10 Reasons Series: #9 Time: You're the Pilot

"The bad news is: Time flies.  The good news: You're the Pilot"

If you ask my Dad what the most important thing is, he'll say "Time".  I tend to agree.  Time is all we really have in this world, and so it's all about how you use that time and what you choose to do with it.

Since we moved, I have been able to devote my time to things that I am really passionate about, mainly towards the business which will one day be ours.  I tend to do things with my whole heart, and so in the past my jobs and volunteer commitments took most of my time.  The opportunity cost for me devoting so much of my time to outside things was that there was little left for me to work on my own projects and develop what is really important to me.

When we moved, I decided to make a change and work harder on keeping my personal life organized.  This was a notoriously neglected aspect of my life in the past, but as we put down roots here it's something that becomes increasingly important.  I started a filing system!  I got a doctor!  I got our paperwork in order!  I made sure our documents like health cards and passports were up to date!  Small achievements, things that I never put much pro-active time towards in the past and so they always became detested chores and wastes of time.  By taking a proactive approach and getting things done before they become a huge hassle, I can save time doing these things at inopportune times when I need to focus on other things.

A huge impact of moving closer to family is that there are other people to help us make the most of

our time.  My parents have been a huge help in this regard.  My Mom and I will get groceries for each other when necessary, she has made appointments for me and sorted out phone bills and made supper for us too many times to count.  My Dad has put in many long hours cleaning up our farm, getting water and other systems up and running, moving equipment and cutting down trees, knocking down buildings, talking to lawyers, setting up purchases: the list could go on and on!  By combining our efforts we can squeeze every little bit of this precious resource and make the best of it.

This time is the greatest gift my parents have been able to give us, and we do whatever we can to reciprocate, but it is definitely not an equal relationship.  While Jon and I are busy getting established, we need all the help we can get and have less time to help others.  For now, my parents have sacrificed their own time and busy lives to make space for us, and it's the biggest help that we have.  We're fortunate to have some great co-pilots in our lives!