Priorities Plan

As I suggested in an older post, having a strong desire to reorder my time, my focus, and my activities was the first step to bringing joy and order into my life. But, as we all know, just really wanting something doesn’t make it happen. If that was the case, I’d have an awesomely toned body, manicured nails, a backyard bird sanctuary, and a dust-free home. Since using The Force only works in Star Wars, I knew I had to try something else to achieve the results I wanted. 

Putting my priorities on paper was the  easy part. Acting on them was hard. I LOVE to plan, think, dream, and envision. Putting ideas into action is hard for me because I have to actually do something. It’s not that I’m lazy, it’s just that I’m so content just sipping my coffee and thinking about how awesome my life would be if only…

See what I mean? It’s just hard for me get the ball rolling, ‘cause then I’d have to push it. Now, I have friends who are just the opposite. The only time they stop moving is when they are sleeping, maybe. They run circles around me! But, their planning may not be well thought out. However, their energy inspires me to light a fire where it’s needed. 

Now, I am a very cautious person who makes informed decisions based on reading sources, talking to people in the know, and bouncing ideas off of family and friends. So, when I began reordering my priorities, I took a lot of time researching, seeking out wise friends, and filling my husband in on what I was thinking. The time line for this was about two years. 

My best references during this time of reflection were A Wife After God’s Own Heart, by Elizabeth George, Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs, The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman, and God’s Word. 

During this time of purposeful reading, I noticed, observed, asked questions of, and found reasons to hang out with women I admired and respected. I asked them explicit questions about their daily schedules, career choices, how they communicated with their husbands, how they made time for their family, why they chose to spend their time doing certain activities, and a bunch more. Most of these women were already friends, and these conversations gave us a chance to get to know each other better.

My husband had already begun to notice a stirring of my soul, so he was not shocked when I told him that my priorities were out of whack and that it was my intent to live a more purposeful life. He was surprised, however, at the intensity and passion of my request. 

The ball started rolling, ever so slowly, as I gathered information, learned from trusted friends, and shared my heart with my loving man. My desire to reorder my priorities was evolving from an idea into a guided plan that seemed doable. Could I really make it happen?