Making the Most of the Gift of Time
Last week, I was supposed to be in California, auditioning/interviewing for an opportunity that I have been waiting on for many years. The time was finally right; my opportunity had arrived. I was to leave on Tuesday evening for the airport, fly out on Wednesday morning, audition on Thursday, and fly home on Friday. So a full week of travelling, showing up, being “on” and giving the world my all.
And then the California wildfires happened.
Due to the proximity and severity of the fires, I found out late Sunday night that the decision had been made to push things to December. All of a sudden, I had a wide open schedule for a full week. I was no longer in travel mode, no longer in “presentation” mode. I had an entirely free agenda, which never happens, unless I am on vacation.
My initial thought was to fill my days with tasks and projects that have been sitting on my “to-be-done-someday” list (which is very different from my average to-do list). As I contemplated how that might look, however, I felt a silent nudge to do something different. Something unconventional. Something that might actually serve me better.
I chose to take the gift of time, and use it to REST.
Mind-boggling, right? I mean, I am no different from any of you. I have things to do, people to see, places to go. I had just been given TIME -- a full four days’ worth of time! Why wouldn’t I fill it with some of those “things to do”?
Here’s why.
One of the things that I neglect is giving myself sufficient time for deep rest. Time to let my brain be still. Time for my body to slow done. I am good at giving myself moments. But stretches of time? That rarely happens (unless I’m sick -- and that’s not the same thing).
In giving myself the entirety of last week to just be, to really rest, here’s what I noticed:
It was hard at first. My mind and body wanted to “get things done” -- and I chose to honour the still, small voice inside me instead. I am glad I did.
As I settled into the space of rest, I noticed exactly how fatigued I was. It was actually a little alarming. That noticing was good. I tuned in to what my body needed and was able to give it that.
Rest can look a lot of ways. Sleeping. Reading. Writing. Visiting. Drinking tea. Binge-watching Netflix (Outlander, Season 4 is my current vice J ).
In giving my whole self time to rest, my energy stores (which were more depleted than I realized) recovered. By day two, I found myself in a space of being able to move into more “doing” energy. And I still took it slowly.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Don’t shake your head at me. Don’t roll your eyes in what you perceive as a “must be nice” experience. I totally understand that not everyone is going to receive a “week off” out of nowhere. It just doesn’t happen that way. But it does happen to all of us in small ways.
Meetings get cancelled last minute.
Social plans change.
Inclement weather hits.
Tasks or projects get done earlier than anticipated.
When these small windows of time open up, I challenge you to see these as gifts. And instead of squandering these gifts on “things to do”, use them instead as moments to replenish yourself. It may only be five minutes. But even five minutes can go a long way toward having you refill your cup, reenergize your body, and revitalize your soul.
Bottom-line: gifts of time are gifts to be used by you, in service of you. Use these gifts yourself, knowing that as you do so, you will find yourself better able to share the rest of your gifts with the world.