Oh time, that elusive, twisty ticking that feels so intangible. Sometimes it flies. Sometimes it drags. Physicists attempt to explain its fluidity, that there is really only a present and that the past and future, because they only exist in our minds, are not real. Heady right? 

What I know is that mastering your time means mastering your life. 

I've learned I can slow it way down and I want to teach you to slow down, because we have a lot to accomplish in our days and get pulled inso many directions. The cruel trick is that we think we need to move faster, squeeze more in and multi-task the day away. But when we act in this way, we are at the end of a rope that is being tossed around uncontrollably. We are whipsawed. 

We don't even know what just happened to us, only that weare exhausted and spent. 

The real secret is slowing down, eliminating and doing one thing at a time until it is finished. And cultivating the ability to make fast decisions so that we are not spending so much time in our heads. 

Since this month's Wise Workshop is all about mastering time, setting SMART goals and knowing your personal vision, I thought we'd spend the next few weeks discussing some of these key strategies. If you have any time mastering tips to share, please do so on the Facebook Page! It's getting fun there, so come join us if you haven't already!

Slowing Down

I'm not quite sure how I feel about resolutions. I know we're supposed to assess our lives and decide what to take action on in the coming New Year, and I love the idea of visioning what we want to occur. But as one Wise Woman shared when I asked about the practice on Facebook, "resolutions born of realization and desire can work if you don't use them as a way to beat yourself up. In my experience, they work if you take baby steps. Some of mine have been effective. Some were just 'should's' that I didn't stick to."

I hate "should's" too. Besides, it gets boring having to resolve the same things every year... the same 10 pounds, the same debt paid off, the same promises to call our mothers more often.

What I love is the idea of the New Year. There is so much potential. So much opportunity. It's incredible, really, what can happen in the space of a year. Our children evolve before our eyes, and, hopefully so do we. Babies can be born, businesses can be born. We can take a small step that leads to a giant leap. 

You know her when you see her. She moves purposefully, her feet firmly on the ground. She is gracious, but doesn't make a lot of small talk. Her eyes light up when she speaks and she has a definite opinion. She is confident. She is vital. She is inspired.

Is she you?

It doesn't cost a thing to be inspired. We've seen stories of inspired women around the globe, some with significant financial resources, others with none.

The root meaning of the word inspire? "To breathe life into." Inspired women are full of life.

How do you get inspired? Many will tell you that you can read books or listen to motivational speakers. They will tell you a great story or send you a YouTube video. Maybe a quote?

Off I went to bed, early as usual. We'd just had a houseful - some mom friends and their children, who delightfully spent much of the evening up in the playroom entertaining themselves. I glanced down at my bedside table, and glimpsed the dish where I keep my rings each night. One ring... not two... just one. I looked all around, under books, under the bed. Nothing.

What was on my table, however, was a turquoise medallion that my son has been toting around. Evidence! I'd just put him to bed so I quietly asked "Myles, have you seen Mommy's ring?" 

"Yup, Charlotte was playing with it."

Charlotte, the child who stores things like a little mouse - wrapped up in wads of cotton, inside of a pouch, inside of a purse, in a treasure box stashed in the back of her closet. Charlotte who has more "treasures" than Blackbeard.

Dread. 

By Kiva Leatherman

Currency valuation is big business. There are lots of very smart people in the world running calculations, hypotheticals, and analyses every day to determine the value of the dollar, the yen, the euro etc. But what we are talking about today is very different. I want to talk to you about your personal currency.

By Sherry Borsheim

It’s that time of year when we begin to move more outdoors, taking in the crisp fresh air and feeling a sense of renewal. Getting your office and home organized helps to bring that wonderful fresh feeling back into your life. It’s also the perfect time to access where you are with the commitments you made to yourself in January. Did you set out to be more active this year, be on-time for meetings and ahead of deadlines, or maybe you set out to be better organized in 2011?

by Julie Southworth
Each new New Year’s eve, much of the world sings this tune at midnight to ring in the New Year.  “We’ll take a cup of kindness yet for times gone by”.  Ah…speaking of times gone by, I remember midnight. Staying awake long enough to see the clock strike midnight and the ball drop is in also something from times gone by in my own life.   This year, making our way to our local fireworks display, I was smugly grinning from ear to ear.

Create one hour every day of "me" time. For everyone who is thinking it's impossible, I am going to tell you flat out  - it's not. It may be challenging sometimes but it is not impossible.

 Break this process in-to three steps:

1)    Acknowledge that you need a minimum of 1 hour each day just for you.

2)    Schedule that hour the day before.

 3)    Do it.

 You can spend this hour exercising, reading, meditating, hiking, knitting, etc... anything that nourishes your body, mind and soul.

Just this one hour each day will help reduce stress, burnout and resentment.