How to Shape Shift Time

What if you could “shape shift” time to meet your needs? I learned how to do it, let me explain:

A decade ago, with shortness of breath, a heavy chest and irregular heartbeat, an emergency room doctor told me I was in good health but far too stressed out. She suggested I drop 20 pounds, exercise more and change my job. I was attending healing school, learning deep meditation, the body’s energy structure, about intention and prayer and, ironically, the big issue that kept coming up in healing sessions was my relationship with time.

I had already had a wildly successful career, had hit the pinnacles of politics, public relations and marketing. I wasn’t satisfied, it wasn’t “me.” My life was literally scheduled into 15-minute increments of time. My friends would call and ask if they could block an increment and it was kind of a joke to them, but I was dead serious about it (and almost dead because of it). After the visit to the ER, I was ready for something very different.

I took the ER doc’s advice and mastered the art of expanding time.

I learned time was all about the power of decisions and intentionality. I discovered time could open up in ways I never imagined. I learned first hand how time could slow down and expand if I was doing something I loved and wanted to do. For me, the work I did I HAD to do. It paid the bills, I was good at it, there were great benefits. I didn’t love it, I left.

I bought a tiny struggling restaurant and started enjoying my time immediately. I was studying and creating something of value for my family, associates and my community. I was learning a tremendous amount and couldn’t seem to get enough, I devoured everything I could to learn and grow and build the struggling restaurant into a strong business.

I worked nights, weekends and holidays. I loved it. I was never tired. I had no shortness of breath, no irregular heartbeats. Time opened up for me and I was able to spend as much energy as I needed to learn as much as I could. Over the last 10 years, I’ve expanded that company from one to four locations and we’re now franchising. It’s been tremendous. The time had come for me to learn new things.

In the waning days of 2012, I decided to become a Certified Member of the John Maxwell Team. Excited and thrilled to have access to such a huge wealth of knowledge in our online platform, I dove right in, eager and enthused. Once again, time opened up for me: I was intentionally and passionately pursuing something that I love with all my heart: personal growth and development. The opportunity to be of service to others. The chance to make a difference. I shape shifted time through the power of intention and decision.

Each of us has the same opportunity to shape shift the clock. We’re all granted the identical 1,440 minutes daily, or 525,600 minutes annually. What we do with them matters. To shift time, do these three things:

1. Decide to spend your time only on things you LOVE. Time and your human energy are too precious to waste on things you hate.
2. Delve deeply into what you love. Love it with your whole heart, give it your energy. Pay attention to it. Paying attention is another way of saying “giving time.”
3. Build an iron fortress around your mind and your time. Protect it as if it were the most valuable item in the world, it quite literally is.

Shape shifting time requires you to decide, delve and build. You may have to give up Dancing with the Stars or Survivor, but you’ll be happier in the long run. Shifting time starts with changing your mind. You can do it.

About the Author

Misty Young, known as The Restaurant Lady, is board chair of Squeeze In Franchising, LLC.