Fall feels like a good time for cleaning out—closets, gardens, activities. I’m using the check list below to evaluate how I want to spend my life.
1. Listen to my intuition (if you’re a person of faith, listen to what God has to say).
In the past when I’ve attended meetings or participated in events, did I feel some inner angst? Author and activist, Parker Palmer, writes, “Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am.”
2. Check in with my values.
Do my activities/memberships line up with my values? I’m asking myself, “Is this who I really am? Is this who I want to be?”
What I’ve scheduled, should bring me a sense of joy and/or accomplishment.
3. Choose things that matter.
Greg McKeown, author, writes, “If it’s not a clear ‘yes,’ then it’s a clear ‘no’.” He also writes, “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.”
Ever notice when you don’t have clarity about what you want to do, who you want to be, or how you want to make a difference, someone swoops in and answers those questions for you as they nudge you into their own agenda? I’m going to choose rather than default.
4. Joy matters.
Two points on my list include—make more time for lunch with girlfriends and develop more couple relationships. Sometimes, making a difference means being a friend and cultivating a joyful spirit.
Affirmation: I’m starting fresh.
Coaching questions: What do you need to clean out? Do your values line up with your activities? What do you want to add/subtract?
Photo by Ethan Hoover on Unsplash
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