Time. I often think it’s even more valuable than money nowadays.
It’s the most precious thing you can give someone because you give out not only your time – you give out your care, your active listening.
You give out something that’s personal, something that’s truly yours. So, when you spend the time with someone you let them enter your sphere of intimacy; you open the door to your soul.
So when you do that, you expect to do it with someone that is worth it. Someone who can reciprocate the same intensity and the same investment.
We expect that, but we don’t always get it. Neither do we give it ourselves. We stumble upon excuses.
More often than not, people are lazy. They do not want to leave the comfort of their beds or turn off their phones for a while and go out. Spending some quality time with friends got traded for virtual reality, podcasts, videos, memes, Netflix, and whatnot.
We traded friendships and family for the internet and we pile up excuses over excuses daily.
You keep saying that you are tired of working, or that you live alone and you are in charge of everything, so there is no time to see your family or friends, but if you keep saying that (and I’m pretty sure you know what’s coming next) your whole life will pass by.
Yes, you heard it!
I know we all need to chill and not do anything from time to time and I know kids are high maintenance, but you can find an hour or two to go exercising or start learning a second language, or have a cup of coffee with friends.
We can do so much more if we shift our mindset. If you keep saying you have no time, you are tired, or the weather sucks, you will never get to visit the places you want to visit, learn the things you want to learn or read the books you want to read.
Your life can be what you want it to be and all it takes is taking that one extra step. Going to see the people you care for even when you have a splitting headache is that extra step. Going to the park and taking your kids to exercise with you is another step you can make.
Learning Spanish while you clean the house or cook a meal is yet another step. There are all these online courses, podcasts you can listen to while you, say, wash the dishes.
Long story short, you have no excuse to not be lazy and unproductive. There is always a way for everything.
Time is private and personal. If you share it, share it with someone that is worth it, someone you care about, and do it often. We are not here forever, and excuses do not create memories.
Surround yourself with the people that reciprocate the same investment.
Your time is, well, yours. Control it.
Use it productively. It doesn’t mean refraining from lying around and texting on social media; it means creating a balance.
In retrospect, you’ll find your life to be more fulfilling and meaningful that way.
Taking action and dropping excuses off will take your life to the next level. The virtual world will be there tomorrow as soon as you open your phone. You can scroll your feed on your way to work, or while the kids are asleep.
The funny thing about work is that no one will do it for you. The work will wait for you the next day, but the present moment won’t.
So get rid of the excuses and take your life to that next level. I am sure you’ll find someone who’ll share that same philosophy with you and most importantly, their time too.
