Remember Why We’re Here

“First say to yourself what you would be, and then do what you have to do.” — Epictetus

The Obstacle

Remember why we’re here?

Daily tasks distract us.
Important things in life feel large, and we avoid them.
Urgent things in life call, and so we restlessly move from one to the next.
Comfort calls, and we avoid doing hard things.

Caught in a tornado of distraction, we tumble from thing to thing, feeling accomplished while missing the point of it all.

We easily forget what’s important until it rushes up on us.

We, or someone we know, falls ill.
Simmering disagreements boil into conflict.
Avoidance leads to stress, and that which we’ve neglected becomes a monster.

We’ve said yes to more things than we should have.
Wasted time on inconsequential details.
Forgotten how to be present.

We’ve forgotten why we’re here.

The Gift and Opportunity

We will be reminded.

Deadlines will come.
Health will fail.
Injuries will happen.
Hurt feelings and arguments will take place.
The avoided will remain unresolved.

The important things in life will not go away.
Since they remain, so do we.

We will be reminded of why we’re here, often in crisis of our own making.
Stress has a way of pulling our awareness and attention back to what really matters.

But we don’t have to wait for that.
We can do engage voluntarily.

We can notice intentionally, each morning and throughout the day.
Make lists that are small, containing only what is important.
Be aware of the urgent distractions that pull at us.
Ask, Is this time well spent?

When in the company of others, we can decide to be present.
To listen.
To let go of judgment and the desire to be right or the smartest.
To better understand one another.
To make the time we have, valuable.

Each morning, we can wake up to the fact that we are not alone in this.

Each morning, we can wake up and set our intention for the day.
Leave notes as reminders.
Set timers.
Leave our phones behind.

Each day, we can choose to remember why we’re here.

The Practice of Self-Mastery

• Start the day by remembering why you’re here before the world starts making requests of you.

• Choose fewer things, only what matters, let the rest wait or fall away.

• When pulled by urgency, STOP, ask, Is this time well spent?

• With others, be fully there.
  
  CHEAT CODE: STOP → SET REMINDERS → KEEP SETTING COURSE