The Exchange

"Decide what you want.  Decide what you are willing to exchange for it.  Establish your priorities and go to work."

I read this quote some time ago.  It got me thinking a lot about the word exchange.  I am pretty sure when this person posted the quote on Instagram they were referencing to working out and being fit.  I don't know who originated the quote and therefore don't know their original meaning of it.  It has, however, stuck with me ever since.

The word exchange literally means to give up something for something else; part with for some equivalent; change for another.

I think a lot of times in my life I feel like I am giving things up.  I am giving up my time.  Or giving up sweets.  Or giving up sleep.  Or giving up my money for this or that.  It gets kind of depressing when you think about life that way.  You feel like you aren't getting anything out of life.  Or maybe that you aren't living up the all the potential that life has to offer.  I don't know, but it's not good.  Then I get depressed about how life is no fun and just a tedious moment after another.  As I have thought on this quote, I have come across a new way of thinking that has gotten me out of my rut.

The quote doesn't ask you what you are willing to give up, it asks what you are willing to exchange.  Exchanging is a much nicer thought than dealing with having to give up all the things you love.  And we exchange all the time.

We exchange food for money at the grocery store.  We exchange our time/talent (careers) for money.  We exchange single lives for married ones.  We exchange service for blessings.  We exchange 9 months of pregnancy for a child.  We exchange reading our scriptures/prayer for a relationship with our Father in Heaven.  We exchange less tasty food (healthy food) for a healthier life.  We exchange our time working out for strong muscles. We exchange countless hours on our children's behalf for relationships with them and to make them strong, independent people.

The list can also work in the reverse way.  You can exchange all of your time at work for a poor relationship with your spouse and children.  You could exchange your health for bad food.  You could exchange inappropriate lustful desires for a poor marriage.  You can exchange unmanaged stress for a shortened life.  This list could literally go on forever.  We don't have time for all of that.  You get my point though, right?

I think sometimes I get hung up on working out because I don't want to give up my time.  But really, I am not "giving it up" per se.  I am exchanging the not working out for a less healthy body.  When I think of it this way, it causes me to think about what I really want for myself.  Is the exchange worth it? Sometimes it is.  Sometimes it is worth the extra rest, but somedays I see my future and I know the strong muscles and healthy body are worth the hour long struggle of working out.  The same is true for every area of my life.  I literally have to talk myself out of calling into work most mornings.  But the exchange is worth it.  I have an apartment.  I have food in my fridge.  I have nice furniture.  So I get up and go to work.

I challenge you to think about this next time life seems like it is being unfair or you have to do something you don't want to.  I am willing to bet if you really look, you will find the exchange.  And you will more than likely find the exchange worth it.