How Important Is It?

September 6th's Courage to Change reading challenged me with this question:

Do I spend enough time thinking about what is really important in my life?

I know my mind is often in the future, planning for happiness. Our vacation this summer went very well, because of my careful planning in advance.

But a big part of our happiness on our vacation out West was in our staying in the moment, and leaving plenty of unstructured time between potentially "heavy" visits with family and dear friends.

For two weeks, I largely put aside the worry that the author of September 6th's reading confesses to. When I came back home, within days, I saw that my mental activity was again spent on the problems complaints or irritants that arose that day.

What will my current problems matter in two years, or next month, or even tomorrow? What if I take a moment to ask myself,"How Important is It?" before indulging in a bath of negativity?

This does not mean that I discount problems. But asking those simple questions might keep from magnifying problems or making them bigger.

Our simple Program helps me to look outside the problem for deeper connection to my life. I can create room for better contact with my Higher Power, for example. Or ask myself what I want to do today to become the person I want to be? Or I can shift my attitude by asking "what can I give thanks for today?"

Today's Reminder

How can I make room today for things that really matter? Let me remember to put First Things First. If I put my priorities in order, I might not run out of time for those things that are most meaningful to me.