Getting Back on the Right Track

Today, during my Just 10, I thought of the SNL skit in which Chris Farley plays motivational speaker, Matt Foley.  A dad hires Matt to help get his teenagers, "back on the right track."  Part of the humor of the skit lies in the fact that Matt Foley, himself is divorced and "living in a van down by the river."  Nonetheless, Matt is highly enthusiastic and uses his personal story as a cautionary tale to motivate others.

I thought about "getting back on the right track."  Grieving is getting kind of old.  It's also getting in my way of surviving and thriving.  It's time to take action and I've come up with a good plan.  The Just 10 project can be adapted to more than a focused 10 minutes with significant others or the self.  I realized that listing my priorities and then focusing specific actions on those priorities might help supply the direction that I am often lacking.  Taking Just 10 in the morning to focus my energies for the day ahead would be a great idea.  I know it's rather "Franklin planerish" and that phrases like "getting on the right track" and surviving and thriving" sound simplistic and clique and yet,  I find that when pressed for time, simple often works best.

I've started a daily priority and plan log.  Each morning I write what my priorities are for that day.  These can be as general as my family, quality relationships, giving back, and moving forward.  Once the priorities are stated, I write what actions I can take that day that will honor those priorities best.  The actions have to be specific, measurable, and bound by time.  At the end of the day, I'll take Just 10 to see how I did. If a priority is too vague, I'll soon find out through trial and error what is most important and how to honor what I value most.  All I need to do is to start paying attention.  Life will take care of the rest.

For example, one of my obvious priorities is having a positive relationship with my children and husband.  Spending Just 10 a day with each of my family members can be measured.  It is bound by  time and specific.  (See rules below.)  Since I've needed "to get back on the right track" to move forward on the "survive and thrive plan", I've neglected taking the time to give everyone their daily Just 10.  Spending  Just 10 getting focused and outlining my priorities every day and then listing specific actions to take , moves me closer to my ultimate goal.  Playing Bejeweled on Facebook for hours does not. This has been a big time vacuum lately.  It isn't going to make my list of priorities no matter how much my tired mind wants it.   Accountability can be a very good thing and it's time I used it to my advantage.

I am not disciplined or organized person.  The free spirit in me can wax poetic about not being confined by rules and regulations.  That same rhetoric can be a smoke screen hiding my inertia.  Discipline and organization has its' place and it's time my free spirit used them as the tools they can be.  I have much to gain.  I'll keep you posted.   I'm off to spend Just 10 with my children.  It really is one of the most important things I'll do today.