The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24 hours in a day is not enough;

remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.


A professor stood before his philosophy class
 and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, 
he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar 
and start to fill it with golf balls.



He then asked the students if the jar was full.


They agreed that it was. 



The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured 
it into the jar.

He shook the jar lightly. 
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. 


He then asked the students again 
if the jar was full. They agreed it was. 



The professor 
next picked up a box of sand 
and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up 
everything else
.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded
 with a unanimous 'yes.' 



The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under 
the table
and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively 
filling the empty space between the sand.


The students laughed. 



'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. 



The golf balls are the important things - God, family, 
children, health, friends, and favorite passions. 
Things that if everything else was lost 
and only they remained, your life would still be full.
 


The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house,
 and car. 



The sand is everything else -- 
The small stuff. 
 


'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued,
 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.


The same goes for life. 
 
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
 you will never have room for the things that are 
important to you. 


So... 
 
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. 
Play with your children. 
Take time to get medical checkups. 
Take your partner out to dinner. 
 


There will always be time 
to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.



'Take care of the golf balls first -- 
The things that really matter. 
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'
 


One of the students raised 
her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. 



The professor smiled. 
 
'I'm glad you asked'. 



It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life 
may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend...

Filling My Cup...

It's been a while, but I'm feeling inspired today by far too many things to pass up the chance to channel that joy into a little bit of script.

I've recently discovered why so many people decide to live lives of mediocrity and status quo without even realizing it. (That's been me)

It was brought to my attention (as all breakthroughs are) by something that I believed was a complete disaster. So, much as a child is fine with crawling until he learns to walk, my eyes were opened up to how empty my cup as been in so many areas of my life.

Now here's the irony - I wasn't unhappy. I was "fine" (which, for most of us, is code for mostly bored, but occasionally having a little fun) with life. But I was putting things "on hold" and making excuses for not living in the state of joy that I know I'm capable of producing.

However, fortune smiled on me in the disguise of disaster, and made me look more closely at myself and why I was "fine" with life, but not excited about it? (If this sounds familiar, keep reading. If it doesn't, you're probably fooling yourself.)

Now, let's get one thing straight before I jump too far into this... I live a life that many people see as enviable. I've been blessed with chronic optimism, have more good friends in my life than most people, an incredible family, and have managed to stay healthy for the majority (minus one crazy snowboarding debacle) of my life.

So why was I just "fine" with things, and not over flowing? It was because I didn't realize how empty my cup was, until I stated filling it up. (and discovered that my cup isn't a shot glass, it's actually about the size of a barrell)

I had been so focused on what I wanted, but fooling myself that I had no room for it in my life. Boy, did I miss the boat on that one... it's kind of like saying you only have X amount of love to give to people- that's crazy. I mean, if you've ever had children (or nephews in my case) then you realize that no matter how much you love the first one, there's still an infinite amount of love left when the second child comes along. (Rather than cutting your love in half)

In that same way, just because I had a "full" life, didn't mean that there isn't "room" for so much more... I just needed to realize the space was there, create it as I wanted, and begin filling it up with all of the good that has been patiently waiting for my thick skull to realize it existed.

Once I did that, the flood gates have opened!

The dreams and hopes that I've been putting off have come to my doorstep. Not in the way that a random solicitor shows up, but more like a pizza delivery guy... I'm saying, I had to order up what I wanted, and "pay" in some way for what has arrived.

Since the "pizza guy" has shown up, I've been brimming with creativity, love, and a much greater sense of meaning than I've had in a very long time. I'm inspired by the most minute things, and even when things go wrong, I just laugh about them...

I've seen my life go from "fine" to creative and exponentially more productive. I'm reaching out in so many outlets and enjoying the best parts of "me". I'm dancing with more passion again, I've been writing in a way that I haven't in years, I'm painting again, music even sounds better- and best of all I'm laughing more! (You know, the kind of laughter that makes it feel like you did the Ab Cruncher the night before?)

Now don't get me wrong, life ISN'T perfect, but that's what makes it fun and why the (cliche warning) journey is the most important part of the road you're traveling!

So I urge you to measure your cup. Have you been looking at it as too full or felt that there isn't enough room for the inspiration and joy that you desire? If so, try something simple. Can you be inspired by the beauty of a sunny day or the joy in your dog wagging it's tail? Can you feel how much love is being shared by families and friends getting together for the holidays? Have you ever noticed how good it feels to take a deep breath and truly feel alive?

Soak it in... discover what is possible. This new year see the possibility of a reset and a new beginning with greater happiness as the star of the show! I know that it has been recently shown to me, and it's vastly more spectacular than any Imax theater I've ever seen!

What I'm saying is- I'm filling MY cup, so won't you fill yours too and join me for a drink?