I have always been keenly aware of time. When I was in high school I was very aware that some day I would miss it, so I soaked it up. I wasn’t one that spent my days wishing the days speed up. I didn’t live in a constant state of anticipation for what was next. I was happy to be right where I was. That carried into college as well. I LOVED college. I loved having my dearest friends just a 0.5 mile walk away. I loved the social life, and I was even one of the weirdos that really did love going to class. I have always been uniquely content right where I am. That’s not to say I wasn’t excited about what was to come or had ambition for my future, but I was genuinely happy to be where I was.

Furthermore, I have always been very protective of my time as well. I am quick to say yes, but also very comfortable saying no.

Let’s briefly chat about learning to be comfortable with the no. I have not always been okay with telling people no. Often, this led to burnout or compromising on my self-care. I am a people-pleaser. I like to be involved, help where I can, and do my best to use my time and talents for good. However, I learned that you can’t be everything for everyone, all the time. You might feel like a super human for a little while, but eventually the weight will become too heavy a load to bear and it will slowly wear you away. If you’re looking for a more in-depth explanation of how it is easy to spread yourself thin, and why it is okay and even necessary to say no, jump over to an old blog post called boundaries.

Okay, now that I have made sure that you know it is okay and necessary to say no sometimes, let’s talk about the yes. I am about a year into my professional life. I have successfully made the transition from college to “real adulting” and I would say so far, so good! Right now, I am in a two year post-graduate program that runs synonymously to my job. The program focuses on leadership and entrepreneurial development for young professionals. Through this program, I get to attend great keynote speakers, continued learning events and professional development programs.

Recently, I attended a keynote speaker that highlighted the importance of getting plugged in right where you are. Of course, he talked of his accolades, experiences, and why he is doing what he is, but he also delivered some truths that I really needed to hear. He was a great speaker, not just because of how he commanded and held the rooms attention for an hour and a half, but also how he ensued some tough love on us in a really impactful way.

Actually, to directly quote him, he said “if you are going to work, going to the gym and going home, you are not doing enough with your life.” Whew. I mean, I thought I was really excelling by making sure work came first, I was getting in my cardio, and would even read before bed instead of scrolling through TikTok. However, I think I became too comfortable in my routine. I love my routine. I like that I get up at the same time everyday, usually get 7-8 hours of sleep at night, and have time for myself after work. But I couldn’t help but think about him telling us “you’re not doing enough.” I have come to the realization that I am in such a great time of my life. After college I became too comfortable in the monotony of my day-to-day. Recently, I have realized that this period of time that I get right now is so brief and can be so impactful if I just get up and do something productive with it.

I am 22 years old. I have no one I need to report to in my personal life. I am free to spend my time however I want without the obligations that come with kids/a family. I am young, have ambition, energy, and most importantly, time.

Time carries such weight. Most of us either don’t know what to do with it or don’t have enough of it.

This isn’t some great awakening post about how I cracked the formula and figured out exactly how to spend my time, but it is a realization that some re-evaluation is necessary. I am going to start by finding ways to plug into my community. I have always loved service and I think that is a great place to start.

More than anything, this is a long overdue update in my life. I’ll keep you posted as I make intentional steps to fill my time with really meaningful things! I hope maybe this prompts you to evaluate who and what gets your time. Do you need to restructure? It can be uncomfy, but it’s okay if the answer is yes.