Embracing Your True Priorities
Feeling sad and a bit lost as summer draws to a close? It’s time to get real about what your true priorities are.We hear the word “should” so often that we end up living out ideas of what we should find important, rather than what we do find important. If you keep hitting a wall where you can't seem to find peace re: how you're spending your time, it's probably because there are one or more shoulds fighting against a do.
Marie Kondo touched on this idea in her best-selling cleaning book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and while I don't agree with everything in the book (some of us don't have the luxury of ditching literally everything that doesn't spark breathless joy; sorry, Marie,) the underlying principle is extremely helpful. Basically, she says that you should clear out all of the clutter from your environment, and this starts with ruthlessly identifying exactly what is clutter and what isn't.
No two dolls’ answers are going to be the same for this. One person I know insists that refusing to fold her underwear mentally freed her from hating laundry day. If the thought of wrinkled underwear fills your soul with dread, this obviously is a do for you, not a should! But take a hard look around your house, and then around your life. What are some things that you consistently can’t seem to take care of? Are they truly necessities? If not, then they're just guilt bricks. Determining what things you can voluntarily let go of is the first step towards re-focusing your energy on the things that matter to you personally.
Here are some good indicators that you need to embrace your true priorities:
You never seem to have enough time for many different tasks, and always feel frustrated about not getting to some of them.
You have a lot of half-finished projects lying about the house, sometimes for years.
There are areas of your life that you never feel inclined to devote attention to, yet feel guilty that you don't.
Sometimes, you feel so overwhelmed that you want to gather all of your belongings or responsibilities into a big pile and light them on fire.
You feel trapped and no longer like yourself.
Doll, we feel ya. We’ve all been there at some point. It's time to make some deep cuts.
Start by making a list of realistic things that you wish you could do every day, making sure to include anything that you used to do frequently but has been sidelined for a while. Finish up with things you’ve always wanted to try. Now, make a second list of life necessities you absolutely must take care of ( i.e. bills, kids, work, etc.) Lastly, combine the two lists; this is your inventory of True Priorities.
What are you spending time on that isn't in your inventory? Toss it out like day-old garbage. Instead of watching Netflix, do yoga or try a new makeup tutorial or learn a cool DIY. Even better, get out of the house and take a dance class or do a photo shoot or—gasp!—go to bed early for some extra beauty rest. You'll be amazed how much time you find for your priorities, just by saying no to all those hidden shoulds.
So what can't you wait to do? What is something you've always wanted to try? We bet we know a fun one!