Last week during drinks and dessert with friends, Beth asked me what my new year's resolution was for 2016. Beth has known me for long enough to observe that I typically jump into each new year with lofty goals for self-improvement. (I've tended to write at length about these goals as well.) But this year, I admitted to Beth that I hadn't really taken the time to consider a grand resolution for the new year and instead told her I was trying to work on one word: PRIORITIES.
Another friend had mentioned finding one word to concentrate on as a form of resolution—a word like JOY or FORGIVENESS or GRACE. I liked the simplicity of the idea and when I considered the word I might like to focus on in the months ahead, I realized that I'm in a period of life in which I must constantly evaluate priorities. For instance, I love my new business and my work with Empower Tanzania, but being home when my kids get home from school is PRIORITY. I'd love to watch a new series on Netflix (or just finish the last season of Parenthood—I'm so excited!), but eight hours of sleep is PRIORITY. I may want to finish a project on a Friday or Saturday night, but time with friends and family is PRIORITY. There are so many opportunities swirling around and I have a huge appetite. However, time is precious and I need to prioritize how to spend it.
The same evening, I was inspired by Beth who told me that her resolution was to wake early and start her day before her children. Beth and I have always bonded over being night owls who find mornings 100 percent dreadful. However, Jake goes to bed early and then gets up at 5:30 every morning, so I'm often sitting up alone drinking wine and scrolling through Pinterest. I don't want to go to bed, yet I'm not being terribly productive with my time. So, this week I've been making myself go to bed at 9:00, put my computer away/book down by 9:30, and rise at 5:30. I've begrudgingly gotten up to my alarm, made coffee, and joined Jake in his morning routine. (He meditates, I read.) It's too early to see if this new practice actually catches on (my nature screams against it), but I'm trying to develop the habit.
