If you are finding yourself thinking more of, or you are hearing others voicing more of, the wonder of “Where did the time, go?” you certainly aren’t alone. From a positive perspective, such a stated question often means we are having so much fun, we don’t want whatever we are enjoying, to end. More and more however on a scale of greater time, such as I can’t believe February is almost over or I can’t believe I am already (blank years old), I wonder if we are beginning to question whether our quality of life seems to be eroding, and just where is our time going?
Funny how this question arises from time to time and yet often fades just as quickly into yesterday, as we fail to recognize the prompting for meaningful change. I wonder would we respond more reflectively if the question of; Where did the time go, were instead asked as, so just how are you experiencing your walk-through life?
In reality, the actual pace of time set by the relation of the moon to the earth, is for each of us out of our control. Personally, I think this is a great thing to not have in our control, much like the weather, we instead have the freedom of responding to that which has been provided to us.
From my perspective as a physical therapist as well as a fellow traveler in this walk-through life, is that our internal make up (mind body and spirit) is often out balance with the pace of our world and therefore more often than we are allowing, we need a healthy rebooting. Some who recognize this need will utilize exercise, a social night out or bigger yet a vacation as a means of “unplugging.”
Yet what seems to be a growing impairment within any good intention to live more fully is our inability to be purely present within a present moment and therefore we are left wondering where did the time go? While we can certainly generate a lengthy conversation of how our society has fostered a perpetual “Go” mode in our lives. My desire instead is to provide you a simple yet beneficial tool, to help you “reboot” or resynchronize yourself and with a little practice, to regain a capacity to be present in the moment while still being as engaged in life as you desire to be.
Often a driver or a source in our limits of being fully present is perpetuating thoughts (over thinking the past or worrying about the future). Unfortunately, not only does such an existence erode the quality of our waking hours it can also disrupt our sleep, which is where we will begin – with a new capacity to face tomorrow.
Tonight, as you crawl into bed (no electric blankets allowed for this exercise to work) you will recognize a coolness awaits you under the covers. Lie on your back with your eyes closed, your knees bent and your hands on your pelvis. As you lie there, simply acknowledge the following recentering opportunity available to you.
As you lie in stillness drawing awareness to nothing more than your breathing (Do not attempt to alter your breathing – just allow it to be). Recognize over time, 2 to 5 minutes depending on various factors, the temperature under your covers, simply as a result of your living existence will rise to a comfortable level. This would have occurred regardless of your reading this message and yet by your guided awareness you have gifted yourself a new depth of life in this moment. In other words, by simply providing your mind a lens to view your whole self, a calm can be renewed. Such truths are often all around us and yet because our minds are so often distracted, we miss such life-giving reminders. As you practice this particular calming exercise, recognize both your heart as the source of heat and your higher power within your heart as your source of true value.
To your well-being – Peace be with you 😉