you (big rock) but you aren’t spending any time on it, how can you spend more time in that space? Is there another activity that is less important (smaller rock) taking up more time than it should? Could some of that time shift to volunteering? As you move through the exercise, it’s important to understand what you want to keep and what you need to keep.
Rinse and repeat. Nothing just happens overnight. Life is about the journey toward a destination. Life changes, and priorities shift. Revisit this exercise periodically and reassess where you are in relation to your goals.
Still stuck? Does this seem too daunting? A Life Coach can help. Contact Patapsco Coaching today and let us partner with you to help you move forward toward your best life.