Take Your Time by Aimee Cavenecia

Life can be so simple & so amazing. I started a new practice lately, I try to get to work at least 30 - 45 minutes early. Sometimes I slowly walk around the neighborhood; sometimes I sit & people watch outside; sometimes I have lunch nearby; sometimes I do absolutely nothing. It feels so good. I just use the 30 minutes as a bit of meditative time: time to get present -- time to get real.

Not rushing, just enjoying the moment; the many moments that make up each day. In the past I would always be in a rush to get somewhere or do something. The present moment never seemed as good as the next. My whole day, everyday, was either about maximizing my time, or feeling guilty for not maximizing my time. And I have to honestly say, a lot of that was a waste of time & a waste of life. It truly did not make a difference in my level of happiness or satisfaction. Everything seemed difficult or challenging. Like I had to fight to accommodate things, or fight to make things happen. Not an all-out fight, just push myself a bit, struggle a little, & over-think a lot (a lot, a lot). A struggle to make things the way I wanted them to be, versus seeing how they are. Simply seeing the beauty in life without having to make it a story about me. The story of what I want (or what I think I need) & how everyone & everything fits into that story.

The value & satisfaction in enjoying the elements, the route, the people, the process of each day, as it is -- is tremendous! Its worth is more than most can imagine. But just imagine missing it, not being present to any of it. Imagine living day-to-day without moments of beingness; without a moment to reflect; without a moment to take your time; without a moment to see the perfection & the beauty that is always there; without a moment to have some meaningless fun; without a moment to truly relax; without a moment to simply be yourself. This is the reality that many of us live, not just for a day, but for years, or for a lifetime. Life can be effortless & enjoyable with only a shift in perspective: seeing that outcome is not more remarkable than the process; seeing that the destination is not more gratifying than the journey; seeing that the future is not more important than this moment.

All it really takes is just being simple; recognizing that everyday is an opportunity to do something ordinary -- that feels absolutely extraordinary. When one is present & appreciative, there is an aliveness. This aliveness is what life is all about. This is the simplicity, the satisfaction, the happiness that is always at our fingertips. How ironic that there is nothing to do, nothing to rush to in order to receive it. It's right here, right now. It's hidden in plain sight. It's right under our nose.

Aimee Cavenecia (also known as AimeeLovesYou) is an author & activist who is currently igniting a Bliss & Self-Mastery revolution through her weekly blog Sunday Is For Lovers. Aimee's life-work is to share her insights on Seeing, Loving & Being (SLB), as well teaching meditation to people globally via the internet.