In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s easy to get caught up in the frenzy of endless to-do-lists. All too often we find ourselves thinking, “If only I had more time…” While we don’t have the power to make more time, we do have the power to choose how we spend it. Over the past four years, I have come to understand the immense power and value of “taking the time”…
Taking the time to appreciate others, letting them know how much and why they are valued. Taking the time to smile – it’s amazing how something so simple can be so impactful in brightening someone else’s day. Taking the time to commit to a project, to dive in headfirst and create, to indulge your “inner child,” returning to the days when imagination knew no bounds and fear of failure was nonexistent.
Taking the time to be silly, laughing until your sides ache and you can scarcely breathe.
Taking the time to learn for the sake of learning, creating knowledge rather than simply regurgitating it.
Taking the time to appreciate life as it is, rather than how we wish it could be, recognizing that every challenge we face and every obstacle we overcome helps better equip us for the future. Taking the time to accept the fact that some things are beyond our control and having faith in the idea that every experience has a purpose in the grander scheme of life, even if we can’t see it at the moment.
Taking the time to be compassionate and genuinely listen to others, to clear our minds and focus solely on what others have to share.
Taking the time to celebrate ourselves, to reflect and be proud of what we have accomplished.
Most of all, taking the time to acknowledge that all we ever have is a moment in time. Why not make each moment count?