There are certain things in life you can achieve that will make you feel stronger, richer or more significant among others. There are certain things you well-wish for thinking that they will complete your life: a brand new car or an elegant new piece of decoration for your apartment.

There is a certain thing though, you can’t acquire no matter how hard you try; Time that is.

Our society is so busy trying to catch up with everything: deadlines, deals, information. Too busy working 15 hours a day to run a house, buy an even bigger one, afford a fancy car, get a promotion, a bigger office, more acquaintances. Busy is our middle name these days. Do we know when enough is enough though?

We’re a generation programmed to set goals and achieve them, one after the other, aiming even higher each time – nothing’s ever enough when it comes to our lives. We’ve learned nothing but to work even harder in order to live a new, personalised version of the “American dream”.

8 months ago, returning from a long trip, I was sitting in my car stuck in traffic, when I started wondering what I want in my life. Do I really need to make more money? Do I really want to spend each day stuck in traffic worried, wishing to find a good parking spot, next to my office? Or do I want to begin building a steady future for the children I may or may not ever have?

Right there, in the middle of chaos, I managed to put my life in order. I’m not working to be rich nor to prove how good I am at what I’m doing and I’m definitely not calling it a day late everyday at the office in order to become “employee of the month”. I’m working to make the most out of my life, to live as much as I can, while I can. There’s no one who can reassure me that I’ll be alive in 30 or 40 years  – all I got is now.

I work so I can travel; So I can have the opportunity to travel, 1 or 2 times per year to escape reality, spend time with myself, meet new people or share new experiences with those already existing in my life.

Still, I wonder. I wonder when it was the last time when I had coffee or grabbed a bite with a friend without checking my planner first for half an hour of free time. Do I really spend quality time with my friends and family – or even myself? I realised that no, I don’t have time for anyone, not even me while at the same time that yes, it is the time to start fresh and change everything. For the sake of those who love me and who won’t always be there for me to talk to or spend time with.

A new way of thinking that puts quality over quantity is the main reason why I decided I have to change my life, to set my priorities straight and start investing in time rather than money – there won’t be a better time than this. What I really need is to start feeling “available” again; to offer my love and support to my loved ones whether that is by talking, offering a shoulder to cry on, hold their hand or simply by sharing a silent moment with them.

I need to travel too. More. Not in 10 years  – now. Today. Tomorrow – or maybe in 2 months. The time is now.

I want to write. Now, while I’ve got the inspiration, the urge, the creativity to do so. Maybe money won’t be an issue in 10 years from now but who knows if in the meantime, I won’t have lost my creativity and love for writing? I certainly don’t.

This new year will find me taking great decisions; decisions I am not sure if they’ll turn out to be good or bad. All I know is that time flies, every moment spend away from our loved ones won’t be coming back and that the world is so big I can’t continue lying to myself that I will be having the time to see it all in 10 or 20 years from now and well.. today is the day. The day I am announcing my decision to start new.

To start spending more time with myself and those ones I love and appreciate. I’ll list down all of my dreams and try to figure out a way to make them come true. Why? Because today I got time – who knows about tomorrow? Today I’ve got the strength to do so. Tomorrow may be too late.

If you love yourself too, think about what is important to you and what’s best for you. What really makes you happy? Sometimes, all it takes is a trip, a couple of good friends and some quality time with yourself to make life decisions that will leave you wondering how you found the time to do everything instead of regreting the opportunities you didn’t take because you thought you had time.

As for me, I took my decision that day when behind my steering wheel, I heard myself saying “If you really love me, offer me more time – not money.” And that’s exactly what I’m going to do… offer myself the gift of time.

More details coming soon.

Translation from Greek to English: Elena Ageorgiti

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