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Topic of the Week
Facing Reality
This week, while on my way to the post office, I did something I occasionally do that might seem a bit morbid to you. But stay with me. It’s an exercise that helps me reconnect with reality and what matters most.
During the day, when I’m feeling overwhelmed or irritable about something, I often take a walk or go for a ride in the car to clear my head. I think of this activity as a way to “reboot” my mood or to clear the stored up memory in my busy mind. While on this mini-excursion,
 I ask myself the following:
- If this were my last hour on earth, would I be happy with how I’ve spent my time today, this week, or this year?
- Would I feel good about the priorities I’m focused on right now at this point in my life?
- Do I feel complete and at peace with the people who matter most?
Answering these questions is a simple way for me to get in touch with what’s real. This exercise, something I’ve done for a few years now, becomes a way to stand outside of my life, if only for a few moments, and get a fresh perspective. These three questions always reconnect me with what matters most to my heart instead of just my head. And it often motivates me to take some kind of action.
I remember a day when this exercise inspired me to make a 180-degree turn and stop a major project related to my business simply because it wasn’t making me happy.
By taking a break from the non-stop action of life to consider what’s real, you give yourself a chance to readjust your priorities. When you do this exercise, for instance, it might motivate you to call someone you’ve been in conflict with and get the issue resolved once and for all. Or, you might finally decide to stop pushing yourself to do something your heart just doesn’t want to do.
Try it this week. Let what’s real – and the fact that life is so precious – inspire you to live more authentically. Give yourself a reality check and watch what happens! |
