Time to re-evaluate priorities
I came across this image on a Facebook group and it really resonated with me. Unfortunately, it didn’t have a source so I can’t give the proper credit.
It made me realize that the way we do health and life isn’t working for so many people. I have come up across alarming statistics such as: 53% of Americans are unhappy at their jobs. Over 65 million Americans suffer from depression and anxiety. Globally more than 264 million people of all ages suffer from depression… The point here is not to discuss the sources or validity of these statistics but any quick google search would paint a sad picture on job satisfaction and life satisfaction overall.
People don’t do what they are supposed to do, they don’t even do what they want to do, or maybe it’s just a matter of not knowing what we want to do. I chose my career path at a very early age, 17 to be exact, when I started university… one thing led to another, and I became who I am. I had a good career, lots of training and advanced degrees, good jobs, good titles, I met incredible people along the way. I learned so much and I am so grateful to have had the incredible professional opportunities I’ve had. But what about the other areas shown in the second part of the image? Not so much. Did I honestly wake up with a smile on my face looking forward to my day? Was my stress level impacting my home life? How was my health? Why did I gain so much weight in the last 5 years?
I had become the victim of my own success. I had acquired habits that did not support my ideal lifestyle. But also, in the last 5 years, I acquired some tools that led me to find my purpose and re-evaluate my life. I only had time to start focusing on myself on the last six months when I stopped working. After fighting my initial reflex of trying to find another job as quickly as I could, I made it my focus to continue growing. I read books, I did an amazing number of on-line seminars, I worked on my fitness level, I scheduled walks with friends, I went for walks in the mountains, I learned about nutrition, I filled my bucket.
I have learned that changing habits can be really challenging. If we realize that 45 to 95% of our behaviour occurs out of habit, then we would be aware that our habits will determine our quality of life. I continue to work on my habits every day and I’m switching my focus to finding joy on the little things in life, I’m becoming mindful and I’m learning to live in the moment. I am aware that I still have lots to learn, but the two things I love in life are learning and change and this is how I see my next 6 months.
How do you see the next year in your life? Have you thought about change? How are your measuring the success in your own life?
