How we see time

Is time precious? Or is it scarce and running out fast? Before we begin to answer that question and land on 'perhaps it's a bit of both,' it might be useful to examine which way we might be leaning (even ever so slightly). Our everyday behaviour becomes the reliable mirror which reflects our orientation towards time.

Our orientation towards time of course, shapes the heart of our ‘flow’ - the invisible force that directs our attention and energy, whilst creating the patterns of behaviour and habits we come to rely upon. Viewing time as being a commodity that's scarce throws us. We are always in a rush and we constantly feel time is slipping through our fingers like sand. We are always in a hurry to get some place and feel as though our day is constantly being 'stolen' from us by asks of others.

As time slips through our fingers, we clench the fist harder creating more tension. The strange thing is, we think we are trying to squeeze the most out of time, but we are actually squeezing our own hand and the ripple effect it has on those we touch. Unconsciously, we shape our relationships around managing the stress that takes centerstage, leaving out any room for genuine connection to take place. We are always chasing a list and those who are with us are holding it for us. Seeing time as a precious companion puts us in a different place of treating it like a treasure that won't diminish, but one that needs to be invested with attention and care. It becomes something that doesn’t change by itself, but its value goes up in our eyes as we age with it.

So, rather than being afraid of losing it, we can be thankful for still having it. Our appreciation for its existence in our own limited time here grows and with it, the sense of gratitude for having the incredible gift and privilege of being alive. At a practical every day level, making our time precious is a way of decluttering our day and saying 'yes' when we know we are placing the right value on time. It puts us in the driver's seat and also makes us responsible for our choices. Falling behind time is perhaps the biggest consequence of not valuing time correctly when we had the opportunity. While we all struggle with it, being in a hurry may not be our best response to address our concerns. Yet, we surprisingly find ourselves being rushed most of the 'time' even when we don't need to.