"What comes first, the compass or the clock? Before one can truly manage time (the clock), it is important to know where you are going, what your priorities and goals are, in which direction you are headed (the compass). Where you are headed is more important than how fast you are going. Rather than focusing on what's urgent, focus on what is important." – Unknown
I run into this problem every once in a while. There are just so many things I want to do! I want to sing in a band, I want a daily yoga practice, I want to write a novel, I want to finish The Artist's Way, I want to give myself a pedicure when I need it, I want to practice Transcendental Meditation, I want to make all my meals from scratch, I want to take horseback riding lessons, I want to regularly contribute this blog. All of these things I know will be good for me demand my attention on a daily basis (except maybe the horseback riding lessons), so how do I make time for it all?
This is another lesson is treating myself gently, and with respect. I can't do everything, but I know these things bring me joy. And joy is where I am headed. So even if I can't do it all, and I can't do it regularly, making more time in my life for simple pleasures—the bead of sweat tickling my back as I move into Downward Dog, the meditative focus of cooking in my kitchen—will remind me in the moment of what joy feels like.
I tend to devote myself entirely to whims, believing each to be my new path in life. This causes rapid fire burnout, like relationships that are all hot sex at the beginning, and then you realize you have nothing in common.
I learned recently that today, this moment, is all I have. So experiencing joy one day at a time seems much more doable than a radical shift in my routine to make room. And eventually, the things I make time for every day will become a part of the routine. I have to start somewhere, why not right now?
