If everything is important, then nothing is important.

I full-heartedly agree with this statement and I still sometimes catch myself trying to accomplish way too many things with the idea that they are all “important”.

True, usually these tasks all have varying degrees of importance — cleaning the toilets, wishing my in-laws a “Happy birthday”, watering the houseplants, showing up on time for work, making time for a walk, etc. All of these things have benefits to doing and/or consequences for not doing, and for that reason, my brain would like to bucket them all as “important”. But, my dear perfectionist brain, these are not all of equal value.

I’d like to take a moment to remind myself of my top tier items of importance, that is, what is essential.

1. Making time to take care of my needs
2. Giving my family quality connection time free from distractions
3. Providing food on my family’s plates

Everything else — and I do mean everything else — can wait behind these things.

It’s funny, even as I sit here, my brain is working hard to find things to add to that list, thinking I must be missing something! Listen, brain, three things is plenty; it’s more than enough. Are other things worth doing? Yes, for sure, but I cannot think of anything else more important than or equal to these three things I’ve listed. Everything else must at best be considered secondary.

And, by the way, brain, you’ll notice that I put “Making time to take care of my needs” as numero uno in our list of utmost importance. This is important, brain. We need to prioritize ourselves. It’s not selfish; no one can give from an empty cup. Got it? Got it.

Thank you, reader, for sticking through this conversation with myself.