Give YourSelf Time
Just as there is a rhythm to nature, human beings have their own timing, which requires understanding and respect. I believe the world we live in often works in opposition to our human nature. When things are moving so fast on the outside, we could be forgiven for thinking the same should be happening on the inside. There’s little doubt that big things are unfolding, and we may even be feeling that energy moving within us. Whether we experience it as excitement or anxiety, the faster the pace in our outer world, the more we need to slow down and connect with our inner world.
We all need time for reflection, time to catch up with ourselves. When we take on new experiences or skills, or the challenges of personal growth and healing, we need to give ourselves time and be patient with our own process. Real and lasting change comes from the ‘slow and steady’ pace of the tortoise*. Or, as a client once remarked, ‘slowly but surely’. You just can’t rush some things!
My time living in the country gave me an appreciation of the cycles of nature. It taught me the meaning of ‘God’s time’ and the rewards of love, trust and faith. Not having the distinctions of an experienced gardener, I learnt to rely on something I discovered along the way. Namely, that if I were observant and waited patiently, the new buds would begin to form on the branches. Then it would be obvious where I needed to prune. I could only see the full extent of what was no longer healthy or useful once the new growth emerged. This is also true of our personal growth.
The Process of Change
When we adopt new ways of thinking, feeling, or doing, we become more aware of what is outmoded and where else we need to change. But unless we know there is another way to do it, we’re unlikely to let go of the old or familiar easily or willingly. And our lives are always intricately connected with those of others, aren’t they? Sometimes, for reasons beyond our comprehension, we are stopped on our path, and our progress is interrupted. This may be to allow other people or circumstances to catch up, or to put the pieces in place so our journey can proceed with certainty.
Progress is best made by doing it in your own time. In this game of life, there will be times when your growth occurs at a rapid pace. However, skipping steps or forcing ourselves makes for a much less robust being, one who perhaps inwardly questions how they got to be where they are. Give yourself time. Put each foot down firmly with each step you take. This will ensure you are grounded in that new experience or awareness, making it easier to recognise yourself as you move toward your desired goals.
* Aesop’s Fable – The Hare & The Tortoise
Inner Sense No. 27 | December 2011 – updated June 2019
If, as Herod, we fill our lives with things, and again with things, if we consider ourselves so unimportant that we must fill every moment of our lives with action, when will we have the time to make the long, slow journey across the desert as did the Magi? Or sit and watch the stars as did the Shepherds? Or brood over the coming of the child as did Mary? For each one of us, there is a desert to travel. A star to discover. And a being within ourselves to bring to life.
Author Unknown
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Thanks for sharing!
