Ten from Two

Your answer might be minus eight, but this is not a math problem.

From two different sources this week I learned about ten things that might be particularly significant for a well lived life.

From the first source there was a discussion about five habits. James Clear wrote that your five strongest habits are a great indicator of your life’s direction. Take a minute and think about your habits. Maybe list them. Good ones. Bad ones too. Now rank them relative to how strong or engrained they are.

Look at the five strongest habits. Are they healthy, positive, nurturing? Are lower ranked habits potentially more helpful? Can you strengthen them? Are there habits you need to let wane?*

From the second source there was a discussion about five relationships. During a Zoom conversation with some friends, one of them said that he read that we are the product of our five strongest relationships. Take a minute and think about your relationships. Maybe list them. Good ones. Bad ones too. Now rank them relative to how strong or close they are.

Look at the five strongest relationships. Are they healthy, positive, nurturing? Are lower ranked relationships potentially more helpful? Can you strengthen them? Are there relationships you need to let wane?

All this may seem simple and simply another way of stating the Biblical point that we reap what we sow. Just because something is simple doesn’t mean it’s not significant! As spring’s flowering gives testimony to Easter’s promise of new life, spend some time thinking on your habits and relationships. Where do you need to sow more? Where is weeding necessary?

Ten from two wasn’t about math. But see how it adds up.

* If you are interested in working on habits and habit formation, check out James Clear’s Atomic Habits.