Priorities! Making them and keeping them

If you’re anything like me, there’s a good chance you’ve struggled with establishing and keeping up with priorities and goals. I’m really good at finding all 100 things I feel I should be working on at one time and then dive in and try to knock them ALL out! I’m sure you can imagine how well that works out (spoiler alert... it doesn't). I’m unable to fully complete one of them because my focus is in too many places and not manageable. I’ve also gone into things not fully prepared and just figured I would will my way through it because I was going to do it, and it would just happen! That didn’t work so well either. By no means am I perfect or have this figured out. This is my personal experience with this, but I have been able to make changes and establish priorities in my life and build consistency.

First things first for me: pick one. I have not had much luck with taking on 10 things. I say one, and there are probably exceptions where you can do more than one. However, ultimately one is the goal. The most important and moving you closer to where you're trying to get. This varies person to person.

Next, I have to get real clear on not only why I’m adding something into my busy schedule but how it may work. I say may because rarely do I nail it the first time and I have to adjust. When I’m first looking at what I’m trying to add consistently to my life, the first question is why. This separates the fluff from the real stuff that will keep you showing up. When I started cooking home cooked meals several years ago, it was because I was so tired of feeling sluggish, bloated, and weighted down all the time. I had been eating a lot of take out because it was easy. If I cooked at home, it wasn’t the healthiest. I was tired and overwhelmed. There’s no shame in that. I did get to a place where I just wasn’t ok with how I felt anymore. I wasn’t quite ready to tackle consistent workouts yet, so the easier thing and what I felt would move the needle more was to start cooking meals at home. I do believe what you put into your body is one of the biggest things in how you feel. I resisted the urge to throw myself all in as usual and cooked several nights a week (this wasn’t horrible because years prior I had been pretty decent at cooking at home at least, maybe not the healthiest though. It was really difficult to give all the time it takes to grocery shop and prepare!) I learned new recipes, which came with challenges, but I remained dedicated because I was feeling better, and I knew it was better for my family. There were days where the pull of something easy was reeeaallllyyy tempting and some days I did give in. When you're tired and struggling, easy is tempting, building new priorities and habits is hard and a commitment. I can't sugar coat that. I kept going and as soon as I ate something unhealthy, I would notice a difference in how I felt weighted down and sluggish again. Eventually I built it to where I cook most nights and we eat out to enjoy a good meal and have fun as an experience. It wasn't super easy, and I struggled a lot of days in the beginning. Now it's second nature.

The next one is a little more challenging. Start with looking at where your time is going. We are all busy with various things. Our days are full. The challenge in this is typically to add something in, you have to take out something else or adjust your schedule. This is at least my experience. So I find what isn’t really serving me and helping me get where I’m going. As much as I love to chill with a glass of wine and watch a movie, that’s a lot of time! I reserve movies for special times now and really enjoy them when I decide that’s how I want to spend my time with family. There may be a cost with a priority you’re trying to add to your life, and you have to know it and accept it. There is no judgement from me if you’re not ready to give things up. I’ve been there, and I’ve done it. Eventually, if it’s important enough it will happen. Sometimes it’s just the wrong time or something else needs to be a priority. It is ok- please don’t feel shame. You are not failing. Just use these tips when you’re ready!

Have a plan. As I’ve said, our lives are busy filled with various things of various importance. If you don’t plan things around what’s important, as least in my life this is true, I will spend it doing 50 other things and fill that time with things that probably aren’t my focus and priority. I am the queen of avoidance and distraction with cleaning. Planning helps me have accountability and helps me find times where I can fit in my important items before the whole day is over. Your plan is a starting point. Revisit and adjust until you are able to be consistent. You are not failing if things aren’t going exactly as you plan. You just need to make some adjustments. Don’t give up and hang in there. It will get easier and better!

The final point is you establish YOUR priorities for YOU. Not other people. Don’t let others expectations manage you, nor guilt. There is a way to have a life, spend important time with your family, work on things that get you excited, and live a healthy lifestyle. It just takes some figuring out, be patient and kind with yourself. I’m still figuring it out! I am with you in this. Sparkle Up Buttercup!