One of the coolest benefits of adopting the 365 Commitment can be the conscious development of particular relationships in your life. For me, and I suspect most people, the quality of our relationships with other people is paramount to living a meaningful life.
In making my list each day I often find myself putting the name of a particular person I care about on that list so that I make sure and connect with them, or do something special for them. Even if it’s just to listen for 15 minutes, such a gesture can make a big difference in the bonds we have with those we love. The 365 Commitment creates a framework where this kind of focus can occur. At least it has for me. That focus is on what and who is most important in my life; taking concrete action to value and nourish those things and people.
I have heard that trailers are never hitched to the back of hearses. We take nothing with us when we die. But we do leave something behind. We leave the influence and impact that we have had on those still living. What will that look like for you? What do you want it to look like? Something I have thought more about since making the 365 Commitment.
I know one thing for sure. If you are raising kids, it’s a tough job. But it’s important to get it right because if you do, and you are fortunate enough to live a long life, you will have 30, 40, 50, maybe 60 years of good relations with them. But, if you screw it up, then you have the opposite. That’s serving hard time. Also, divorce can be worse than cancer, so the care and feeding of this relationship is required.
Whatever phase of life you are in or social structure you find yourself in, using your daily list to consciously focus on positively impacting particular people you know, or even people you are meeting for the first time, is a great action item to add to the daily task list. It will pay-off in terms of creating more meaning and value in your life, in the lives of others. And, will incrementally build a worthy legacy to leave when you hit the exits.
Ben Wagner (26)
Member 365 Commitment
Ben Wagner (25)
Member 365 Commitment
