04/02/2026
M A K E T I M E
"If only I had more time...."
If I could get a dollar for every time I have heard that or even said it myself, I would be having some very nice holidays π.
We live in a time when being busy is a measure of our value and a judgment of others.
We get overloaded; we overload our partners and our kids. I am not just talking about activities and demands. We overload those we love most with our pent-up stress, mental load, and emotions. We may not do that overtly, deliberately, or consciously, but how we are coping within permeates into our lives, regardless of how much we think we might be controlling it.
A mother of young children once said to me, when I asked her what she wanted, what made her happy, "I just want to be the best mum I can be." She thought the measurable parameters were how often they go to the park, make friends, try every creative pursuit imaginable, eat immaculately, nap and sleep to a schedule, and photos documenting all of these events.
The best version of ourselves (I still don't really like what that statement implies, but I will save that for another day) isn't what we achieve or how we present to the world so others can admire and judge us.
Life is about ourselves: how we feel, how we respond to what happens around us, and how it affects our inner world.
No amount of activities or photographs will ever be enough if it creates huge expectations and demands that undermine our peace and calm inner world, which then gets absorbed by those around us.
We all need to make time to include things in our lives that soothe our soul, decompress us, ignite a spark, make us laugh, bring us peace, and fulfillment. So our cup is full. This is an essential life skill, one we can share, by example, with others, particularly our children and those closest to us.
For me, I am choosing to spend some precious time in the mornings visiting a place I used to spend a lot of time walking along and swimming in. The ocean soothes my soul (within the shark net, it does, anyhow π¦).
What can you make time for today?