“If I only had time…” is a common phrase sighed throughout the world. “If I only had time I would exercise more.” “If I only had time I would run a 5k.” “If I only had time I would make a meal instead of driving through KFC.” “If I only had time I would make take a walk at lunch instead of eating vending machine potato chips.” If I only…
I am quite sure we could string together a War and Peace sized book of “If only I had time.” Perhaps, that will be the name of our autobiographies? Wouldn’t be a very interesting story, would it? It would be a painful read of prolonged self-denial and unfulfilled dreams. I have often lived my life in a state of “…if only.”
Like so many I would think about those many things that would be good for me or bring me pleasure, only to cast them aside with the notion that I didn’t have time. Really? I didn’t have time for me? I was making excuses. It’s sometimes easier to dream of what could be, rather than make it happen. It’s really much easier than we think. When life is stressful and work deadlines loom it feels much easier to push aside those things. “I’ll go to the gym next week.” “I’ll make time for lunch tomorrow.” We make lots of promises to ourselves that we do not keep.
Hit that gavel and make your sentence; I am just as guilty of this as anyone. Each day I am faced with a series of choices on whether time is my master or am I its master? I realize that if I push everything back, denying myself a healthy and happy life due to time that the time will never come. I have to make it come. It takes a great deal of work. It takes getting up early in the morning to work out. It takes sacrificing my lunch spent on a conference call or working on the computer to the sunshine and fresh air of a well-deserved afternoon walk. It takes unfolding my yoga mat in the middle of my office while on a conference call to do yoga stretching on calls (can’t imagine how many times I’m asking a question, while in downward facing dog!).
It’s a lot of effort to make master time, but it’s worth it. The benefits of mastering time; self awareness, self discipline, self rewarding, stress reduction….etc. The “if onlys” still creep in. They overcame me yesterday, but today is another day. Today I mastered my time to do Yoga during my afternoon Conference Call, take a ten minute walk during my lunch, and end the day with an evening stool and a treat of five dollar eye brow waxing (love this shop!).
It’s important to be the master of our own time, it’s the only way we have time for ourselves. Perhaps, this is the most important lesson on this journey.
Workout today: 60 minutes of Yoga Stretching, 10 minute power walk, and 20 minute stroll
Food: Bowl of Special K, Apple, Grapes, Single Serving of Almonds, Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwich on toasted whole wheat bread, fish sandwich on whole wheat English muffin, cut up cucumber, cut up bell pepper, small piece of brownie, junior size p-nut smoothie from Robek’s Juice Bar, and eight glasses of water
Lesson: It’s okay not to answer the phone
No comments:
Post a Comment