Why is time valuable to my mental health?

Time is your hero. 

Time passes. That is a guarantee in life. We really don’t focus enough on the amazing resource that time is. When dealing with acute stress and pain, it is time that we can look to. The acuteness will subside over time, and we will move through our crisis point. Appreciating time can boost our morale. If we only looked to the gift of time. 

An example of how we can do this is journalling. If we write down our stressors during acute times then later look back on them, we soon notice that our written recounts have lost relevance to us. We don’t necessarily continue to hold the same opinions or intensity of emotion. Our life has moved on to a different focus, and stressors have moved on in one way or another. It is a sign of wisdom when we can put our stressors in perspective as we are experiencing them. If we realise that ‘this too shall pass’. 

This too shall pass. 

Our awareness that time passes also motivates us to stop and savour our experiences, our people and our moments while they are with us. If we were to calculate how much time (minutes and hours) in our lives we are going to spend with a loved one based on our previous frequency of contact, we may be surprised that it is actually not a lot. If we remain aware that we have finite time with each other, we can then wake up and create and embrace our moments together. 

Remember, no human condition is ever permanent. 

Then you will not be overjoyed in good fortune, 

nor too scornful in misfortune. 

Socrates 

I have a beautiful mother. I’m very fortunate, and we are extremely close. As with all people and all relationships, when, inevitably, her little quirks irritate me, I work to not let myself get annoyed. I tell myself that these are things I’m really going to miss when she’s not here, so I strangely enjoy them now. Sounds odd, but it’s true. When we appreciate time, we appreciate the positive and even negative things in life with acuity. 

Stay clear in your value of time. It will disappear. It is the ultimate leveler of all human things.