We went climbing today at the gym for the first time in months.
Last night, I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep and my mind kept going back to an email I sent that had a typo in it. I kept trying to decide if I should get up and respond to acknowledge the typo or if I should just let it go. I spent a good 20 minutes thinking about this while I was lying in bed in the dark.
The amount of time and energy I spend on things that are seemingly inconsequential is way too much. And also the way I use my time in general is not necessarily in line with my long-term goals and values.
I’ve been thinking this week that I should put a sign above my desk that says: “Will this matter in 5 years?” So every time I’m making a decision I can look up at the sign and answer that question first and then decide.
While I love reading and can spend all my minutes doing that, I could definitely read a few fewer books and spend some of that time cooking myself nutritious food or going climbing with my husband or hanging out with my children to hear about some of their day. And yet I don’t prioritize those things nearly as much as I wish I did. And remembering if this will matter in 5 years will help with that too because really is it going to matter that I read an extra 50 books this year when compared with the relationships that allows me to deepen if I take time to be with my people? Or if I take time to get healthier and stronger?
5 years from now my older son will be in college and my younger son will be in high school, only a handful of years away from going away himself.
5 years from now my job will decidedly be different than it is today.
And 5 years from now the typo I made in that email will definitely not matter.
But it will matter that I took some time today to go climbing with my husband. It will mean I’m stronger and it will mean our relationship is deeper because I took an hour and a half out of my schedule to do something that we share and love doing.
Now I just have to think and act this way more often.
Yes to remembering what matters and yes to letting go of the rest. Yes to choosing important over urgent.
#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes
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