Recently my friends came over for
our monthly brunch. As is customary for the season, we carved pumpkins. We
weren’t simply carving snaggletooth faces. We carved images of ghosts,
cats, and bats into our giant gourds, which is a lot of work. I realized
we weren’t just carving pumpkins; we were carving out time for what matters to
us. Things that matter are worth the effort.
After some self-reflection, I was reminded of a few things that are
important enough to me to carve out time.
Learning
Whether listening to a podcast or
attending a class, learning is a real passion of mine. Therefore, not only do I
invest time and energy into my own learning, I share that passion with
others. I teach college classes, fitness classes, corporate
workshops, and I teach life skills for women and at-risk youth. It matters
to me because I see how it makes a difference in my life and the lives of
others. I know that education -- whether formal or not -- can change
perspectives, change behavior, and catapult a person into an entirely new
direction. I am now carving out time to read two books each
month. One book I’m reading for entertainment. The other text
focuses on self-development.
Relationships
Most of my family is more than 500
miles from me. Fostering relationships with others is
essential for me. It ensures that I have a community I can
count on. Whether its attending book club meetings, riding with
my cycling team, or hosting dinner parties, I'm committed to
staying connected. My latest commitment is to pay
attention to others’ communication preferences. Typically,
I only have phone conversations with my mother, brother and
significant other. Phone calls are not my preferred means of
communications. But I have friends who prefer talking live, so I am committed
to calling them. I have relatives who prefer texting, so
I'll text. I find that when I meet people where they are, our
relationships flourish.
Community
When I was a teenager, my
summers didn't consist of working a summer job. My summers
consisted of volunteer service. I was a Volunteer In Public Schools.
VIPS -- as we were called -- read to younger kids and aided teachers in
the classroom. I even worked in a hospital where
I rocked babies and visited with patients. These days I volunteer my
time to support cancer research and support domestic violence
survivors. It makes me feel like I'm living
up to my full potential when I can help
others do the same. This season I will carve out time to
deliver food and blankets to the
Health
Most people who know me, know
that I'm a bit of a health enthusiast. Ever since my days as a
dancer in high school, I've been conscious about my nutrition and
exercise. My mother still fondly recalls the days when I would
snack on rice cakes and granola in between dance performances and drama
rehearsals. If health really matters to a person, it will show up in
how much that person invests in it. My newest commitment is to carve out
time for at least 4 hours of activity each week; and take a friend along with
me.
Finding what matters
What really matters isn’t the same
for everyone. Therefore, the process of
discovering what matters starts with knowing oneself. Some people
say that what matters to you is evident in your bank account. They say that
what you spend the most money on is what matters to you most. If you spend a lot of money clothes shopping,
maybe your wardrobe is very important. If you spend a significant portion of
your income on vacations, it's possible travel is an important thing to you.
I've said before that I believe time is a more valuable resource than money,
because you can't make more of it. So, when I'm reflecting on my priorities, I
look at how I spend my time. If you ever feel like you could be doing more to
enrich your own life, the lives of others, or perhaps have a bigger impact
outside your own household, examine how you spend your time and
money. The answers likely lie there.
