No time?

If there is one excuse I hear a lot lately it is: No Time. I think that is an even more worthless excuse than no money. Because both are used at every opportunity to have a so-called good excuse. Because well: everyone understands that, right? I am going to write this blog in two parts.

Let me first address the excuse: No time. And also explain why this is a lie you tell yourself. Because is that really the case? Or is it your perception of time? And how much time do you waste in a day? By hanging out on the couch, watching endless Netflix series and scrolling on your phone? Just answering that text message? And the next one? An hour of texting instead of visiting that one friend you haven't seen in so long? Two hours of Netflix instead of that nice walk outside, two hours of scrolling on your phone and watching flashy TikTok videos instead of stepping on your yoga mat? Is this a judgment? Yes, it certainly is and I have no problem with that.

Sense of time

Time perception is a beautiful word. It actually contains everything you need to know if you struggle with time perception. Namely, it is about your perception of time. And something has gone completely wrong with the time perception and this has to do with the very fast internet. Everything has to be fast! Your mind actually gets into a constant mode of being excited and it goes completely against your natural FLOW. As a result, you have the feeling that you can't keep up. And you are already in a constant state of stress and haste. Have you ever observed your mind after an hour of scrolling? Especially the very fast TikTok videos that are all aimed at the fact that according to this theory we would only have an attention span of 10 to 20 seconds. Absurd of course, because that is what is being talked into you, or rather taught. And your mind, it goes crazy.

Many people have sleeping problems, wake up dead tired and can't relax. That is also very understandable. Most people are still on their device, laptop etc. until late. And your mind, yes it is running at full speed. And then you say: now want to sleep. No, that is not how it works.

No or yes?

If you want more time, you will have to create more time. But how do you do that? Most people think that they should say NO. Because yes, that is what we have been taught. Dealing productively with your time, saying no and becoming assertive. None of this is true. You should say YES. Yes to life, yes to fun and yes to time. Constantly shouting that you have no time, creates: no time. If you follow me, you are probably busy with the law of attraction, universal laws and manifesting. All truths that come from Buddhism and yoga teachings. But the Bible also describes fantastic stories about this.

Your sense of time also definitely has to do with where you live. In certain cities and areas, the energy is much faster and time also seems to go much faster. You will notice this especially in large cities. Years ago, I had a very busy job and traveled a lot to Amsterdam, but also to large cities such as New York and Istanbul. There I noticed that it sometimes seemed as if someone had given the clock an extra swing. Time went by incredibly fast and everyone always seemed to be in a hurry. At that time, I worked very long days and I was constantly under time pressure. At that time, there were no smartphones yet and I had already thrown my TV in the trash. I did notice that what came out of it did not exactly nourish me. I earned a good living, but was not at all happy and content. When I came home in the evening, I was too tired to relax and then I would lie on the couch, wasted. My life took place in the cities and I increasingly lost the connection with myself.

Changing course

I decided to completely change course and started a Bed & Breakfast in the South of France at the age of 37. This was 19 years ago. I ended up in a very quiet area in the Tarn and Garonne and had a view that was so breathtaking that I placed a jacuzzi there for the guests. Every evening I enjoyed it because I could look at the beautiful starry sky for hours and I named my Bed & Breakfast after it. I could walk for hours with my sweet dog Moos, and saw my cat Luna enjoying the frog pond all day long.

One day I was walking outside with Moos and suddenly IT was there: I felt again who I was and who I had not been all this time. I saw myself running and racing against the clock and was always in a kind of state of lack.

Flow

There, surrounded by nature, I felt again. I felt the natural FLOW of life itself. Everything seemed to be slower and I had the feeling that everything was in abundance. Running a B & B is quite intensive, I can tell you, but I have never experienced it like this. There was always time to stop by my 90-year-old French neighbor for a coffee, there was always time to receive friends who wanted to recharge, there was always time to read a book in my hammock, etc.

Time is the most precious thing there is. Because with every word I write now, something is taken away from my precious time here on this planet.

To constantly say that you don't have time is to reject the natural flow of life, is to abandon yourself, is to deprive yourself of what is most valuable.

If you do have time

Start by saying that you do have time. That you are grateful for the time you have been given and that you are willing to make your time as valuable as possible, that you are willing to listen to the voice of the universe, which gives you opportunities to learn and experience again and again. With the time you have been given here. Take the time to learn what TIME is in the first place. Instead of running around like a headless chicken (sorry for the expression) and shouting something that you actually know nothing about. Have you ever studied Einstein? Time is relative and time is true and not true. Our perception of time depends on many factors. The best way to measure it is with a simple thing that you experience every day: If you have to wait somewhere, time seems to go very slowly. Your mind does not want this and actually wants to go to the future and that is how the feeling of im - ge - patience arises.

Meditation

Meditation has a fantastic effect on your sense of time. Translated into money, I would compare it to winning the jackpot. If you learn that you can create more time with your mind, then you are a master of your life. And not only that, your life will unfold in a certain way that you literally get more time. How do I know all that? From my own experience. As a yoga teacher and as an expert by experience.

Yes I have had a very hectic life, yes I have had the feeling of not having time, but how nice it is that I never have that anymore. I always have time. Because I take time for the things that are important, that add value to my life. And that is what I wish for everyone. Because with TIME you can create magic, every day again.

Namaste,

Aliye