Good stuff! I am turning 40 this year and just wrote a paper for my seminary class on the mid-life transition. So I'm right there with ya on the shift from building a life to shedding the excess and giving what's valuable away.
I'm a self-proclaimed curious person as well. When I seek out information, I often find myself excitedly going down rabbit trails and then end up spread thin on deep, applicable knowledge. I'd love to hear more of your thoughts on habits to focus on what's most important to you, not allowing the "good" to water down the "great".
As I'm writing this I'm processing both sections together. In this mid-life transition I'm working on sifting through all of the things I've come across and continue to come across to fine tune a key framework of things to live by. I recently had lunch with a spiritual mother to me and she had decided that she had lived long enough that she had things to share. She had put together a list of things that she had learned through her 85+ years and gave it to me. It made me think...I want to craft that list now, perhaps involving my family in the discussion, shape my life (our lives) around these values, and remind myself that they are moldable as still have so much to learn.
Love your thoughts as always and thanks for the book recommendations!
Thanks for reading and thanks for this comment, Michelle. Boy does this sound familiar! I wish I had more habits in place to prevent myself from trailing, but I just try to follow the Cal Newport Deep Life and time management program, per what he's recommended on his podcast many times. I try to set routines and be strict with rules and to schedule times to re-evaluate priorities. Also, I have learned never to agree to anything I'm asked to do (unless it is a hell yes) without a 24 hour buffer period. The best advice I've heard on this is before saying yes, ask yourself if this commitment was for tomorrow, would you say yes. If no, the answer is no.
Related to what has been recommended to you, I really love that thinking. It reminds me of the rocking chair test. What will matter when you are at the end of your life, in your rocking chair. A valuable meditation! Thanks again!
Good stuff! I am turning 40 this year and just wrote a paper for my seminary class on the mid-life transition. So I'm right there with ya on the shift from building a life to shedding the excess and giving what's valuable away.
I'm a self-proclaimed curious person as well. When I seek out information, I often find myself excitedly going down rabbit trails and then end up spread thin on deep, applicable knowledge. I'd love to hear more of your thoughts on habits to focus on what's most important to you, not allowing the "good" to water down the "great".
As I'm writing this I'm processing both sections together. In this mid-life transition I'm working on sifting through all of the things I've come across and continue to come across to fine tune a key framework of things to live by. I recently had lunch with a spiritual mother to me and she had decided that she had lived long enough that she had things to share. She had put together a list of things that she had learned through her 85+ years and gave it to me. It made me think...I want to craft that list now, perhaps involving my family in the discussion, shape my life (our lives) around these values, and remind myself that they are moldable as still have so much to learn.
Love your thoughts as always and thanks for the book recommendations!
Thanks for reading and thanks for this comment, Michelle. Boy does this sound familiar! I wish I had more habits in place to prevent myself from trailing, but I just try to follow the Cal Newport Deep Life and time management program, per what he's recommended on his podcast many times. I try to set routines and be strict with rules and to schedule times to re-evaluate priorities. Also, I have learned never to agree to anything I'm asked to do (unless it is a hell yes) without a 24 hour buffer period. The best advice I've heard on this is before saying yes, ask yourself if this commitment was for tomorrow, would you say yes. If no, the answer is no.
Related to what has been recommended to you, I really love that thinking. It reminds me of the rocking chair test. What will matter when you are at the end of your life, in your rocking chair. A valuable meditation! Thanks again!