Things That Matter

My toxic trait is trying to read several books at once (see also: thinking I am entitled to buying at least one or two new plants each weekend).

Right now I'm reading "The Secret History"; "Goth: A History"; Brian Wilson's memoir; and now Joshua Becker's "Things That Matter." It's this last book that's been my main focus as of late.

As highlighted in my November 2023 post, "MORE!," I feel like lately my life has been consumed with wanting more, more, more. "Things That Matter" has offered me a way to reset. The book walks through different types of distractions that keep us from our life's work and passions. It's so timely for me, and even though I'm less than a fourth of the way through the book, I already have a couple of key takeaways that I wanted to share with you.

Joshua Becker's former mentor, Robert Thune Sr.,

often set an intention for each day right when he woke up.

He said, "Every morning, before I start my day, I set my intention with a simple sentence: 'Today, I commit myself to _________.'"

I loved the heck out of that. As someone who works from home, sometimes it can feel like every day is much the same: Wake up, get ready, work, rinse, repeat. Setting an intention is a good way to narrow in on a tiny task or goal for the day and work with all my heart to complete it. Some examples Joshua shared were: "Today, I commit myself to being a faithful spouse" and "Today, I commit myself to selflessness." Or, "Today, I commit myself to healthy eating." "Today, I commit myself to my work goal."💜

Joshua also mentioned the manifesto of Melanie Kirk, which really resonated with me:

"A vow to live every day as if it's my one and only chance to make a mark, because IT IS. To live my life on purpose. To stop wasting time on things that don't matter. To step out of my comfort zone. To live with passion and courage of my convictions. To let go of the 'what if's.' To never, ever give up even when things get tough. Because at the end of the day life is far too precious a gift to squander."

What a great encouragement! I'm excited to keep reading this book and see what other little gems I can scribble in my journal or jot down on an index card and place around my house for instant encouragement. To me, this book has been a great reminder so far of making every moment matter, not in a stressful way, but with ultimate intention. Joshua Becker is also a minimalist, and while that's not my journey, I've also been inspired to clear out the clutter (read: piles of clothes I don't wear) and free up more space in my mind and life for, again, the "things that matter."

Happy Sunday! What have you been reading lately?

Feeling inspired,