Posts by Pat:
Wasted Time? Or not!
Do you have “stuff” you’d love to do, but don’t feel you have time for?
Is not having enough time your excuse for not accomplishing what you say you want to do?
Is there some “wasted” time in your day?
Of course, this isn’t you or me ( or is it?) But check out this information from a 2015 study. It shares that the average American spends almost 5 hours a day on their cell phone and checks into social media an average of 17 times a day.
Even if we only spent half as much time as the “average” we’d still have a lot of potentially wasted time to account for!
Then, of course, there’s the statistic that shows the average American spends an average of 5 hours on TV. (It’s hard for me to believe this, though I bet they were also counting the time the TV is on and NOT being watched!)
And the average American spends over 8 hours and 50 minutes in bed (counting reading in bed and naps). I admit this could be me!
And then the average American commute to work in 2015 was about 26 minutes each way. Thank heavens that doesn’t happen in Walla Walla!
So..?
So maybe we do have enough time?
Maybe we like the way we are spending our time, but we are spending/using/investing/or wasting it!
And whatever our goals may be, whether we squander the time we’ve been given or use it productively, we must accept the fact that the time doesn’t come back.
It’s gone forever, as is the opportunity it presented.
On the other hand…it has been said that there is no such thing as wasted time,
- that we learn what’s important (or not) to us,
- that we are balancing our time and energy spent working and not working,
- that stopping to just breathe or listen or watch is of value,
- that we can be getting to know our Selves by just being and not doing.
Even so, it’s up to us to find the time to make what we want happen. (even if that is a nap!)
William Penn once said,
Time is what we want most, but what we use the worst.”
And I believe he was right. When you ask nearly everyone what they want more of, it’s time-
- time to become a better person,
- time to spend with their family, and/or
- time to relax and unwind.
Each 24-hour day presents an opportunity we’ll never get back. Whatever we want to improve (our health, our family connections,our finances), it’s up to us to find the time to make it happen.
We do have the power to make time if we want it badly enough. It’s all about our priorities and divvying up our time in a way that will get us where we want to be.
Whether we choose to spend our time on work or play or relaxing, let’s all just admit that we do choose it! 
What do you choose to do with your time?
A new season and new day!
“September” is such an invigorating idea! (and it’s especially an invigorating month!) It’s back to school and new projects! It’s unofficially the beginning of fall! And though fall is really only 3 months long, that’s plenty of time to look at the “clean slate” that it provides. I invite you to join me and stop “doing” […]
Who’s your favorite grouch?
Some famous grouches: Oscar the Grinch Grumpy Scrooge Maxine Garfield Eeyore Lucy a relative? the boss? you? We certainly have a lot of role models to choose from! And there are lessons to be learned if we are willing. For example, frowns vs. smiles… After all, we’ve heard that it takes more work to […]
Enjoying life vs. improving life
Wisdom from author E.B. White: “If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” And […]
Stressed or “Desserts”?
Life is uncertain… eat dessert first! I’m a firm believer in desserts first! What else would you expect from a previous chocolate store owner? (My sister and I were smart enough never to hire the applicant who said “I’d give anything to work in a chocolate store!” for we knew we couldn’t afford the loss […]
It’s my day; is it yours?
This Saturday, August 13, is officially International Left Handers Day. And I’m part of the 7-10% of the population that is left-handed. (as was my dad, my son, and my husband!) I’ve always said I wanted to be in the top 10% of whatever I was doing and, here, (by genetics at least!) I’m in the top 10%. […]
A difference between like and love
I love this quote, (though it is probably not by the Buddha as I originally thought!) Every relationship we have with another person in our life is like a flowering plant. If the relationship is strong, the plant grows strong and offers lots of flowers to both of us. We can usually tell the value […]
Reading Rights, Part B!
Perhaps my background is warped! After all, I was an English teacher and I have owned a bookstore! So perhaps reading is an inflated value that I have? I am blessed with the love of reading and read I do-a lot! Science fiction, romance, histories, biographies, how-to, philosophy.. I’ve even been accused of reading the back […]
Reader’s Bill of Rights? Part A
Who knew?! There’s a “Bill of Rights” for us readers by French author, Daniel Pennac. I was tickled to find his revealing list and started thinking of some of my own. Let me know if any of these resonate with you and if you have found others! 1. The right to not read. […]
Change your language, change your life
We are often careless with our words. It shouldn’t surprise us, though, that the words we use are affecting our life. Be careful what words you are choosing to say. If something can be called scary, can it also be called exciting? If something can be called boring, can it also be called calming? If something you want is […]