What Serves Me?

         As I reflect on the last year, the highs and lows, I find myself asking myself "What serves me?".  It is a simple enough question that evokes a lot of different feelings and insists on further contemplation.  My first thought was gratitude.  I fell out of practice of being mindfully grateful this past year.  So, I purchased myself a daily/nightly gratitude journal, one that prompts me to write.  The day/morning part asks me: what I'm grateful for; what would make today great; and daily affirmations.  The night part asks; what amazing things happened today; and what could I have done to make the day better?  It's only been a few days since I've had it, and already I can see the value in what it is I'm doing.  My hope is that it will help remind me during the rough patches, of all the good I have in my life and that I've accomplished.  It is like my blogging in that sense.

        Another change I have already started implementing this year started off with a Christmas gift.  I gave my partner the Adventure Challenge book for couples.  In it is a bunch of challenges that you scratch to reveal, and there are about 50 challenges total, so almost 1 for every week of the year.  This was an attempt to have more quality time with them.  Not necessarily more time, just more quality time.  We are both busy people with full schedules, and I noticed the past year that sometimes all we see of each other is a few minutes in the morning and some time in the evening when we get home.  Neither was ideal, because neither of us are morning people, and by the time we saw each other in the evenings, it was eat, shower, and time for bed.  This way we have a fun solution and excuse to do something.  The other part of the challenge is to document it after.  We are 1 challenge down and the next is to come this weekend.

        Time is my most valuable research and I tend to overpack my time.  Sure I do a lot of great things, and things that are necessary.  There's work: running a business, taking care of my clients.  There's the gym.  There is Kung Fu (always Kung Fu), and the extras involved with that.  There are house chores.  Hanging out with friends.  List goes on.  What I'm trying to get at is there is always going to be something that needs to be done, or that will come up.  What I'm trying to focus on is my priorities- what's important or what is serving me, versus what is taking up my valuable time.  Maybe that means things need to be trimmed, some things need to be cut out, and others just need a different approach.

        More and more I want my time spent to be meaningful.  I want to spend more time doing the things that nourish my soul.  I still have a lot to figure out, and I'm sure that my list of priorities will change many times.  Right now though, I have to figure out what is serving me in this moment and in this year.