photo credit: Neil T

How have you creatively solved changing priorities in your life?

Being able to adapt to change is an important aspect of resiliency.  So, what happens when you have to change priorities?  Well first of all, we often need a whack on the side of the head to notice that some important aspect in our lives has changed.  Once we get that message, then what?

Roger von Oeche, author of A Whack on the Side of the Head, How You Can Be More Creative, says “when things change and new information comes into existence, it’s no longer possible to solve today’s problems with yesterday’s solutions.”  So when you recognize a change is needed, he recommends taking a creative approach to inventing and choosing among your options – instead of just carrying on, doing what you’ve always done, suddenly you get to create a new way of being.  And you get to choose.  Puts a more positive spin on the need to change, don’t ya think?

For instance, how did you respond to gasoline prices in the last few years?  Perhaps before this era of high gasoline prices your priority was toting your family to and fro for security and safety, or driving yourself to work so you could be flexible in your schedule.  Or running errands on the spur of the moment.  Did the high prices make you reconsider your priorities?  Did it begin to make sense that the kids could walk to school in groups with one parent as a chaperone?  Did carpooling suddenly become more important than flexibility?  Did you contemplate a staycation instead of a vacation?  Did you start clumping your errands into efficient trips?

Or, if you’ve lost your job or you are fearful that your job is vulnerable to future layoffs, how have you changed your priorities as a result?  Did you start paying attention to where your money was being spent and begin economizing or eliminating waste?  Did you eliminate your gym membership in favor of walking the kids to school?  Did you get a water filter for your faucets instead of buying bottled water?

What about a past decision to “trade-up” to a bigger home?  Still planning to do that soon?  Given the state of our economy, probably you’ve decided to stay where you are and perhaps remodel or add-on instead of selling.

All of these examples are instances of changed priorities ahead.

And they bring me full circle back to the question at the beginning of this post:

How have you creatively solved changing priorities in your life?

Share your stories and your ideas so that everyone can benefit from your interesting and creative solutions!

P.S. Do you wonder why in the world there would be a street sign that says “Changed Priorities Ahead”??? Check it out: www.nixyvalentine.com/index.php/2009/04/changed-prioritie/