Last night I lost my sleeping pill. Somewhere between the family room and the kitchen, it fell off my tray and disappeared.

A tiny little pill. With powerful results.
Two very curious kittens. Potentially lethal results.

Unlike prior times, I didn’t start beating myself up for not noticing when that little thing went missing. I didn’t curse myself for changing my routine and placing my pills on the tray instead of in my hand.

Instead, I got to work to find it.

I slowly walked my path a few times, doing my best to “soften” my eyes and really look at where I was walking. This often does the trick when things disappear.

Not this time. So I got closer to the ground and did that sweep again. Nada.

I was reluctant to bring out the vacuum cleaner – those little pills are valuable. 🙂

I knew it was there. I just couldn’t see it.

“Aha!” I thought. “This is why the NCIS agents use those bright flashlights when they’re looking for evidence.” So I got my NCIS-type flashlight, turned out the lights and started to slowly scan the floor.

And there it was. My little blue pill on the blue stripe of the rug on the kitchen floor.

SCORE! Kitty disaster averted. Pill not wasted.

And… what a great metaphor.

Turning out the lights allowed me to focus at the end of the light-beam and not get distracted by the rest.

This was the gift of my lost pill. I found it when I chose only to focus on what matters.

What a great piece of everyday wisdom. Focus on what matters. Release the rest.

As we move into what can be crazy times, let’s take a collective breath together and commit to engage in radical self-care by choosing to focus on what matters.

This isn’t being selfish in the negative sense of that word. It’s a way to assure that YOU are present to each moment so you can see what is right there in front of you.

If what matters to you is quality family time, focus on that. If you love beautiful Christmas music, focus on that.

Consider how you want to FEEL and find ways to bring that feeling into form.

Let what matters be your guide during the holidays. Before saying “yes”, check in with your own heart. Will saying “yes” be in alignment with what matters to you?

If you are unsure how to decide, use this “sacred no” approach to help you clarify what YOU want. Ask:

1. Does this need to be done?
2. Does this need to be done now?
3. Does this need to be done by me?
4. Can I do this with joy?

If the answer to any of these questions is “no”, consider carefully if you really want to say “yes.”

Sometimes, we may choose to do things that may not be in precise alignment with what matters. The operative word here is “choose”. If you consciously choose to say “yes,” it’s much less likely that you will resent the person doing the asking.

We are not victims. We are sovereign agents who get to make our own decisions.

So let’s all reduce our stress levels and increase our joy in the coming weeks by focusing on what matters.

Blessings to all of you during these beautiful, sacred times.