3 Reasons you have more Time than you think

When you look around your office at all the little post-its and random notes jotted on random pieces of paper, you may well think: “I don’t even have time to deal with that.”

It was exactly that thought that found me sitting in my living room, cursing the pillows on my couch.

Pillows?

Yes! Pillows.

Offensive Pillows that gave me the evil eye. They were someone else’s style, the colors didn’t make me happy, and some of them had rips along the side.

They drove me nuts! Someday I’d stitch up the sides. Someday I’d find a new fabric and make new covers. But really, who has time to deal with that?

Does this sound a little excessive for pillow talk? Well, maybe there was a little something else going on. Ok. A Big something else.

Every time I looked at those pillows I thought, “I want them gone,” and not only that, “I want everything in this room gone. I want this house gone.”

What I wanted was a change. I wasn’t happy with my life.

I wanted more travel, more adventure. I wanted my surroundings to be different and changing. I wanted to meet people in other parts of the world. I didn’t want to be burdened by lots of stuff. I sure as hell didn’t want to have to deal with those pillows.

But how in the world could I do that? I already had a full life. Besides, people just don’t do that. The dream is to be self-employed and a homeowner, and I was both. What’s the problem??


So nothing changed. Without taking action, the status quo became a prison. I’d been stuck in it for too long
 and was taking it out on unsuspecting pillows and worse: my relationship.

I was getting ever more mysteriously agitated and emotional.

“What’s wrong?” You didn’t put the toilet seat down?!
 I wish it were that simple! No, the truth was that I had a secret vision for a different lifestyle that I was barely acknowledging.

I’d like to say that there was a big A-Ha moment. There wasn’t really, but 2 things happened which led to the life-changing 3rd thing:

1. I was crying for seemingly no reason on a regular basis.
2. I signed up for a writing and meditation retreat in Mexico.
   Right then and there, I decided to find the time, to figure out how to make it work and thus…
3. I bought a one-way ticket to Mexico.

Talk about loading a few (hundred) items onto the ToDo List. And ya know what? I was on that plane, the house was rented out, and stuff was either in new homes or packed (kinda) neatly in the basement. Don’t worry about the pillows, they found a new home with the new tenants.

I know you have a vision, an inkling, a wanting of something else in your life.
So let’s talk about time, because that’s one big thing that stands in the way of change.

You don’t have time for anything else on your plate, right?

Time is a precious, limited resource and it is often a valid obstacle. Except when it’s not. Which is most of the time.

Here are three prime reasons that your I-don’t-have-time belief is probably Bull-doo-doo, and it’s hurting you:

1. It’s not actually the logistical situation getting in the way but the underlying fears that make for uber-Powerful – not to mention sneaky – procrastination techniques. 


   To go location indy, I had to face the changes that affected other people, like, relationship with boyfriend (?! yikes!). I was using the I-don’t-have-time belief to put off dealing with that great big scary thought.

2. What if I can’t hack it out there? I’d have to change my entire biz model to be completely online!

   Fear of failure can be pretty close to a deal breaker. If you never get started, then you can’t fail at the new thing, right? Hmmm. 


   So you accept that maybe it’s not the resource of time holding you back… so you would do it.. except for…

3. 
There are so many dang road blocks!

   Your clever mind will surely throw up 1001 reasons why your vision is a bad idea. Logistically unrealistic. 
Impractical. Far-fetched.

   Ohhh, but guess what? Us humans are naturally creative problem solvers. The issue is usually that we haven’t defined the problem not that the problem cannot be solved.

   In facing an un-solvable problem, you’ll likely find a really great new opportunity. Click to tweet!

   Not-so-secret insight into my private life: I really want to learn hip hop, but it’s tough to take classes when you’re on the road. I faced that problem and found that I actually really enjoy following YouTube tutorials in the privacy of my kitchen even more than going to classes and feeling like a clutz in public. Unexpected bonus? Yup! Problem solved? You betcha.

If time is truly the issue, then fine. If it’s actually a way to procrastinate and put off dealing with your fears or seemingly huge road-blocks? That’s another story. 


You’re the only one who knows if the status quo of your life is acceptable or not. General rule of thumb though? When the pillows in the living room are giving you grief, it’s probably time for action.

It’s your responsibility to take action — but geez, that sounds so serious! How about another, more joyous slant: it’s your Right to take action!

Creating your ideal life doesn’t magically happen overnight or with a little wand waving. It takes planning, expanding your skill-set, learning new tools, and reaching out to new people.

That big, spooky black hole of the unknown future? When you pull back the curtain, you find that it’s really a minute by minute, step by step, day by day journey, and it’s not so scary.


It’s your LIFE.
If for nothing else, that’s the one thing, you Do have time for. 


What do you want?
Whatever your “one-way ticket to Mexico” is, you have the right to take the time to create it. Yes! Kick those pillows to the curb!

Now, yes, right now, before those thoughts of “oh-crap-ola-how-do-I-make-that-happen?” threaten to pollute your beautiful dream, Stop! and give yourself permission to bask in the good vibes of your vision.

Let it get strong. Give it the honor of being seen, and get ready to let it in.

Because it’s not really about time afterall. It’s about giving yourself the permission to try.

I’ve got something that I’m soooo stoked about offering to you in the next few weeks, because it’s all about getting organized and creating the time that you need to realize your dream — whatever it is. Woohoo!

If you’re interested in getting control of your post-it piles and random obligations, and living the life you really want, drop your name and email here – and make sure you get the news first by signing up here.

And if you know someone with a post-it pile of her own, send her this article, and save her from her own pillows. She’ll thank you for it later.

Note
#1 No pillows were actually hurt in this journey.
#2 I’d have taken actual pictures of those bad boys, but they are thousands of miles away. Ha!