Take Time for Your Life

In today's society we spend all of our time rushing around like headless chickens. Our diaries are full to the brim. Working days are getting longer and longer, and so are the commutes. Then ontop of that with 17 endless ways to be communicated we are constantly being bombarded with e-mails, texts, tweets, facebook message, voice mails and not forgetting phone calls. When do we ever take time for ourself? Silence is a vital part of everyone's life but even that is filled my two little earphones that seem permanently attached to some people. We are the generation of high achievers, but in order to achieve that success does 'work' and 'achieving the dream' take over and the life we are actually living is a bit of half life. 

My lovely Godmother recommened this book she had read years and years ago that she felt had really help her to achieve the life she has today. That book was Take Time for Your Life by Cheryl Richardson. Last week I got the book and within 3 days I had read it from front to back. The tagline of the book is 'A Seven-Step Programme for Creating the Life You Want' and it does exactly what it is says on the tin. It breaks down the different areas of your life, makes you evaluate where you are now and what you want in the future. It isn't rocket science, but where this differs from many books is that it looks at your life, rather than your work. So it is not about me saying I want to be a CEO by the time I'm 25. Work is only one part of the wheel of your life. For most people it is the most time consuming, but there is more to work than life. It looks at your relationships, your health, service to others, spiritual well-being and fun/adventure/leisure. One question Cheryl asks you to consider is If this week were my last week on Earth, would I be happy with how I'm spending my time? Would you? I would love to hear from someone who can hand on their heart answer yes (and it doesn't count if you went on holiday last week)

The American Dream: does money equal happiness?

Recently I have been looking at the American Dream with its focus on the “better, richer and happier life”. America has always lived by a Capitalistic ideology, which says the more money and power you have the better your life will be. Is that true though? I had fully brought into the capitalistic ideology growing up. I thought that having money would answer all of my problems and make me happy. However, sacrifices have to be made in order to achieve that money and power. (I am not writing this from first-hand experiences, just observations.)  

The major thing sacrificed is time. People in powerful positions work such long hours. They are generally under great stress and constantly having to think about the company and others. How much ‘me’ time do they get? The saying ‘time is money’ is so true which means free time is often seen as a luxury. A luxury which strangely enough the rich are not allowed, other than for a 2-week luxury holiday to some island no one has heard of or Richard Branson owns.  

I have begun to realise our consumer driven world may not be the route to happiness. To strive for a better, richer and happier life is great but in a degree of moderation. Everyone should have a drive to make their life the best. However, that does not necessarily mean we all need to be Bill Gates. AND most importantly we need to realise we can’t all be Bill Gates. The capitalist structure means there needs to be lots and lots of poor to work under one ridiculously rich person. Looking at Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs it is clear that money will only provide you with the bottom levels so in order to actually live the happier life we need to find it in other ways.  

My aim is to find a middle ground. To have the money to enjoy what money can buy i.e. a home, holidays and possibly every apple product going but I am also able to have the time to enjoy what money cant buy i.e. friends, family and walks on the beach.