A commodity is something that is useful or valuable. Though most people will declare money to be the most respected resource, I have determined there are three far more treasured ones for you to consider. The commodities listed below are three of the most crucial supplies you will ever be granted and essentially determine the quality of your life and well-being. Learning how to manage and spend these effectively and efficiently are vital life skills that will fundamentally shape the course of your life.

Each day, you are offered 1,440 minutes. If you’re not conscious and deliberate with them, they will easily slip away. Time is perhaps the most valuable resource you will ever be granted because once you spend it, you will never get it back. Though busyness, chaos, and multi-tasking have become societal norms, and perhaps even status symbols, they detract from your focus and peace of mind. How you spend your time determines the health and quality of your relationships, well-being, and happiness.

Minutes turn into hours and hours turn into decades. Every hour is precious and deserves your full attention. Do yourself a favor and take the time to look at where your hours and minutes are going. For one week, track your time by writing it down. Yes, you may think you know how and where you’re spending your time, but when you start tracking the minutes, you may be surprised by what you find.

If you want to print the time sheet, CLICK HERE. If you plan to print the entire lesson, wait until you reach the bottom of this page to print… the time sheet is in it.

My Time Stealers are:

Energy is the emotional, physical, and mental fuel you have in the tank in order to get through your day. It is necessary to assess and gauge at every turn. Energy reflects critical information that cues you into your well-being and your needs. Just like a gas tank that alerts you when you’re running low on fuel, your energy will reflect similar information. If you’re paying attention, you’ll save yourself from near disaster.

You will be empowered to stay in the driver’s seat of your life as you learn to recognize your physical and emotional energy levels and take this as important, legitimate information. Low energy is evidence that you need to refuel or that something needs your attention. Like the tank that measures how far you can travel, your energy levels will inform you of how much further you can go in a day, a certain situation, or in a relationship. This is critical information.

The energy you spend has to do with the emotional and mental space you allow someone or something to occupy. It includes: the attention you pay; problem solving you offer; worry you engage in; things you think about; sleep you lose. How much energy are you allowing others to take up in your life? Are you spending your days planning and dreaming about your own life or are you riddled and occupied by thoughts and stress of others?

If you are spending any of your energy in the following ways, you are wasting it and likely driving yourself to the point of depletion. Below are Emotionally Energetic Expenditures (E.E.E.) to be aware of:

• Over-thinking
• Worrying
• Planning
• Consideration
• Thoughtfulness
• Problem-solving
• Offering solutions
• Entertaining conversation
• Extending loyalty
• Explaining yourself
• Personalizing other’s behavior
• Pleasing
• Chasing after
• Checking up on
• Accommodating
• Seeking love
• Seeking attention
• Seeking approval

Perhaps you’ve confused these as love. Sending your energy in ways such as these is an indicator that you may be trying to fix, manage, and control someone or something. You can update these terms and conditions also.

If you are judging, denying, shaming, or minimizing your energy levels, you are ignoring vital information. If you feel pressure, overwhelm, stress, or irritability, your feelings are trying to inform you of something important. Are you listening?

Effort has to do with the behaviors you engage in and how much you will exert for a person or situation. What are the acts of service and responsibilities you are assuming for others? How hard are you willing to work for the sake of certain circumstances or relationships? What lengths are you going to in order to please or accommodate someone? Are you working harder on someone else’s problem than they are? Are you going to greater lengths than they are going for themselves? Are you trying to force solutions that you think are best? An essential point to consider is: why you are doing this? Why are you working so hard? What might happen if chose not to?

Patterns well-worn, commodities spent, signs and symptoms flaring… where do you even begin to get a grip and create change?

There you have it, the basics of boundaries and all of things that can get in your way. As you continue to gain clarity, understand your motives, and consider new ways of relating, it’s important to have a basic framework as you move forward.

Knowing who to get involved with, when to get involved, and to what extent can feel a bit confusing.  Self-awareness and self-honesty are two essential points in this process. You are your own starting point and very best guide. Even further, your feelings relay critical information and as you learn to listen to your G.P.S. (gut, perception, and senses), you will begin to trust it as essential source of deeper knowing. Use it to check in with yourself to assess and gauge your commodities (time, energy, and effort) to see if this person, situation, or request is in your best interest.