Have you ever caught yourself saying the words, I just don't have time, as if time were a disappearing mist or a thief running away from you? It is such a common phrase, isn't it? We use it to shield ourselves from the pressure of our mounting to-do lists. But Lao Tzu offers us a profound and slightly uncomfortable truth when he suggests that time is actually something we create through our choices. When we say we lack time, what we are often really saying is that we haven't found the value or the desire to prioritize that specific thing. It is a shift from seeing time as a limited resource to seeing it as a reflection of our true intentions.
In our fast-paced, modern world, it is so easy to fall into the trap of being busy without being purposeful. We fill our calendars with obligations, scrolling through endless feeds, and running errands, all while feeling like we are drowning in a sea of minutes. We tell ourselves we don't have time to read that book, to call a lonely friend, or to sit in silence, yet we somehow find an hour to catch up on news that leaves us feeling anxious. The clock isn't running out on us; rather, we are deciding where to place our energy, and often, we are choosing the easy distractions over the meaningful connections.
I remember a time when I felt completely overwhelmed, much like a little duck struggling against a heavy current. I kept telling everyone I was too busy to grab a tea or even go for a short stroll in the park. My nest felt cluttered with tasks, and I felt guilty for every minute I wasn't being productive. One afternoon, I sat down and realized that I actually had plenty of time; I was just using it to worry about the future instead of living in the present. Once I admitted that my lack of time was actually a lack of priority, I started carving out small, sacred pockets for rest and joy. It changed everything.
This realization doesn't mean you have to change your entire life overnight. It just means being honest with yourself about where your minutes are going. The next time you feel the urge to say you don't have time for something beautiful, take a deep breath and ask yourself if you simply don't want to. It is a much more empowering question because it puts the power back in your hands. You are the creator of your days. I encourage you today to find just one small thing you have been neglecting and decide, right now, that you want to make time for it.