Actions Speak

by Kris Pitcher

I've been carrying around this piece of paper in my purse that says, "actions express priority". It's one of those simple sayings that says it simply.

There's no priority that's more right, or less wrong, than another yet people feel like they should be doing something else. Regardless of what it is they are doing, they sense they should be doing something differently.

The medical community tells us we should, media tells us we should, our mother tells us we should (not my mother). We have lots of sources telling us what our priorities should be...what our actions should be.

In my experience, people are pretty conflicted about this. If you've followed me for any amount of time you know how important it is to me to align actions with values, with priorities. This little piece of paper in my purse speaks to why.

But the under current here is when our actions aren't in alignment, aren't expressing our priorities, we feel conflicted. We feel stressed, and we feel like we should be doing something different. Our life doesn't feel right, our job, our marriage, our body...none of it.

What do your actions say about your priorities? Facebook is pretty important. Social media is critical to everyday function according to our actions. What about television...also VERY important. Who will win Survivor?

The things we pay attention to get done, the things we get done become our priorities. What are you getting done? Your life, your job, your relationship, your future, your body, your self...

Or none of that? Actions express priority. Turning it around is about focusing energy, actions, toward the things that are important to you. When you say your health is important to you and your actions don't express it...you know it.

When you say your relationship is important to you and you chip away at its intimacy and trust, you're not expressing it. You're wanting to be right. Stop fighting over the garbage. Begin to express your priorities.

Slow down and start to question just how often you need to check your phone, your email, your text messages. How focused are you allowing yourself to be, and are you making time for the actions you'd like to take?

When actions express priority, what are yours saying?