Alicia on making peace with your “not yet” list… and yourself.
– KEYS SOULCARE
“For me, it comes down to capacity: What kind of life do I want to build and what sacrifices will that require? What commitments can I let go of so I can remain a conscious partner and parent?
What works for me is extreme weed-pulling on my to-do list. Clearing out the unnecessary creates the space and conditions for me to nurture my connection with my family. And the soil beneath it is all acceptance. I do everything I can to be a present mother and partner, and then daily, I make peace with what has had to go undone. It’s all any of us can ask of ourselves.” — Alicia Keys, from her best-selling book, More Myself
Our lists of ideals and goals can often feel infinite. But guess what’s not? Our precious, priceless time.
The ability to distill her true priorities from an ever-present list of “shoulds” — and pressure from the outside world about what she could be doing with her time — is a discipline that requires constant practice. (There’s a good reason why she so aptly describes it as “extreme.”)
Acknowledging that we’re all susceptible to biting off more than we can chew is one thing. But, the work — and payoff — starts when we get a firm grasp on our non-negotiable values and dreams for ourselves… and let everything else into place (or not) in its own time.
With any luck, building a life based on what truly matters leaves our days so full that the “other stuff” recedes into the background on its own.
And we’ve definitely got time for that.
What’s worthy of the top spots on your to-do list? Share how you’re making space for them in the comments.
Related Stories
