You Can’t Do it All

[cs_section parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: 0px;padding: 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]I am a person who has a wide range of interests – my family can attest to that. I have so many different interests that when I try to do them all I end up doing none of them well. In fact, many times after taking the time to arrange to do one activity my mind drifts to another activity I want to do – it is an endless cycle. Yet, recently it has been hitting home that I will never be able to do everything on my bucket list. I can’t do it all, I have to prioritize.

Prioritizing is not a dirty word, it actually is a good word. For years I have felt that if I choose only one or two things then my life will be less fulfilled. If my life goal is to do as many things as possible then yes, prioritizing will hinder that. Yet, if my goal in life is to have quality experiences, not just numerous ones, then focusing in on those things that mean the most will help accomplish that. Even in deciding numerous experiences versus quality ones one is prioritizing. Again, it is not a bad thing but a good thing, it keeps me and you focused.

I believe in volunteering, I believe in giving back. Growing up there were many people who poured into my life and I feel the need to give back. (This is why I believe in blessings not charity – the latter simply takes while the former requires eventually giving back). Volunteering is no different for me than other personal  interests. The variety of groups to volunteer with is just as numerous and so I found myself pulled in many directions. Yet, for the past few years I have been slowly taking out the number of volunteering on my plate. Rather than volunteer a lot I am looking to volunteer well.

That idea of being focused with my volunteering is bleeding over to my personal interests. Though I have many different things I want to accomplish I have to decide which things are most important, which are secondary and which ones are mere bonuses. Learning Italian may at first seem like a high priority but in reality it really would just be a bonus in life. If I never learn Italian I will still die content. However, if I never get to attend one Estonian Song Festival I will die less content. Attending the song festival is really high on my priority list.

With me getting more focused and my interests more prioritized my overall experience in life is getting better. Because I no longer feel life is a disappointment if I do not accomplish everything on my bucket list, I can appreciate what I do accomplish more. This is a very good thing. It is a freeing moment and I feel more content, which I believe is an awesome accomplishment itself.

What about you, do you find yourself immersed in a battle of interests? Do you feel like you will never accomplish all you want in life? Maybe you have too many items on your bucket list you are trying to check off as I did. Hopefully you will come to know, as I did, that it is the quality of the experiences, not the number of them, that make life better. And when you do start prioritizing them, focusing in on those things that mean the most to you, contentment will soon follow. Sometimes we try to do too much in life. Sometimes we just need to realize we can’t do it all, so prioritize.

Attempt it. Chance it. Try it. Get to It![/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section]