Exponential Living by Sheri Riley

Author:Sheri Riley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2016-12-07T17:10:03+00:00

Time and Attention

What the people we love want the most from us is not things, money, privilege, or paid bills. It is our time, our attention, our presence. To be fully present to another human being—whether for fifteen seconds or for an entire day or week—is the greatest gift we have to offer. My daughter, for example, appreciates all the things my husband does for her, but what she really craves is Monopoly time. She loves to play board games with her dad, and nothing else he does comes close, at least at this time in her life. And so he has a choice. When he comes home from a business trip or a long day of work, he can either give in to exhaustion or he can find some energy to play Monopoly with his daughter. Each time he does the latter, he makes an investment far more valuable than money can buy, or sleep can restore.

I often hear high achievers actually bemoaning the fact that their families want their time and attention. “Why do they make me feel guilty when I come home tired and want some ‘me’ time? Can’t they see that everything I do at work is for them? When I work fifteen-hour days, I’m doing it so they can have all the things I never had, and a better life.” They sometimes come across as if they resent the fact that their loved ones value their presence.

If you catch yourself thinking this way, in any capacity, it’s time to get a fresh perspective. Think about how fortunate you are to have people who love you so much, they want your time and attention more than the contents of your wallet. Instead of seeing this as a burden, see it as an honor. You have the power to light up the lives of your loved ones simply by giving them your time and attention. It is tragic to view that as anything less than a blessing. Not just for them, but for you. You have such importance to the people around you that all you have to do to make them feel like a million bucks is be with them. Amazing.

Think about that the next time you are feeling overwhelmed because your loved ones want your attention. Flip it around and be deeply, deeply thankful. Not everyone in this world is so fortunate.

I guarantee that if you get in the habit of thinking “it is my honor” instead of “it is my obligation” each time you give attention to those you love—or to anyone at all, in fact—you will experience a breakthrough in your heart. You will be flooded with humility and appreciation, rather than with resentment. You will discover a joy, an inner glow, a power, that cannot be matched by any goal attained, possession acquired, title earned, or accolade received. Like Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas morning, you will feel as if you’ve been reborn.

Time and attention are the currency of the soul. They are the keys that unlock the hidden 90 percent of who we are.

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