I hope you enjoyed the holidays and took some time to reflect on 2022 and on what you would like to create for 2023.
I am privileged to work with my beloved clients in-depth on this in the coming weeks.
January marks a new beginning, an opportunity to reflect and celebrate the passage of time and what is to come.
Time.
We move through the minutes, the hours, the days, and the years without paying much attention to them.
Until one day, we wake up and discover we don’t have much left.
My job as a mindset coach is to help you be mindful, notice, appreciate, and intentionally live your life to the fullest.
Have you ever noticed that the older you get, the faster time seems to go?
This is a real thing.
It turns out that emotion distorts our experience of time.
Studies show that time really does seem to fly when you are having fun.
It also seems to drag when bored, sad, or lonely.
Your perception of whether time moves fast or slow depends on what you notice.
It depends upon how present you are.
Time seems to last forever when you are a kid.
Christmas Eve, anyone? I remember it as torturously slow.
Kids are very present.
They grow, develop, and learn by noticing everything and making new neural connections.
Time speeds up a little for teenagers, especially if they are being social.
But when they aren’t with friends, it can drag in boredom and loneliness.
Even the twenties can seem to go on forever as young adulthood is plagued with navigating new responsibilities and self-doubt.
But the pace picks up from there.
We settle into unconscious routines that require less awareness and presence and more doing.
The learning slows down, and the busyness picks up until we reach old age (which is relative, by the way), and then we tend to revert to loneliness and boredom.
When we are young, the slowness of time doesn’t always feel good because we are so focused on moving to the next stage of life.
We rarely enjoy the moment because we are anxious to get to the next.
I know I was.
But now I am in the second half of my life, and I want to live my days as consciously and intentionally as possible.
I bet you do too.
At 54, I realize how fleeting and precious time is.
I’m ready to slow it down and appreciate what time I have left on this beautiful Earth.
And I want to share with you the good news that we have the power to speed time up or slow it down depending on how we choose to think about it.
Savoring is the best way to slow down time in a good way
The definition of savor is to enjoy food or an experience slowly to enjoy it as much as possible.
It’s so good for your heart, mind, and body to be in the present moment, not thinking about the past or the future, just enjoying the now.
It’s the number one way to reduce anxiety and overwhelm.
When you slow down and notice the good in even the most common of experiences, you will train your brain to look for more, and you will experience more peace, passion, and purpose.
As I write this, I am snuggled up under the warmth of my electric blanket.
Lucy, my calico cat, is curled up at my feet, purring contentedly.
My Christmas tree is illuminating the room.
Christmas gifts are beautifully wrapped and waiting patiently for their recipients.
I am savoring the slowness of the moment, the gift of time, the joy of connecting with you, and the meaning I am giving it all.
I encourage you to try this and to intentionally incorporate it into your day until it becomes automatic.
First thing in the morning, savor the warmth of your bed, the taste of your coffee, the beauty of your face, the running water of indoor plumbing, the reliability of your car, the ability to move, to work, to live, and the gift of time.
You get the picture.
Thinking on purpose helps quiet the constant noise in your brain and feel from the perspective of love and abundance, which is your true state, instead of your default system of negativity, scarcity, and fear.
Start the new year by programming your brain to see, feel, and appreciate the goodness, peace, and love that is always available to you.
Be intentional with this one precious, fleeting life, and have an amazing year!