If you’ve read some of my recent articles, you probably sense my wish to let go of the unnecessary busyness in my life life and dwell more frequently in stillness.
This isn’t a new development.
- I’ve spoken about this pull sporadically over the past three years beginning with Entering the Forest of Many Delights.
- I continued the exploration in Making Space to See the Purity of Your Being, when one of my spiritual teachers - who happens to be a New York Times best selling author as well - disappeared on purpose for three years.
- Then I looked at it from a different angle when I explored How to Balance Work and Play.
Interestingly, the first two articles where written around my birthday month, when change always seems to be the order of the day, and the third as I entered the last quarter of my birthday year.
This past week of time tracking served as a wake-up call. It revealed activities which are not aligned with my values, priorities, and deepest goals. During the process, I looked at each aspect of my existence and asked, “Is this in line with my life purpose?” Time tracking also showed me precisely where I can simplify my life and stop wasting time.
Time-tracking can do this for you too. If you would like to give it a try, you can download and use my free time tracking log, when you sign up for my free newsletter and self-discovery resources.
Why Do We Stray from Our Life Purpose?
As you can see, I’ve kept returning to the same theme again and again these past three years. You might wonder, “Why doesn't she just get on with it and shut up about it?” And that would be a valid question, indeed.
The answer is simple and probably one all too familiar to you as well: Fear and attachment.
- Fear of uncertainty
- Fear of silence
- Fear of solitude
- Fear of being alone
- Fear of growing old and not having enough
- Attachment to receiving validation
- Attachment to helping
- Attachment to a specific identify
- Attachment to the comforts of life
I'm sure there are more of these hiding deep inside because I'm just human like you. No doubt your fears and attachments take a different shape, but still may keep you for staying in tune with your own life purpose.
Ironically, despite these concerns, when I've entered into stillness - and I've done so for weeks and months at a time - I've always found profound nourishment.
Even though I've veered a bit off-track, I'm not entirely lacking in discipline. For example, I meditate daily. But I'm called to do more because I know this life is impermanent. I don’t want to die with regrets, having wasted unnecessary time on the transitory, material aspects of life.
Cutting Back to Allow for Stillness
As this insight dawned, thanks to tracking my time, my friend and colleague Jodi Chapman announced that she will enter a year of silence. Jodi is in recovery from adrenal fatigue, but most importantly she’s drawn to stillness in order to reconnect with the voice of her soul.
“Radical,” you might think. But perhaps debilitating illness requests a radical response if we can find the courage to obey.
Jodi’s decision provided the perfect affirmation and encouragement for me.
While I don’t feel the need to enter into complete silence at present, I’ll be cutting back my online activities by at least 50% and probably quite a bit more to make more space to connect with my innermost spirit.
That means:
- Less participation in online forums
- Less time on social media
- Less commenting on other blogs
- Less twiddling and diddling online
- Less futzing with my blog
Because time tracking showed me that I waste the most time online. I would like to share the message of Always Well Within - your true essence is peace, love, and wisdom - with as many people as possible. So I envision using my online time more efficiently and more effectively. I hope I will continue to touch new minds and hearts even though I do less in certain respects. Please help me by sharing the posts that inspire you via social media.
Most importantly, I want to be here to share with you. I deeply value our connection as invisible as it may seem.
I’ll continue to instruct my online meditation course, write a blog post for you once a week, and work in the orchard. These activities feel closer to my life purpose. And I'll have more time for stillness too.
The Practical Benefits of Time Tracking
If you don't know where your time goes or feel frazzled and fried, time tracking can help you in both profound and practical ways. For example, on a practical level it can help you to:
- Remember to balance giving to others and self-nourishment
- Joyfully twiddle and diddle now and then so you don't get a headache from too much concentration
- Notice resistance, one of the best clues to discover where you’re not being true to yourself
- Find the determination you need to detach from overuse of social media or other digital devices
- Face and overcome your biggest distractions
- Let go of a dream when it’s no longer the best fit
- See your actual capacity and how you constantly push beyond your reasonable limits
Time tracking helped me in all these ways. But by far the single most important insight from tracking my time has been the urgent beckoning to make space for silence, stillness, and the world of the spirit.
Whatever your life purpose, if you've detoured, time tracking can help you fully embrace your most cherished aspirations once again. And, if the situation isn't that drastic, time tracking can simply help you to use your time more efficiently. In either case, you'll find more ease and satisfaction, which you so truly deserve.
Thank you for your presence, I know your time is precious! Don’t forget to sign up for my e-letter and get access to all the free self-development resources (e-books, mini-guides + worksheets) in the Always Well Within Library. May you be happy, well, and safe – always. With love, Sandra
