Wasting Time?

The Rings of the Target

Where do you spend your time? Look at your day...where does time go?  If you are fortunate to have some free time, what are you doing? Who are those you surround yourself with? What do you typically talk about? But more importantly, WHO are you talking about?

I'm just throwing those questions at you because it's frightening the time we waste in our days!  We always scream we have no time but ironically, we waste countless hours typically on those on the 'outside' or 'outer ring' of the Archery Target.

What am I referring to? Think about the target in archery. There are typically 5 Rings. The Bulls Eye is the center, the most important ring to hit in archery...and also in life.

Now, let's think about our lives in relation to the Target...most importantly where we waste Time.

THE BULLS EYE: The Center of the target should be YOUR LIFE CENTER 

What is bigger than you? What gives you strength when nothing else can? Is it God?? Jesus? Buddha? The Universe? Your personal 'center', your bulls eye should be that of which you are grateful and give praise. Maybe I'm completely off base here but who do you seek when times are tough? When you're in your deepest despair and alone? Who you gonna call? Ghost Busters? Probably not. I'm just saying, the bulls eye is the meaning and center of YOU and your life. Therefore, it's the biggest priority in your life. It's the mecca of your existence!

THE RED RING: This ring is YOU.

This is where you spend time, making yourself your biggest priority on this earthly plane. How often do you put the needs and concerns of others before you? Why? Do you really enjoy that way of life? Who are you kidding? Oh, you say you feel good and it's the right thing to do as you put others before you...because you're such a saint...  
Let me assure you, there will come a time when you look back, glance at yourself in the mirror and ask why you put so much time and effort in others rather than yourself. And you will be tired, exhausted and resentful. I apologize for being so 'in your face',  but it's the truth! Too many people I know, men and women, have put others before themselves...and everything before 'their God' and they're not too happy. 

THE BLUE RING: This is your spouse, your significant other.(Hey, this could be your pet and I wouldn't judge you one bit!) If you are single and/or divorced with children they would be placed in this ring of focused attention. If you don't have children, this is your family, friends, colleagues. ...anyone really important in your life who adds to you. Get it?

So, if you're going along with the math, you've put 'Your God' first, giving thanks and praise. Again, you make YOU your # 1 Priority. Then and only then, you will have room for others. You've heard it a million times..."you can only love others if you love yourself first'. I personally regurgitated this statement on others but never took my own advice. Now I get it. I hope you do as well.

THE BLACK RING: Your children, family or those who add to you. 
Bottom line: if you're married, your spouse comes first, then your kids. If you do it the other way around, you will have a miserable marriage. Period. 

THE WHITE RING: This is where time is wasted.

This is the Nonsense, Time Suck-age Ring where time is spent with Emotional Vampires, Facebook, Google, Gossip, etc.

This is not time spent with 'your higher power', on yourself, your spouse, your significant other, your children or those who add to you. This is time where you gossip about fellow employees, friends, family, neighbors, where you waste countless hours 'creeping' through Facebook photos of exes....or better yet, talking with girlfriends about your sister in laws brother who started dating a woman you dislike....and you spend hours discussing how she treated you at a family function. REALLY???

Why is so much time spent thinking, talking or reacting to those who are not in our rings of the target of life? And why do we continue to do it? More importantly, how do we stop?

It's hard to change habits. Particularly those which continually serve as self sabotaging practices, conveniently preventing us from tapping into our purpose. I'm not telling you something you don't already know! You know you waste time! I've just laid it out for you in a simple way with this Archery Target. 

Read my past BLOG on Gratitude. That will help you to stay in the Bulls Eye. Then spend some time on YOU in the Red Ring. The more time you spend on yourself, the quicker you will learn your true importance and won't want to waste time on the mundane WHITE RING. YOU and YOUR life will begin to matter.

Is there something you have done to avoid THE WHITE RING? Any tips you'd like to share?

What have you done, or plan to do to focus on the inner rings? 

I'd love to hear some great insight to use personally and share!

Thanks for reading and sharing!

Peace and Blessings!

Celeste