First Things First

"Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least."     -Goethe 

Moving forward with a driving passion was the topic of our study this week. We reviewed "Stand True and Be Faithful" by President Gordon B. Hinckley from a conference address in April 1996. We also read a brief summary of Covey's book "The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People." I have read this book at least a couple of times prior to this summary, but it is always so good to be reminded of how I can get where I want to go.

The habit that stood out most to me this time was Habit 3 Put First Things First. This means to use our time wisely. Covey shares a table with four quadrants to help us prioritize our tasks.

I need to work on spending more time in Quadrant II and focusing on taking care of myself and clarifying any distorted values or goals so that I can show up more effectively in my life. I get caught in crisis management (Quadrant I) as a wife and mother a lot. BUT there are things I can do to prevent myself spending so much time here. 

First, I can focus and teach my children more intentionally and proactively and less reactively. This will require preparation and thoughtful prayer and meditation. I think this will offer me more peace of mind with my children as well because I will know that they already have the tools they need to solve some of their more minor problems and I can just remind them of this and guide them instead of feeling like I have to solve for them.

Second, I need to prioritize my physical health. I can already feel the years of neglect catching up with me. I know that my family is a priority and I have thoughts of what kind of grandparent I want to be. I will not be able to be this if I don't take care of myself physically now. 

Lastly, for now, I need to practice planning ahead. I got out of this habit a few years ago when all of my wonderful plans were canceled because of covid and other unexpected things. However, failing to plan just means that things don't happen and doesn't actually save me from the disappointment of canceled plans. I can do this by resuming my calendar planning where I take 6 months at a time on the calendar and plan for those things that matter to me, like, a getaway with my husband, family vacation, temple trips, date nights, big home projects, and the like.

I am grateful for a review of these habits at this time as I can focus on putting first things first.