How to Create Abundance: The Gift of Time
Author’s Note: Gift of Time
In this think piece, we look at the role mindset around time plays in how we view our own self-worth and the value we bring to this world. In the first part of the series on How to Create Abundance, we busted common myths around money. In this second part, we examine how we can create abundance by making the most of the gift of time. The key to a life of abundance lies in becoming truly present in the now.
Here is an audio version of this article, “How to Create Abundance : The Gift of Time”
Time Is Not Money
In the previous article, we covered the five common myths and mindset around money and how these could be holding you back from creating an abundant life.
One of those myths was around time and how people equate time with money. If you’re a high earning, busy, outwardly successful individual, your time might be viewed as precious and worth more than that of someone who doesn’t have the same status symbol. Does this really make sense?
Eckhart Tolle, author of ‘The Power of Now‘ reminds us that the concept of time is a man-made illusion.
Realise deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.
Eckhart Tolle
Making Choices And Taking Action
The choices we make and the actions we take in this present moment create our past, one we may look back on in due course. These choices also lay the foundation for a future that we see in our mind’s eye today. Only action in the now, not dwelling on the past or an imagined future, is key to living a fulfilled life.
What if we accept that we each create a tapestry of life, lived in every passing moment, with no certainty what the next moment will bring or if indeed will arrive for us?
Our time on this earth is a finite and diminishing resource. Money on the other hand, is abundant, can be earned, replaced and substituted. Crucially, we can live without money but not once our time is up.
I’d like to help you become really mindful of the way you are spending, saving, investing and giving your time. Similar principles apply to money and we will talk more about these next time.
How you use your time will determine HOW much value you create for yourself and others. Detaching time from money is one of the first crucial steps in this direction.
Question Time
First a few questions I’d like you to ponder.
How often do you assess the value of something or someone based on its price tag? So for instance, do you assume that an item that has a very high price tag is automatically better than one that is modestly priced?
How often do you find yourself opting for a “free” event over even a reasonably priced one simply because it won’t cost you any money? What would your decision be if you were to assess the event in terms of value received for the time spent, not just the monetary cost?
How good are you at creating and honouring your own boundaries? Are you someone who will say yes to things out of a sense of obligation or because you think you have nothing better to do with your time?
Value of Your Time
Your deep-seated belief in your own place in this world and the value you bring will translate directly into how much worth you place on your time. Remember, no one will value your time more than you do. In understanding the value of your time, you can begin to understand the value you bring to this world, and appreciate what makes you unique and how you’re meant to make a difference.
We can attract money into our lives by creating a proposition that brings benefits and value to the lives of others, in return for which they are happy to part with money. This is the basis on which businesses are built, as are individual careers. It doesn’t matter what point in your career or business you are in, there are few simple principles around getting clear on what you do, why you do it and how you can do things even better. We will talk more about how to do this in a subsequent article.
In essence, by understanding your self-worth you can find the ingredients for creating the right job opportunity or business proposition that will attract money into your life.
The Nature of Money
Money is like a bird that likes to be free to go wherever it finds a welcoming ecosystem. If you can create such a place, money will come to you. Like a bird, it may even stay, build a nest and bring in more little birds into your life. Word of your beautiful nurturing garden will get around and more birds will visit, even stay.
Once money comes to us, we must resist the temptation to trap it, control it or abuse it. Instead, we must learn to deploy it in ways that are positive and nurturing to the ecosystem that attracted the money in the first place.
Fruitfully Using The Gift Of Time
Having a healthy regard for your time and that of others will help you get really clear on what matters and where your boundaries lie. It will also help you get creative in how you make the most of your time creating value for yourself and others. When you consistently do these things, you will create abundance in your life.
A simple way is to become really mindful of how you are using the gift of time time and how the things you do make you feel. I invite you to check in with yourself at regular intervals and ask yourself these questions about your use of time:
1) Is this bringing me joy?
2) Is this playing to my strengths?
3) Am I learning from this?
4) Am I adding value (tangible or intangible) to myself and to others?
5) Is this resonating with my core beliefs and values?
Creating Abundance By Using the Gift of Time
If you discover that the activity you are spending time on is ticking none of the above boxes, then you have a choice. You can either choose not to repeat that activity, or if you do, find ways to make a change so you are able to answer at least one of those five questions with a resounding YES!
Once you make it a habit to value your own and other people’s time, and actively seek to inject more meaning into it for yourself and others, something remarkable will happen. Firstly, your whole attitude towards what really matters will change. And secondly, you will find you will lack for nothing and be on your way to living a life of abundance and fulfilment.
In my next article, I will be talking about how to become mindful of how you use your money and treat it in a way that makes it feel valued and welcome.
Other articles of the four part series on Abundance by Rohini Rathour
About The Author
Rohini Rathour is a leadership coach and mentor, helping visionary leaders to lead with courage and compassion. She helps individuals become more self-aware, deepen self-belief and exercise greater self-control. She is also an author and a well regarded public speaker.
Rohini brings into her coaching her love of simplicity, compassionate empathy and a strong foundation of business knowledge and financial markets.
When you plan your things and work and start prioritising things you can have abundance of time.