Taking time vs. giving time

As a form of self care, is it said that we must take time for ourselves. Time to do the things that nourish and nurture us. Time to care for ourselves and those we love. Time to enjoy life and live full of love.

The idea of taking time though, just doesn’t sit well with me. Because the feeling of taking time from myself isn’t the goal. The goal is giving time to myself.

When I care for others I’m giving, so when I care for myself I am also in the mindset of giving. When we say we’re taking time for ourselves, it’s also as if we must take in order to receive, rather than give so that we may receive.

I know it sounds like semantics, but the way we talk to ourselves and the words we use make a huge impact on the way we view life. So imagine what changing the words can do to your life.

Here’s what I know about myself. I don’t like taking things from anyone.
However, I do enjoy giving and receiving. Now, I choose to use these words instead of taking, because taking implies it’s something that’s not already mine. That I must extract time from the hands of someone or something else.

But time is already mine. It’s just a matter of how I am able to continue giving it to myself. I enjoy giving it to myself and I enjoy receiving it from myself.

What could this shift in language do for you?

This idea that you’re giving yourself something so necessary?

If you’re good at receiving, or haven’t been good at receiving but have been practicing it, this is an opportunity to continue. To give to and receive from yourself.

If you continuously say that you don’t have time, I want you to challenge yourself. Say that you’re not giving yourself time. Because you do have time, I just told you that it’s already yours, it’s just how you’re giving it away, who you’re giving it away to, and what you’re giving it away to.

If you prioritize giving your time to yourself and the things that you value most, it won’t feel like you don’t have time because you’ll have already provided yourself with what you need. You’ll have given to yourself in a way that feels right and good for you.

Try this practice:

Write down how you spent your time in 1 day. Include everything from driving somewhere, to time spent in the bathroom, time scrolling on social media, time at work actually working, time at work socializing, etc.

Then mark all of the ways in which you gave time to yourself.

If you don’t feel you gave yourself enough time, change what you do tomorrow. Give yourself 5 minutes to do something you love.

This is a practice of self-love.