Some specific timeframes in life push us to a point where we have a lot of time in our hands. What we choose to do with it makes a difference.
During summer last year, I sat down to think about what I would do with a little bit of extra time that I would get to have every day for the next one month.
- Personal -> Read a book from my bookshelf
- Family -> Listen to music my children like
- Community -> Run a fundraiser in local community
- Health -> Start a habit of walking daily
- Happiness -> Plan for potted plants this year
I did these last summer and enjoyed doing these thoroughly! I wanted to do it again this summer!
However, it is so hard to do these again this summer. So, I wrote down my current priorities that I have taken up this summer (instead of overloading them with last year’s list).
This summer, the same list goes something like this…
- Personal -> Try to operate in my Zen Zone at least once every day for 15-20 minutes doing something I like
- Family -> Organize and declutter one area of the home every week
- Community -> Be an office-bearer at a local PTO
- Health -> Volunteer locally to do physical work
- Happiness -> Listening to favorite songs while driving
I realized that just within a year, our preferences and priorities in every facet of life changes. We tend to adapt slowly and steadily to the changes around us and evolve.
Now, I feel it quite hard to just take a book from the bookshelf and enjoy reading it. It makes me enjoy what I currently need to do now, so that I do not end up regretting it down the line!
Time flies, our wants and needs adapt and evolve, enjoy what you do everyday… therein lies the key to our happiness!