Happy New Year Everyone!

In First Things First, a book by Stephen Covey(an author I really like), he tells a story about a presentation given at a seminar. The seminar presenter pulled out a wide-mouth gallon jar and placed it next to a pile of fist-sized rocks. After filling the jar to the top with rocks, he asked, "Is the jar full?"

The group replied, "Yes."

He then got some gravel from under the table and added it to the jar. The speaker jiggled the jar until the gravel filled the spaces between the rocks. Again, he asked, "Is the jar full?"

This time, the group replied, "Probably not."

The speaker then added some sand and asked, "Is the jar full?"

"No!" shouted the group.

Finally, the speaker filled the jar to the brim with water and asked the group the point of this illustration.

Someone replied that you could always fit more things into your life if "you really work at it."

"No," countered the speaker. "The point is, if you don't put the big rocks in first, would you ever have gotten any of them in?"

This is a perfect example of your life! The big rocks represent the things in your life that are important to you. These are the things that will make you happy, successful and healthy in life. Say yes, to adding the big rocks first. Fill your life with things that really matter, enjoying the things that you love and having time for yourself. Don't try to fit the important things that matter in around all those little things (the sand) that don't mean as much. When the smaller gravel or sand tries to fill your time, you won't have time for those "big rocks".

After all, you CAN always add more into your life, but it just makes it fuller, not necessarily better. So, think about the big rocks in your life as you start this new year.
Some of the big rocks in my life would be; God, my family, my friends, my business, my volunteer work, down time to do something I enjoy and a few other things. What are some of the big rocks in your life?