Priority: A thing that is regarded as more important than another; first concern
Before the 1940s, the english language only knew the word, "priority", to be singular. It's estimated that only after this decade did we begin to use the word in plural form. But how can multiple things be the "first concern"?
During December I was challenged to recognize a true priority. The things I thought were of the utmost importance quickly dissented to the bottom of my list when a family member became ill and required hospitalization. Before that night, my priority was "to be ready for Christmas": have all my presents wrapped and placed under the tree, bake the gluten-free brownies and cinnamon rolls, and make sure I did some work so that I could enjoy the holidays with no stress and no residual tasks hanging over my head. I roll my eyes at the aforementioned now because, in hindsight, none of that really mattered! And the thought of that being my way of getting “ready for Christmas” is slightly embarrassing and completely missing the meaning of the holiday.
It's amazing how quickly the "most important" things become the "most insignificant" things when you're reminded of what actually matters.
Through the weeks we were taking care of our recovering relative, the presents remained wrapped under the tree; the brownies and cinnamon rolls were still separate ingredients of flour, sugar, and butter, with a few poured into a bowl, covered and thrown into the pantry, waiting to be mixed; and all the work tasks still undone. Stress, hope, and gratitude took turns filling up my thoughts and emotions. And none of it mattered. It wasn't until almost a week after Christmas that the presents were finally unwrapped and pastries baked, yet the work-to-do list remained unchecked… Ok, so what’s with this story and why am I telling you this?
Because I think it's important that, every once in a while, we take a step back to evaluate what our real priority is. To zoom out on the things that cause us to stress and ask ourselves, "Are these things worth being my 'first concern' or is there something else that trumps all of these?" My guess is that more likely than not, the answer is "yes'. And like in my situation, most of us only take this step back when we're forced to, but I'd encourage you to be proactive so that you're not waiting for that proverbial slap in the face to show you what really matters and where your attention would be most beneficially be placed.
*Keep the first thing first, and all the other "priorities" will fall into place with more ease.*
Questions for reflection: Do I have priorities? If so, what is number 1? And is that number 1 priority where I spend the most time, energy, and headspace? Or, is something else creeping into that top spot without me noticing - creating unnecessary stress, anxiety, or worry?
How specifically can I begin to prioritize what matters most to me?