Sometimes I find myself denying the reality of time boundaries. There’s a part of me that thinks I can bend time to squeeze in extra minutes, when there clearly isn’t time for what I need.
For instance, recently I shared with you in
“Slower Is Faster,” about my dilemma of how to walk a twenty-four minute route in twenty minutes or less. I’ve walked this path many times. I knew how long it would take, but I literally found myself thinking that maybe that walk could be unique?
I call that “magical thinking”—convincing myself otherwise, about something that I know isn’t likely or possible, because I’m not ready to accept the truth of the situation. Do you do this or is it just me?
Magical thinking is based on delusion. It’s not based in reality, which means I’m not present if I'm caught up in that. When I’m busy calculating scenarios and scheming against the reality of the clock, the calendar, or the circumstance I don’t want to accept, it’s like I’m consuming time before I actually live it. I am definitely not in the present moment, much less able to appreciate it.
To counteract delusional thinking, I must be willing to be present so I can see reality for what it is, and then work toward accepting it. This is a much better use of my time and energy than staying in fantasy. My power is in the present. God is in the present.
One tool I’m using to practice greater presence is meditation. I’ve tried it many times before, but after a few days or weeks, I usually give up pretty quickly because it’s so uncomfortable for me to be still.
But lately, I’ve been doing seven-minute timed meditations, walking or sitting, where I stop the hamster wheel of thinking, and I relax and be. I notice my senses: what I hear, see, smell, any sensations I feel, and remnants of anything I can still taste. As thoughts come in, I usher them right back out and redirect my focus to my senses.
Meditation is an emptying of the mind, so that my soul can fill back up. It is an intentional letting go, in order to receive more.
To slow down and stay in the present more, I’ve also been trying to embrace the idea of creating space in my day. Additionally, someone challenged me for the next four weeks to plan fifteen minutes a day for doing absolutely nothing, as a detox from constantly doing something.
My first thought about that suggestion was, You mean I have to waste time, on purpose? My stomach turned over and tightened up at that idea. Our bodies are so responsive. If you had a physical reaction like I did when you read that suggestion, pay attention. You may need this as much as I do.
The concept of wasted time is an unhealthy belief that no longer serves me anymore. Wasted time? It doesn’t exist. There’s only time.
I can use time to move me forward on the things that I want and need, like work success, creative expression, rest, play, and relationship. Or, I can use time to take me away from the things that I want and need, and feel the consequences of that.
When I don’t use time in an ideal way, and then feel bad about my choices, that awareness is a gift. Enough time spent not doing what I really want and need to be doing, inevitably leads to increased dissatisfaction, which can ultimately lead to changed behavior. Thus, all time is worthwhile, because it’s meeting my inherent needs one way or another, sooner or later.
For today, let’s do this living thing, this “being” thing, one present step at a time. Let’s build space in our days to encourage the practice of letting go, so more of everything can flow in.
If you want to join me in the fifteen minutes of nothing a day challenge, please let me know! Let’s support one another using our
FTG Readers Group, because there may be others who are inspired to join us. If you’re not on Facebook, you can respond to this email.
