There is a number of things that I have learned about time and being alive. The Book of Ecclesiastes 3, verse 1 to verse 8, goes into details about time and it’s value to each person and to nature itself. Yet, with every time that we have been blessed with we experience all the different scenarios spoken about in Ecclesiastes one way or the other. But I feel that the time to be alive is taken for granted – only a few understand the meaning of life.
There is a thin line between a dead body and an unconscious body, that thin line is called a PULSE. The pulse is one element that gives the unconscious body a chance to be alive and the stronger the pulse is the stronger the hope that somebody can make it alive. The weaker the pulse, the weaker the hope of making it back to life. I can think of what could that body be going through, regrets – the could have; should have; and would have – that could start mounting. Fewer times there have been amazing things that have happened to give life to a body that has a weaker pulse. Miracles some people could utter.
The question that I have is – Why are people acting as if they are unconscious bodies? Why don’t we just die altogether and give our lives up because we have no use for them? After finishing school, I have lived my life like that. I would wake up 05h00am to go to work and give my job “my all” and go back home while getting ready for bed I would watch some television and proud to call myself a couch potato. I had no vision in life and no purpose whatsoever. I would go to bed with regret every night and wake up with ignorance to those regrets and at night I would go through the similar exercise until my body got used to those regrets and the ignorance in the morning as my breakfast.
What takes you to bed at night and what wakes up in the morning? Be true to yourself.
I was fortunate though that one of my senior colleagues saw something in me that I never saw in myself. She said to me, “You have something in you. I don’t know if you know that but I will assign a coach to you.” At that time of having ignorance for breakfast and having regret for dinner, I never took the coaching seriously but I can tell you that I participated just to buy face. I could write reflection letter that meant nothing at all which was just like taking minutes in a meeting. At that time I was still hanging out with the same crowd as I did when I started working and this crowd did nothing good for me except for giving compliments to my lunch but never did they give compliments to what was coming out of my mouth.
Watch the people you are having around with and watch what you are talking about. Does it help you grow?
When we came to this earth we came caring gifts and each person came with their gift and theirs only. While we take these as floccinaucinihilipilification, as a result, we never give our gift the attention it desires. Whether you like it or not, being a couch potato and being lazy with no spark of purpose in your life – you are as good as a dead body – why don’t we just get a body bag for you once and for all. Let me assume that you are reading this article on your couch or bed and yet you feel that you don’t have a purpose. Let me lend you a hand of time to be alive.
If I was asked these questions decades ago, I would be doing great things with my life but again when the student is ready the teacher will appear.
What am I spending my time on?
Possibly you deserve a body bag because you don’t know what you spend your time on. This is the time, take a notebook and write down the things that you are spending your time on. The only trick here is, to be honest with yourself because they worst lie is the one that you tell yourself. Do this as if your life depends on it, soon you will find that it does. Take your time.
How can I change the way I use my time?
John C. Maxwell said, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” This is when you start with the change in your life. Once you know what you are spending your time on, the real work starts. Now you take the time wasters (Unhealthy habits, Unhealthy Relationships, even your Circle of Influence) and put them aside and ask yourself if these are benefitting you. If the answer is No! Chuck them out forcefully and close the gate, they do not belong in your life. If they are of benefit to you – this is where growth comes in – as optional as growth may be – you need to Change in order to GROW! By clearing the garbage you will find time to take the elements that benefit you to the next level.
What actions am I going to put in place to ensure that I use my time effectively?
Each and every goal need to be followed by actions. List your goals down, set the date that you see yourself achieving them – I prefer using SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realist, Timeous) for my goals. One advice I would share with you is that, say less and let your actions speak on your behalf. The distractions out here are more than what meets the eye. Rather tell people what you have done than tell them what you need to do. Remember, you can be vulnerable at times only with a person that you trust like your mentor or coach. Take your goals and actions seriously!
Remember, that everything you do with your life is none of anybody’s business and try by all means possible to keep it that way. What do I care whether you are a couch potato ready to get buried – well that’s what we do with potatoes, at least we get more potatoes when we do that – or maybe I should have kept my words and advise on my chest but I would be no different to a couch potato – knowledge acquired and not used is wasted.
I wish I knew what I know now decades ago. One of my favorite quotes, if twenty years ago was the best time to plant a tree, when would the next best time be? The answer is, NOW!
I am planting my tree because this is the Best Time To Be Alive.
Written by Mduduzi Mthanti