Grapefruit anyone?

One of my favorite lessons from health coaching school was a twist on an old idea.

It goes like this…

If you had one large container in which to fill some nuts and seeds, oranges and grapefruits, which would you put in first?

If you opt for the nuts and seeds first, you would never be able to fit in the grapefruits. There would be no room.

The moral of the story is this:

In life, we have grapefruits — those big juicy things that matter most to us like spending quality time with family, writing a book, or taking care of our bodies.

But we also have nuts and seeds — those little tasks that need to get done, yet by themselves don’t make or break our wellbeing. Think of cleaning the house, paying bills, or scheduling an oil change for your car.

By prioritizing the very things that matter most serves us well because once those things are getting done, the other more minor tasks get “fit in” more easily into our day, our week, our month and our year.

As we glide into the new year, ask yourself, What are MY grapefruits?

What are the things I am most grateful for?

What do I truly want to be doing more of this year?

If this is difficult, try looking back at your gratitude journal from the past year – it’s your blueprint for joy.