105.Priorities in life --Too busy sawing to sharpen the saw? + Stretching Exercises
Remember Stephen R. Covey? I believe we have all read his books, and benefited so much. I remember one we had years ago which was called "Spiritual Roots of Human Relations." In it he recommends that we include in our planning, an important area on which we must focus which he calls “sharpening the saw.”
A story exemplifies what it means to “sharpen the saw.” A man is feverishly sawing away at a tree with his hand saw. A friend walks by and asks the man working so hard on the tree why he doesn't stop for a little while and sharpen his saw so that he can cut the tree more easily. The man cutting the tree replies that he can't stop to sharpen the saw, he is too busy sawing.
Have you ever felt like you are continually busy, yet you are not accomplishing anything important? There are things in life that we can do that, if we did them on a regular basis, would help us to sharpen our saw and in so doing, allow us to do all the other things that we do with greater ease and effectiveness.
For example, we might focus on such activities as getting regular exercise. We might focus on eating more healthy food, get more sleep at night, go to bed earlier in the evening, and awaken earlier. We might do such things as practice regular meditation, spend quality time with family and friends, or exercise our minds by doing puzzles (or better yet, indexing and/or Family History!).
We might read more inspiring literature, (Scriptures) give more service, attend Church services, or pray more frequently. These also help us to do all the other things that we want or need to do more easily and effectively.
Do this by asking the question:
What is the most important thing I can do today or this week to have the greatest positive impact in my life? (or the lives of those I love--)
Use our conscience. Our conscience is our connection to the more intuitive part of our being, and actually is listening to the Promptings of the Spirit (Holy Ghost). Perhaps only one goal per week is all that is necessary. Your conscience decides.
Living in the time we live in has very many challenges, not unlike the problems our ancestors faced, especially for young people. But I like this quotation:
“Though we have rightly applauded our ancestors for their spiritual achievements (and do not and must not discount them now), those of us who prevail today will have done no small thing. The special spirits who have been reserved to live in this time of challenges and who overcome will one day be praised for their stamina by those who pulled handcarts.” -Neal A Maxwell
One of my challenges in life is getting enough exercise and/or stretching. I see many older people around my age who lead very sedentary lives.(75 to 80 or above!) If you're not there yet, you will be some day if you are blessed to live a "long life". Along with eating healthily, exercise and stretching are vital to helping avoid aches and pains and strengthen our hearts, and bodies. I was given the set of stretching exercises below, and if you want to "copy and paste" them, you can use them also. I do them on my bed -- (They are the Stretching Exercises below this illustration.)
Lay down on your back with your knees bent. This can be done on the floor – or on your bed! I do it on the bed because it is hard to get up off the floor!
Do each exercise 3-5 times in a row. Remember to Breathe Deep.
1. Think of your head being pulled out from your shoulders, Breathe deep.
2. Clasp your hands behind your head and lift your head so that your chin touches your chest. Breathe Deep.
3. Reach for the sky with your right hand. Breathe Deep.
4. Reach for the sky with your left hand. Breathe Deep.
5. Put your right hand to a square and point your elbow to the wall. Breathe deep.
6. Put your left hand to a square and point your elbow to the wall. Breathe deep.
7. Bring your elbows together over your chest. Breathe Deep.
8. Cross your right arm over your left elbow. Breathe Deep.
9. Cross your left arm over your right elbow. Breathe Deep.
10. Think of your tail bone being pulled away from your body.(Lift lower hips.)
11. Lift your bottom off of the floor. Breathe Deep.
12. Put your feet together, lower both legs to floor to the right. Breathe deep.
13. Do the same on the left. Breathe Deep.
14. Put your feet apart, lower both legs to the floor to the right. Breathe deep.
15. Do the same on the left. Breathe Deep.
16. Cross your right foot over your left knee and drop both legs to the floor to the right. Then in the same position drop both legs to the left. Breathe deep.
17. Cross your left foot over your right knee and drop both legs to the floor to the right. Breathe.Then in the same position drop both legs to left. Breathe deep.
18. Clasp your hands together and grab your right knee and pull it to your chest. Breathe Deep.
Remember this should feel good when you are finished. It should not cause you to be in pain. Best if done once a day – at max two times a day. Should take about 20-25 minutes to complete. (Doing each stretch 3 to 5 times.)
Another stretch for the lower back: Lay on your stomach, facing the floor(or on the bed). Place your hands under your shoulders in the push-up position. Straighten your elbows and push the top half of your body as far as you can. At the end your arms are as straight as possible, and back extended.
Also, for relaxing the shoulders when you have spent too much time on the computer! -- Twist from the waist up side to side, 10 times. Roll your shoulders forward 10 times, and then roll them back 10 times.
I should remember to do these things! I hope they help you. I've learned, gradually the hard way, that the things that are good for us are truly essential if we want to live a long time and feel good! (As for me, a hip replacement really helped also! What did pioneers do when they needed a hip or knee replacement? I believe they really suffered more than we have to these days. Let's take care of our health and live a long time to do the important work that is assigned to our generation! As I understand it, that work includes Family History and Indexing, building Temples and using them, and hastening the work with Missionary Work.)
11. Lift your bottom off of the floor. Breathe Deep.
12. Put your feet together, lower both legs to floor to the right. Breathe deep.
13. Do the same on the left. Breathe Deep.
14. Put your feet apart, lower both legs to the floor to the right. Breathe deep.
15. Do the same on the left. Breathe Deep.
16. Cross your right foot over your left knee and drop both legs to the floor to the right. Then in the same position drop both legs to the left. Breathe deep.
17. Cross your left foot over your right knee and drop both legs to the floor to the right. Breathe.Then in the same position drop both legs to left. Breathe deep.
18. Clasp your hands together and grab your right knee and pull it to your chest. Breathe Deep.
Remember this should feel good when you are finished. It should not cause you to be in pain. Best if done once a day – at max two times a day. Should take about 20-25 minutes to complete. (Doing each stretch 3 to 5 times.)
Another stretch for the lower back: Lay on your stomach, facing the floor(or on the bed). Place your hands under your shoulders in the push-up position. Straighten your elbows and push the top half of your body as far as you can. At the end your arms are as straight as possible, and back extended.
Also, for relaxing the shoulders when you have spent too much time on the computer! -- Twist from the waist up side to side, 10 times. Roll your shoulders forward 10 times, and then roll them back 10 times.
I should remember to do these things! I hope they help you. I've learned, gradually the hard way, that the things that are good for us are truly essential if we want to live a long time and feel good! (As for me, a hip replacement really helped also! What did pioneers do when they needed a hip or knee replacement? I believe they really suffered more than we have to these days. Let's take care of our health and live a long time to do the important work that is assigned to our generation! As I understand it, that work includes Family History and Indexing, building Temples and using them, and hastening the work with Missionary Work.)
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