| Today's culture teaches us to be constantly aware of | | | | Ana decided to make another change. She liked the |
| time's passing, and we must always stay busy | | | | motivation she got by thinking about the future, but not |
| because time is "slipping away." | | | | at the expense of never enjoying now and killing |
| There's a popular expression in Africa that pokes fun | | | | herself with stress. She decided to treat time like a |
| at us: "Westerners have all the watches, but Africans | | | | person and make it her friend instead of racing against |
| have all the time." | | | | it. |
| Ana Weber, a relationship coach and financial | | | | Ana spent time getting to know both Time and herself. |
| executive, has learned how to stop racing against | | | | It was like going on dates. The more she liked Time |
| Time and become friends with it. You might be able to | | | | the more she respected it. By treating Time differently |
| recognize yourself in the following story. | | | | she actually is able to get more things done in less time |
| Ana Weber reached a point in her life where she felt | | | | when she needs to. |
| miserable from past experiences and didn't have | | | | Tips to live now AND have a great future: |
| enough motivation or time to help everyone who | | | | 1. If you catch yourself trying to improve a past event, |
| needed her. In other words, she was living in the past. | | | | STOP. |
| Ana realized she could never be happy unless she | | | | 2. Before you go to sleep, imagine a whiteboard with |
| went insane because she couldn't actually change the | | | | the highlights of your day listed on it, then erase it. |
| past. She was spending all of her time trying to relive | | | | 3. Think about who you would like to have good |
| her last conversation, yesterday, two years ago, etc. | | | | relationships with and how to develop those. |
| Ana decided to do something different. Her first | | | | 4. Go on dates with Time. Make sure you treat |
| change was to make a solid, organized plan for her | | | | yourself well and give yourself some respect. |
| personal and home life and then prioritize every step. | | | | 5. Don't try to be everything all the time. Wear |
| So she made lists on paper of short-term goals and | | | | imaginary hats for every occasion. Just one at a time. |
| long-term dreams. | | | | Take off the work hat before you go home. |
| She achieved a few of her goals but she had less | | | | 6. Stop and smell the roses. |
| time than before. She didn't even have time to | | | | 7. Spend more time on people than things. |
| celebrate before moving on to the next goal. Now she | | | | Time is the most precious thing you can give another |
| was living in the future. | | | | person because it is the only thing that you actually |
| Life in the future meant she could only be happy when | | | | have as part of being alive. |
| (fill in goal)... and her "when" kept moving further into the | | | | Ana says, "Through my personal experiences and |
| future as she would near it. | | | | challenges, I've developed an incredibly intimate |
| Instead of enjoying her life, she was constantly thinking | | | | relationship with time. I love time. I have all the time in |
| about the next project or about what she would say in | | | | the world." |
| the next conversation. | | | | And so can you. |