Do you ever hear people saying that there just isn't enough time? Maybe you've heard yourself lamenting your own lack of time to do this or that.
I know I have.
In fact, I never have enough time. I am a single mom with three kids under the age of 5 and I am trying to run my own business. Time punches me in the face every single day. 
But even though I join the ranks of complainers, lately I have felt bothered when I hear people using time as their excuse.
"I wish I read more often, but I just don't have time."
"I 'd love to get more involved in the community, but I just don't have time."
"I'd like to make healthier food for my family, but I just don't have time."
"I'd like to be closer to my kids, but I just don't have time."
Feeling annoyed by other people, is always my first sign that I need to do a little soul searching. Why has it been bothering me so much when people use time as their excuse? As it usually happens, I looked a little deeper and realized my issue with the time excuse had nothing to do with anybody but me.
I've been making time the enemy in my own life. And because I've had this excuse to hang on to, it has taken me a while to realize that perhaps my priorities need to be rearranged.
This is what I have learned: There is always enough time for everything I make time for. And if something is important to me, I can make time for it.
Just a few weeks I ago I was entirely convinced that there was not enough hours in the day for me to be able to blog/write regularly. The kids have to be fed, and cleaned, and played with. The dishes have to be washed, and the toilets, and the laundry. Pictures have to be edited, clients met with, emails written. I couldn't see a spare minute left in the day. And there really wasn't enough time until I decided it was really important to me.
I didn't find a way to add more hours to my day, but I did re-evaluate what was most important to me. I found some things I could spend less time on (Hulu, laundry, night time baking - my scale is thanking me for this one too) and some ways to spend more time on the things that are most important. It's possible, it really is, to make time when you really want to.
I have had a kid throwing up since Saturday night. I haven't had more than a few hours of sleep in days. I had church responsibilities on Sunday, pictures to get out to clients yesterday, and all the regular daily activities that come about when you have three small children at home. Last night I came down with the same flu virus that has been plaguing Esme all weekend. I spent the entire night staring at white porcelain only to wake up to crying, hungry kids.
But here I am. The kids are eating bananas for breakfast, I'm feeding the baby and typing with one hand, and I feel quite certain we won't have any clean laundry for a while. But I got this post written. That is important to me.
I am no super hero. If I can make time, you can too.
I challenge you to pay attention. Listen to yourself and the next time you hear yourself saying or thinking "I don't have time for . . ." "I wish I could . . . but I don't have time, " Someday when I have more time I will . . ." stop and ask yourself if it's really important to you. Is it a priority? If yes, make time, make a plan, make it happen. If it is not a priority, let that story go. Don't waste anymore time making excuses for things that really aren't important to you. Spend the time you do have just the way you want to.
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