Speak life

As I journey towards a slower life, I realized I needed to develop a framework to help me make a determination of whether or not something supports my goals of living more simply.

To do that, I needed to develop a personal mission statement.

I set an intention for 2015:

Living a simplified life, focused on gratitude, faith and family.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that this tied into my personal philosophies.

You and I both know that some really good things still won’t fit in with your family mission. When we determine to live a life with intention there are some bad or destructive things that naturally have to go. What we sometimes don’t realize at first is that some really good and fun things might have to go too. Because even good and wonderful things might not fit into our purpose or mission as a family. They might cause tension or competition or merely create less room to breathe. Make sure what you add fits with your mission and purpose.

2. Is this something we want to do?

If you’re anything like me you’re quick to say yes and then wrestle with resentment about it later. This can be something trivial like agreeing to organize a school bake sale, or major like an ongoing troublesome relationship. Think first: is this something I want to do? Be brave enough to choose temporary discomfort over lasting resentment and bitterness.

3. Will it add to or detract from the goals of our family?

Some things that you consider for your schedule might fit in with your purpose, but everything has the potential to either add or detract. Some commitments get more demanding down the road and you can see that from the start. Make sure when you commit to something you’re not signing up for a slippery slope that will put you and your family in a difficult situation down the road. It’s far easier to stay off the hamster wheel, than to try to jump off later.

4. Is anyone left out if we make this decision?

If your family is like mine, you’ve got a couple of different personalities on board. If a decision will completely exclude or conflict with one of the children’s personalities or character it might not be a good fit. It’s never fair to sacrifice one child for the sake of another. Of course we need to recognize each child has different gifts and strengths and honor and encourage them. But consider what commitments you make and how they affect each person in the family unit.

5. Is there still room for fun?

I’m a big believer that you can’t really plan fun. I mean, we all try. We organize and orchestrate trips and game nights and all number of things. But in my experience the most fun moments occurred spontaneously. They happened because there was room. When our schedules are so jammed packed that there isn’t any breathing space, we choke the life out of spontaneity and creativity. Make sure whatever your schedule is, you make room for fun.

Read more at http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/2014/05/30/take-back-your-schedule-like-boss/#pAteRzTvgvgDd4Mj.99