By Jennifer S. Wilkov, Survivor – Author – Collaborator. Celebrating Humanity Gracefully.
www.JenniferSWilkov.com
As people, we have habits, routines and our own way of being in the world. These define our individuality and, in many respects, our character.
There are two core elements, among others, that support our connection with ourselves and each other: time and space.
Unlike other parts of our lives, time and space are already defined. Every person gets exactly 525,600 minutes a year. No more. No less.
Once one o’clock Eastern time has come and gone on Tuesday this week, it’s over and the moment has passed. You can’t get it back and you can’t restore it.
Time is something we must fit ourselves into. It was structured by someone else and all of humanity has agreed to a single reference for time. Imagine that! – every language, culture and country has agreed to a single system for telling time. Profound indeed!
Similarly, when you look at space, it too has also been pre-determined for you. From the time you were little, there were spaces you were allowed in and others you weren’t. As you grew up, your space in the world may have grown bigger…or not. From your ‘space” in school to your “space” at your job, your desk in an office or your table at Starbucks or your delivery truck that you drive, everything has often already been defined.
The curious part of time and space is that you get to decide how you will use it. Since it’s pre-determined most of the time, you have to make thoughtful choices about how you will fit into it. After all, if a train schedule is set and you arrive 5 minutes late, the train will have already left by the time you reach the station. It doesn’t wait for you. It stays on schedule, or on time, with or without you.
Think about it: isn’t that what’s really happening? All the tasks you want to complete, the quality moments you want to spend with loved ones, the life goals you want to accomplish and the experiences you want to have, you have to fit them all into the Universal time structure and the space you have.
Most significant, being that you get to choose how you will spend your time and use your space, is the inherent responsibility you must accept for the choices you make.
Time and space provide great learning opportunities for the irresponsible to become responsible. And after all, nobody’s perfect. We all have moments when we are more responsible and others when, well – not so much.
For example, if you know someone who schedules a meeting with you and then doesn’t show up and doesn’t follow up, you may perceive them as someone who is not responsible with their time. Conversely, if someone schedules a meeting and notifies you of a sudden delay or unexpected conflict with their time committed to you, you may appreciate that person’s understanding of the impact their delay has on you and the commitment they made to you.
By taking responsibility and communicating with you about what’s happening, it builds trust. Their behavior inherently reflects their willingness to be responsible with their time commitments.
The same thing occurs with space. If your space is full of clutter and disarray, you are not taking responsibility for your space and making it conducive for you and others to enjoy being in. On the other hand, when your space is neat and clean and clear of clutter, you and others feel more comfortable. You have taken responsibility for the experience you provide for yourself and others in your space.
As a gentle reminder, there is a distinction between who we are and what we do. Concisely put, we are not our behaviors. We just live through the results of them.
By making friends with time and space, you will inevitably acknowledge, accept and understand that which you cannot control, that which you can and the wisdom to know the difference. You’ll also understand that you can make new choices at any moment and live the 525,600 minutes you get each year your way.
Simply put, to change your life, all you have to do is change your choices.
You Can Do It!
Tell me about your friendship with time and space and how at times they may be holding you back from the success you deserve. I’d love to hear about your humanity and how you touch the lives of others when you make thoughtful choices about your time and space and truly live the life you want to live.
© 2010 Jennifer S. Wilkov. All Rights Reserved.
Jennifer S. Wilkov: Media personality, host and producer of the #1 radio talk show “Your Book Is Your Hook!” on WomensRadio. Jennifer is a best-selling award-winning author who has been published five times, an award-winning freelance writer and a respected book business consultant in her business by the same name, “Your Book Is Your Hook!” She has both self-published and been published by a traditional publisher. Jennifer has been called the quintessential writer and teacher for the 21st century. She supports first-time and seasoned authors in their book writing, publishing and marketing endeavors through coaching and training in her “Your Book Is Your Hook!” consulting practice. www.YourBookIsYourHook.com www.JenniferSWilkov.com
