As I look for peace in my life I find that it is directly related to my current level of spirituality and my focus on putting God and family first in my life. When I do this I am more at peace. I feel that I can accomplish more and everything else just falls into place. I write about this topic a lot, because I also find that it is too easy to allow myself to fall out of balance. It is easy to stop trusting the Lord and to worry obsessively about things that I have no control over. It is also easy to become overwhelmed.
I love the analogy of the rocks, pebbles, sand and even water and the jar. If you start by putting in the biggest rocks, you can add in the pebbles and then the sand that will fit in around the larger rocks. Then you can add water, which allow the spaces, but if you start with the smaller less important things first, not everything will fit into the jar.
In my mind the big things are personal prayer and scripture study. Temple attendance can also fit in there as well. As I do these most important things each day I have more energy and focus that allow me to accomplish the littler things. The pebbles, which come next, would be things that allow me to take care of my family and myself. They might include family prayer, but also include taking care of my physical body through getting enough sleep, exercising and eating well. After that I can fit in the sand such as cleaning the house and extra time with the kids. Finally for me the water would be the things that I do to relax myself, such as reading.
If I start out with scheduling and completing the most important tasks I manage to get everything else done. But when I do not, then I muddle through my day, and grow increasingly frustrated. Taking the extra time each day (for me mornings work the best) to sit and study my scriptures and to pray to my Heavenly Father helps the rest of my day go better. I can prioritize and meet the most important needs of my family.
Additionally it is important to consider the importance of taking care of my physical needs as well. If I am not in good physical condition it is more difficult to feel the spirit and to focus on the spiritual aspects of my life. It really is about finding the balance and addressing all aspects of life.
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