We are fed the illusion of “Not Having Time”, but we can say No to that.
Trips are often ground for a shift in perspective. During my trip to Costa Rica a sensation I had crystallized into a knowing: By abiding by the law of “being in a rush” and “having no time” we are building a world that is crushing us. Furthermore, most of the measures that are offered as solutions to the subsequent stress and burnout are just palliatives to keep us going. The illusion of “not having time” is, in my opinion, one of our society’s greatest delusions and disservices and here’s why.
I Wish I Was a Sloth, and Maybe You Should, Too
When I was in Costa Rica, I hoped to see a Sloth. The Sloth has always been one of my favorite animals, because it’s just…there, peacefully hanging on trees with that perennial wise smile. It’s content, absorbed in a slow-motion delight, and it seems to be appreciating every inch of its paced movements.
Finally, one day I did see a Sloth, knotted up on a tree, soft and calm, taking its time to find the perfect position among the tree branches to rest for the following few hours. By observing that creature and that luscious, gravid, unruled, and perfectly harmonious nature, I knew more exactly what the cause of my Sloth’s fatal attraction was: It looked like it had TIME, and sure as hell it was luxuriating in it. It was basking in pure existence, making an art of just BEING.
That’s right, because in our society time is a luxury, isn’t it? And we are so used to throwing that sentence in small talk conversation that we don’t even question it anymore. But WHY time has to be a luxury? Why are we believing it and therefore perpetuating it? Who said things should be this way? Why are we buying into it?
I came back from my trip and of course, all the work left behind, all the sessions with my clients I had lined up demanded my attention, and rightly so. But within myself, a new consciousness had taken roots.
- It was time to say NO to No-Time.
It was time to refuse to believe that now I had to rush through everything that had piled up during my absence. No. I would dedicate my attention to one thing at a time. And I would remove, delegate or cancel what didn’t fit.
We grow into the illusion that to do our best work we should work “hard” – meaning A LOT and CONSTANTLY. But that’s not true. If that’s someone’s nature to do that, so be it, but not as a response to the system’s pressure. When you are working that way, what are you responding to? Your nature or a message you more or less consciously internalized?
Probabilities are that you don’t know, and you don’t know because you never STOPPED to question it. If we don’t step back, if we don’t pause, we just run by default living an unconscious life. It’s like we are programmed, like robots. And the worst part is that all along we think we are choosing how we live.
- We think we are awake when in fact we are sleeping.
If I envision my future, I see how I want to work and feel I have the time to cuddle my pet, kiss my partner, listen to my kids or look out of the window, gazing at nowhere for a little while (or a long while if I can!). Why not?
- The intense concentration and overtime productivity we are demanded to squeeze out of our lives deprive us of the time for reflection, the time for processing and developing awareness of our inner states.
So, I say NO because I want to do my best work, I want to offer the best part of my creative, nurturing soul, and I want to create value and bring space and time to the world. I need it, WE need it.
So I ask you, what do you see if you envision your future opening your mind to endless possibilities? What are you doing? What is your pace, your rhythm? How do you feel? And how much this vision matches your present reality?
The good news is: We do have a choice. It doesn’t have to be like this. It doesn’t have to be “go go go” and “more more more”. It’s not serving us, it’s not serving society, it’s not serving our contribution to the world.
We need time to reflect and digest, elaborate and give back. We need the time to go deeper, nurture, and let the seeds of renewal sprout and blossom.
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