Are sentences such as "Oh, if I can get through this day...", "Let this month be over soon...", "Will this week come to an end?", "I wish Friday would come soon..." are familiar phrases for you as well?
Most of the time, we spend time consciously or unconsciously; we are trying to reach the end of any time frame as soon as possible. We often emphasize that we want to waste time with our discourses. We want it to end today, this week, maybe this year. So why?
Maybe there is a search for "meaning" under our feeling of consumption against time instead of enjoying time.
Are we wasting time as time passes?
In all the works I have done so far, I set out with the planning of the next step and tried to overcome the conditions I was in at that moment. It was like going through parts of a game for me. That's over, next up; that's over, the next one... The fact that life isn't just a game full of chapters to go through, fortunately wasn't far away.
While trying to finish school, moving from one job to another, starting a new relationship, the “This will be the time” that always appears in our minds. It turns out that the thought of ours always pushes us to look for happiness and the meaning of life in the next step. I realized that it is not possible to live a full life by overcoming obstacles, waiting for the next task when it is done, or living from Friday to Friday to get things done.
Because as we say let this be over, let me complete this, the weekend will come, what we actually do is to postpone happiness and not realize the value of the moment we are in.
“Moment” is the most precious thing that we have difficulty in appreciating, but after a while we lament, “Oh, I wish I could relive that moment…”. Every “moment”, sometimes long, sometimes short, but absolutely precious, is a gift to us to enjoy our life.
To pass our time, not to consume; We need to pursue it so that it does not pass, it does not end, it creates space for more experience. Yes, sometimes, some days are very difficult, heavy, intense, we want it to end – which is our natural right – but how often can we do it? If we live each day so that it ends today, what do we have left?
It is only in our own hands to create colorful moments that we enjoy to the fullest in our lives spent searching for meaning. Although there is a general definition of meaning in the dictionary, it is a fact that it has different characteristics for everyone. That's why we need to find out what it means to ourselves and move on. Without wasting time but without losing the concept of time, we should make every moment that we know its value meaningful for ourselves, not for others.
How do we make sense of time?
1. Spend your time like money
Think about how you spend your money. Just as we do not spend our money without making calculations, establishing income-expenditure balance, analyzing our needs, we should adopt the same attitude when spending our time. We should think of time just like the money we have. In this way, we can be more sensitive and selective about what we spend. Instead of wasting time on things that don't benefit us, add nothing to our lives, maybe even harm us, we can focus on activities that make our time more meaningful. If you want to understand the value of time better, you can watch the movie “In Time” starring Justin Timberlake, which tells that time means money and power.
2. Avoid monotony
There are people who spend weeks, months, maybe years at the same pace, far from difference, but what we need to know is that if we spend even two days the same, we are at a loss. When we live a life full of monotonous, identical days, we miss the meaning of time. We need to do something to stay on the surface before the swamp of monotony engulfs us. We must do something to make each day a little different from the previous one, so that the time passes.
3. Make time for your hobbies
Our hobbies are occupations that define us, just like our name, our profession. For example, we can say that a bungee jumper is brave and uninhibited, or we can assume that a regular hiker is a nature lover. We can add meaning to our time with hobbies that will help us find ourselves, discover our talents, enjoy while dealing with, and do not regret spending our time. If the meaning for you is to produce, even the time you devote to it is very valuable; because regardless of the output, you can spend your time more meaningfully by focusing only on the process. Focus on the passing time; not the end of time. Make sure the time is filled with things that are meaningful to you to enjoy the process; otherwise, you may not find the meaning you are looking for when you reach the finish line. If painting is good for you, give priority to what you feel and think while painting. Whether the work that comes out when you are finished is good or not, whether it is liked by others or not, should not be a criterion for you.
4. Set your own priorities
If the meaning of life for you is the time you spend on your experiences and priorities, take time no matter how busy or confused you are. For example, if books are a passion and you think they make your life more meaningful, then take time to read every day. Whether it's 10 minutes or 1 hour, take time for that meaningful thing to you, without making excuses for work, troubles and worries. Do you want to watch a variety of documentaries or expand your knowledge on a specific subject, so make room for them in your time. Life is yours, time is yours, most importantly happiness is yours. Think of yourself first.
5. Choose the people around you well
If we are selective about who we include in our environment, we can create an opportunity to make the time we spend with the people around us more meaningful. We should surround ourselves with people who will add something to us, with whom we can have sophisticated conversations, talk about different cultures, in short, supportive conversations to improve ourselves.
The important thing is that we have experiences where we can attach meaning to time. When I say experience, don't think of big things. A cup of coffee enjoyed peacefully, a glass of wine sipped with a loved one, an hour of conversation with your parents, a phone call with your best friend, the clothes you set aside to donate, the question of meeting a stranger for the first time, a song that is unlikely to be heard on the radio that takes you to different realms. … Let's extend the list together: A short break when we are alone with ourselves, a pleasant smell that takes us to a sweet memory from the past, the breeze of freshly mown grass, a lot of cool rain on the heat and more… While we have a list that may extend to eternity, we have a small, short Isn't it unfair to our life's journey to spend even a time meaninglessly?
“Happiness is not a destination; It was the journey itself, you know, so time should not pass by constantly waiting for something.
We should dive into life not to arrive anywhere, but to enjoy the journey. We must make sense of the passing time by enjoying all the stops on the journey. Time should not be wasted while we are trying to achieve something. Happiness is a phenomenon that we can only find within ourselves, independent of the person next to us, the things we own, the way we go, the food we eat, the money in our pocket, the clothes in our closet.
In order to lead a fulfilling life, there is no need to wait until this too passes and this too ends. It is in our hands to make the time we spend right now meaningful. It is possible to add meaning to time with the lines of a book we read, the rhythm of the music we listen to, and the power of our dreams.
Cheers in advance to all the days that will be lived with meaning then!