At the advent of each new year, we are caught up in the desire to start fresh and improve our lives. Something within us desires to remedy our mistakes, correct bad habits, and get things "right" in our lives. Somehow, this intrinsic longing leads us to make "resolutions" to do better. Sadly, our resolve to change, correct, re-direct, and advance our life is often short-lived. The problem is: resolutions rarely last more than a few days or weeks, and we become disheartened by our failures once again.

At Restoring Order®, we've noticed that people who want to change their lives in a positive way, and make it last, need a catalyst to do so. We've learned that generally people change for two reasons: either they've reached a point of pain, or they are inspired. 

Often, it is our pain that is a catalyst for change. For example, people call us to help them reclaim their environments when they can't stand it anymore. They've reached a point of pain where they need to "dig out," and finally take control of the paper pile or messy space or time crunch that has been controlling them. For humans, pain (whether physical or mental) is a very fundamental motivator. 

In our career as professional organizers, we have the opportunity to interact with people of all walks of life, in personal and professional spaces. We get to observe the things that motivate people, and really drive personal change. In addition to pain, we've learned that people will change when they are inspired by what is possible in their life. And what inspires us like nothing else? Our own priorities! 

A priority is not the same thing as a resolution.  

A resolution is a specific goal, like losing 10 pounds. It's usually about deprivation of some kind…not eating sugar, returning to a size 8, or quitting smoking. A resolution is something you can check off your list once accomplished, and all of us love to check things off our list!  However, if no lifestyle change has occurred, it's so easy for our vices to return, and our resolutions to evaporate. Checking a resolution off our list will only bring temporary accomplishment (and perhaps later will become a disappointment). 

A priority, on the other hand, is a value, like living a healthier lifestyle or spending quality time with family.  It's not something you change annually on New Year's Eve, and start implementing New Year's Day. A priority is something that should guide the way you live every day. Our priorities are the things that truly matter in our lives, and sadly, so many of us don't even know what our priorities are! Discovering and living your priorities will bring satisfaction and freedom. 

One of my personal priorities is my relationship with my Granny, who is 93 years old. We have tea and chat, look at her photo albums, or go to lunch with my mom. Since this is a priority for me, I schedule it on my calendar. You can tell how important your priorities are by how often you invest in them. If something doesn't show up on your calendar, you can question if it is really a priority for you.

Maybe now you can think of some personal or professional priorities that you can schedule on your calendar. This year, let yourself off the hook for those resolutions that never last, and set out to discover, honor, and schedule your priorities! 

Warmly,

Vicki Norris 
 

Watch short video about priorities vs. resolutions