Patience, Presence, Priority

"Nothing of him that doth fade, But doth suffer a sea-change, into something rich and strange." - Shakespeare, The Tempest

What is a sea-change? It is a transformation in the most profound sense. I think we all come to a point in our lives when a season of sea change is in order. I am at that point. Now the question is what do I want to transform?

Patience: We live in a world of instant gratification. We want everything right this second: answers, money, time, experiences, success. The trouble is this is a completely illogical way of thought. Maybe want itself is illogical, yet it is woven into our brains all the same. I fall into this illogical mindset. It breeds ingratitude, frustration, and poor performance. So a goal for myself is to be patient, to see the big picture to avoid draining myself mentally. For me, to make this a tangible goal I have to think of ways to see this in my little pictures. Going into work with a joyful heart because I have the opportunity to make a little money while getting a foot in the door, studying the extra hour because one grade really can make the difference, getting up in the morning to get my run in because little steps are how you get to your destination, and so many moments. Patience means taking a second to look at the why behind what I am doing, and if that answer isn't in line with my life goals then maybe it is time to reevaluate.

Presence: Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, be all there. We stare at our phones, ignoring our friends, ignoring where we are, or ignoring the simple things like the way the clouds move through the sky. To me, a lack of presence through distractions screams boredom. It sends a message to everyone around you that the world you are physically in can't maintain your attention. Your friends are interesting enough, your professors are not saying anything important, the scenery isn't worth seeing. I don't want to be this person anymore. I want to experience this life and the people in it with my full attention. How sad it would be to live your entire life behind a screen. You are meant for so much more.

Priority: There are a lot of things to juggle. School, work, hobbies, friendships, relationships, family, countless obligations, sleep, exercising, eating, religion, etc. We are told as children that you can do everything you set your mind to. I am going to respectfully disagree. You can do anything but not everything. When you are dropping balls, it is time to re-prioritize. Take a hard look at your life, write down everything that takes up your time, and then put them in order and follow that order. Make sure you are doing things to the best of your ability instead of doing everything.

It is time for a sea-change in my life.