Read this when you feel you're running out of time...

Time is so deceptive. I find it even more deceptive once August rolls around.

Maybe it’s because stores start putting back-to-school items out in June (before my kids are even done with school) and Costco now has Christmas items for sale.
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Or maybe it’s because it’s rather shocking to realize it’s been over five years since we first heard “coronavirus.”

September just started. But it’s only a matter of time until social media timelines are flooded with posts that sound like this:

“There are only three months left in the year. How are you gonna make them count?”

I’m not sure if those posts are meant to be motivating or not. I DO know that sometimes they make me feel shame…

It’s a harsh reminder when I think about where I thought I’d be by the end of the year.

Shame sometimes follows when reflecting on all I was supposed to do or wanted to do but didn’t.

Then I rediscover my calendars and notebooks from the beginning of the year. Shame definitely sets in when I flip from September back to January and discover I stopped using it consistently back in March.

It’s one of the reasons why I stopped creating vision boards.

Between a barely touched planning spreadsheet, vision boards with too many unrealized visions, and shame-inducing Facebook posts, it’s hard not to feel like a disaster.

Hence, why my last vision board was from 2021. I couldn’t justify creating a new one when so many visions still hadn’t happened.

Still, I haven’t let go of the visions.

Instead, I keep hanging the vision board and continue working on the visions I previously included.

Last week, I realized I had accomplished something I had placed on my vision board all those years ago. It took two years longer than I thought, but it’s rewarding nonetheless. It felt even better that I did it naturally on my timeline.

I didn’t rush towards it because it wasn’t necessary. Life happened, making it seemingly impossible to increase the pressure and rush.

In the last four years, I experienced burnout, grieved my grandmother, reshaped my career, got a kid through daycare, took up pole dancing again, stopped pole dancing again, mastered a chicken wing recipe, attended countless IEP meetings, bought a new blanket, and then some.

Even with reminders of all the time passing me by, I literally didn’t have the capacity to rush and make every second count.

I couldn’t count the seconds left to go because I was immersed in living them. Though four years have passed since creating that vision board, my time hasn’t run out. I arrived at the destination regardless. I got here when I was ready. No rushing necessary. I exert power whether I speed up or slow down.

Reflecting on the goal set in 2021 and the passage of time reconfirmed that our perceived sense of time can be a trap.

Don’t let the pumpkin spice and apple cider donuts fool you. Summer isn’t over till September 22nd.

It’s still 2025. There’s still time this year to do what makes sense for you. Ignore the shame-inspired and pressure-mounting posts.

Engage in the “great lock-in” but do it on your terms. Sure, you can lock into your goals by being consistent. Do so by committing to a schedule that aligns with your habits, lifestyle, and needs.

Plant your seeds, but don’t overwater them because you’re scared that time is passing too quickly. Succumbing to the pressure of a quickly approaching winter risks drowning your seeds before they ever bloom.

Bottom Line: You only need to do what seems feasible at your pace. Whether it felt like forever or like it happened in a blink, the amount of time that passes is the same.

You’ll get where you need to in your time and not a moment sooner.

P.S. Working towards a goal requires clarity and the ability to articulate who you are, where you are heading, and what you need AKA an amazing intro. I can help you master your intro. Book a professional identity strategy session here so we can master your intro together. Or respond to this email for more information.

A microtask for joy

Open your calendar and pick one random date for each month the rest of the year. Schedule those selected days as “a moment of pride” and reflect on everything you’ve done. You deserve to be proud of your efforts well before the month or year is over.

An impactful microtask for change

The world may be falling apart, but you don’t need to change the whole world. Focus on changing one corner of the world by doing this…

Interesting links from around the web… _{^{(Some of these might be affiliate links)}}

Downloading this app is one way to do good when you don’t have a good budget.

Been using this to collect addresses/birthdays so I can send cards out like I used to.

The cost of groceries never went down, and I never stopped trying to get cashback for them.

The nicest place doesn’t even begin to describe it.

You will do great things

Find out how long it will take to read certain books

Need a pep talk? Let’s chat.

Like what I’m doing? Buy me a pizza

Want to work with me? Book a consult

I sincerely hope these links and tips bring you to a better place mentally. If nothing else, please take this with you and repeat it daily as needed.

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