NOW IS THE TIME!

Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock. Is it happening to you? The familiar winding of another year almost gone by, with a race against the clock to complete tasks that pile up this time of year. Family gatherings, check. Holiday shopping, in progress. Travel plans, maybe. Work priorities, help wanted! Penciled into the margins are frantic and somewhat frightening reminders to navigate the world amidst growing Covid variants, all while continuing to manage post-storm devastation. Doctor year-end visits, schedule. Eat right and exercise, will try. If these are typical items in your to-do list, you are not alone. As quickly as you check off one thing, a new one is added, creating competing priorities that inevitably lead to physical, mental, and emotional stress. Great expectations create pressures and demands that can lead to overthinking, confusion, and inaction – placing speed bumps on momentum. For some, time (or the lack of enough of it) may resemble the sands falling through the narrow passage of the hourglass. But for some others, it may feel like running in circles, resembling the proverbial clock’s second hand. If you find yourself in this conundrum, the following are a few practical strategies to help you navigate and self-nurture during the busiest of times.

Mindfulness teaches the importance of living in the moment – the act of being fully aware of and engaged with thoughts, feelings, and emotions. To be mindful, we neither dwell in the past nor look too far ahead. Our balance, peace and harmony are synonymous with our ability to be calm even in challenging situations. To be mindful, we must aim to be content moment by moment – to release judgment and to acknowledge and respect emotions. This goes a long way towards achieving calm and we experience countless instances to renew our determination. When we can keep in check our external environment and our internal struggles, we find peace. We begin to value silence as a tool to create calm, to silence distracting voices in our head and to promote balance in our lives. When we are wound up, we often revert to the default settings of old programming, where our brains react in the usual patterns we’ve created for our lives. We end up in the same old familiar routines, sometimes repeating undesired habits and patterns that have not served us well. Consider the power of NOW. You can decide now to create shift in your life. You can choose now to do something differently. You can forge a new path on your journey to self-awareness and well-being. Now is all there is. How will you use this time?

• Set intention to act with awareness. How are you showing up? How do you feel? Are you energetic? Is the frantic pace of life undermining your life balance? Mindfulness creates connection to what’s important to us and an avenue to explore choice. Many important realizations show up when you free up mental space for calm and creativity. You are meant to experience the best that life has to offer. With practice, mindfulness techniques enable you to create new healthy habits, make better choices, and shift towards being the absolute best version of yourself.

• Imagine the possibilities. While time is a precious commodity, how we relate and respond to life’s demands can be entirely up to us. Look at time through different filters and a new lens. Visualization and meditation can help shed light on the deepest desires. Gratitude and optimism offer endless possibilities to ward off the woes of worry and indecision. Focused breathing is something you can do anywhere at any time to become more fully aware and present. Take a long deep breath (in through the nose). Become aware of your body as you do so. Exhale (through the mouth). Set an intention to manage tension, decrease stress, and create shift in your energy.

• Every moment is the right time for a new lease on life. Resolutions are not limited to the start of a New Year. Be clear on what you want and be resolved that you can have it. Seeking help is characteristic of the wise and strong. The right time for you is the moment you are mentally and emotionally ready for change. Be creative. Change the settings of your personal experiences. Turn up the dial on self-love. Try something new. Open your heart and mind to perspectives that differ from your own. Accept the things you can neither change nor control. Tap into opportunistic thinking. Connect with people who make you feel safe and empowered. Do more of whatever bring you joy. Expand your reach in the world. The sky is the limit.

During this holiday season, making time for a few of these simple acts can be truly transformative. Allowing yourself to experience time as a gift pays dividends to you and those you love. You deserve it. Make this season enjoyable. Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock. Your time is now!