I do a lot of reflecting. In fact, I journal every morning and evening in my planner so that I am aware of the decisions I make each day, and how they affect me, affect my goals, my overall happiness, and the people around me.
I taught a lesson recently on the importance of knowing your WHY (your reason behind) as it relates to writing and the choice of a college major to the students I still work with; I used the example of Simon Sinek's book and Ted Talk as a business comparison for my students, since many are business majors, but I also asked them to reflect upon a number of things to gain a little life perspective:
- Why are you here in this particular University?
- Why do you want to study this particular major?
- Why should the reader of this report you are writing care about what you have to say?
Basically, I wanted them to dig a little deeper because they were in for a long and difficult semester.
Finally, I shared with them that this process of reflecting on the WHY is ongoing, relatable and relevant to so many issues in our lives, and taking a minute to consider it is worth the extra effort.
Why does knowing your why matter?
- because it will propel you forward on the hard days
- because you will know there is a bigger purpose behind the remedial, tedious tasks
- because it won't let you give up
- because you will practice enough self-care to make sure you succeed...and stay whole
That's why my why matters. What about you? Whether you are a student, a business owner, a mom of 3, a corporate executive with a lot on your mind, a newly engaged thirty-something, an empty nester, a new grandma---you still have a why behind your every day actions. What is it? I'd love to hear your stories.