Look Closer

Look Closer

So busy.

We seem to all be so busy with everything that is going on in our lives. For many of us, we have not only our work, but may also have school/college, our friends, spouses, our physical health, our free time that may get taken up in trying to stay healthy by exercising, cleaning the place where we live, cooking our meals, and trying to just keep everything in its proper place.

I, for one, know that there are at least a dozen things that I try and keep organized and mindful. 

Don’t believe me?

The following are just off the top of my head:

1. Prayer time and spiritual education time
2. Workout
3. Contemplating hitting my food macros
4. Navigating my drive to work
5. Engaging my students in a unique way each class
6. Spending time with each of our pets
7. Touching base with my daughter
8. Spending quality time with my wife
9. Getting my writing in for the day
10. Working on the non-profit we have that we’re trying to launch
11. Doing my vocal lessons
12. Playing the piano at least for 15 minutes
13. Remembering to take out the trash as its my job
14. Remembering to vacuum the house twice a week as it too is my job
15. Updating the call of the soul website (callofthesoul.org)
16. Maintaining my office hours for the colleges
17. Being available for my students whenever I am online. (which is often)
18. Remembering what week it is to serve as I serve in the church 2 out of 3 weeks.
19. Staying vigilant at grading the 250 weekly essays I have before the weekend is out
20. Being aware of and taking care of my daily hygiene

You may look at these and recognize that some of them may be easier than others - like hygiene.

Well folks, for a lot of people it isn’t easier. 

I know that I can get so busy that I forget to take a shower every day - especially if I didn’t sweat. That may sound ludicrous to you as you may be one of those people that take at least a shower a day. 

Like I said, some things are easier than others.

Case in point, I don’t miss a day in the gym unless I am injured or sick. This has been the case for at least 40 years. It was so true in fact that I wouldn’t go on vacation unless I could preplan my workout either at the hotel or a nearby gym. I will admit that I have modified this in the last few years, and although I don’t necessarily go to a gym while on vacation, I make it a point to be very active.

What does this have to do with looking closer, Ray?

I want you to realize that you already do so many things - and I would surmise that you do most of them well.

The ones that you don’t do well…well, why don’t you look closer at the ones you don’t do well?

Is it because you don’t value the things that you do or are responsible for? 

Is someone else supposed to be taking care of it either fully or partially?

Looking closer also means that if you are like me, and you’re doing a ton of things every day, that is to give yourself a break and recognize that you have chosen a very busy life. The other thing I would want you to consider when looking closer is to look at what is a priority in your life, and if you can, to the best of your ability, make sure you attend to it first and foremost.

I want to make my faith a priority so I start out with it in the morning, then head to my workout, but after the workout, I take another block of time to study.

Why?

Because I choose it to be a priority.

I’ve looked closely at what is important to me and I put extra emphasis on those things to make sure I am attending to them to the level I want to.

I hope this makes sense.

Look closer at your life, honor the amazing things that you’re already doing, and then prioritize those things that you REALLY want to focus on, and try and get to them early in the day!