Priorities

What are your priorities? Take a minute to actually list a few in your head or on paper.

Does your life show proof that your answers -the ones you just listed- are true?

What does your typical day or week look like? What are your motives for the things you do? Do they line up with the priorities you listed a moment ago to yourself?

Something in a book stuck out to me once that said, “In fact, if you think about nearly everything that you do in a day, you can trace it back to a “want.”” (Ellen Potter from Spilling Ink) It’s so true! Everything we do -even the things we don’t exactly, directly want to do, can really be traced back to something we do want. Maybe you don’t want to go to work, but you do want to make money. Or maybe you don’t want to do dishes, but you do want to live in a clean house.

Sometimes I think that life is like the game “Would You Rather…” The choices we make each day are kind of like playing that game. Would you rather get good sleep and feel well the next day, or stay up late watching TV and feel the lack of sleep the next day? Would you rather work at a job that you love and not make a whole lot of money, or do something you hate and earn quite a bit of money?

It’s all about what we prioritize. Maybe you answered “God” or “relationships with family” in your list of priorities, but are your daily choices showing that those things really are your priorities? Are you really taking time and putting in effort for those things, whatever they may be? If you said “family,” but are almost always off doing your own thing, your answer wasn’t really accurate. You may still love your family, but if you aren’t spending time with them or really talking to them much, they aren’t actually that big of a priority to you. Maybe you answered “learning to play guitar,” but you spend time scrolling social media in your spare moments instead of watching tutorials or practicing.

Actions speak louder than words! They really do. Your daily choices show what’s really important to you. What matters most to you in life.

One of the things I can truthfully say that I prioritize is sleep. I do not like feeling horrible after going to bed late and getting up early. It’s not a good feeling and it affects so many things! I might feel lethargic and irritable, and might not be as alert and quick-minded as usual, and likely have a headache or stomach pain if I don’t get the amount of sleep I know I need to feel well. Since sleep is important to me, I will choose to go home and go to bed earlier than my friends sometimes, no matter what they think or how they feel about it. I love my friends, but my health and how I feel the next day win this round of “Would You Rather.”

I could just go on and on with examples of what you might say are priorities and how your actions might differ, but I won’t, as that is unnecessary. I’m sure you can come up with some on your own, anyway! Think about it for a moment. Think about what your actions tell those around you, and how they affect others.

Before you go, I want to ask my question again: What are your priorities? Be honest with yourself now. It’s ok to admit to yourself what they are, even if they sound pretty selfish. Reflection can help us realize things about ourselves that we need to work on and change. The decision whether or not to work on those things shows what your priorities are! Do you actually want to better yourself? It’s up to you! I encourage you to be willing to change some of your priorities today! We all can do better. <3

What is a priority in your life that you can honestly say is one, and how do other people see that it’s true for you?