I gave a thought to what really made me feel happy and thought back to the memories of when I felt joy. I then made a list of thoughts that came to mind when I asked myself this question.
This is an important question to ask yourself periodically as this will bring clarity to yourself on what matters most to your heart. The intention for this is to help guide you to know what goals you want to work towards, for yourself and your family.
Here’s my list at this point in time in my life:
1. Checking in on my sleeping children at night in their rooms and staying back a little while to absorb the sight of my five-year-old and three-year-old peacefully sleeping on their beds.
2. Having a date night dinner with my husband after a long day of work before our once-a-week grocery run together.
3. Nursing my one-year-old daughter to sleep at night when it is just me and her in the room.
4. Sitting in front of my computer in the quietness of the night to write or to watch a movie, with only my yellow night lamp on.
5. When I see my three children loving each other in their daily play.
6. When my husband takes out our secret stash of ice cream or potato chips to consume together after the kids are asleep.
7. Trying out a new restaurant with my husband, one which we’ve never been to before.
8. Paying off our house loan last year and knowing that the house we and our kids live in is now officially our own, with no debt to the bank.
9. Laying down to sleep on my bed at night next to my one-year-old sleeping daughter, soaking her in, knowing that in a matter of time she too will be sleeping apart from me and sharing a room with her older sister.
10. When I am reminded of God’s promise of faithfulness to me and remembering how I told God that I would hold His hand for the rest of my life because I needed Him.
11. Realising how much I’ve grown as a person in the past five years and how I am ready and more capable to do more now.
12. Being able to have the resources to take care of our family and my parents at this point in my life.
13. Having a job that provides continuous growth in knowledge and in my skillset (hence apart from the needed income, this is why I am staying on at work).
14. Knowing that although I am getting older, I get to see my children grow bigger and into their own little person.
15. Giving to someone who may be in need either in monetary form, gifts, or donation of needed items to charities or children orphanages.
This list would have been different 5 years ago before I had my children, and probably 10 years ago when I was starting out in my career. Our priorities change as seasons go by, make sure you know what matters to you.
So how about you, how does your list look like?
Thank you for reading.