Finding Time

I think it is a pretty well known fact that most teachers in Korea have limited and "set in stone" type  of vacation. Other than national holidays, we get 5 days in the summer and 5 days in winter. This common pattern leads to a mass exodus of teachers from twice a year, when they finally have time to travel. I am no different last winter, I took some time to travel home, and come next summer, I am planning a very short trip to the US. Because of that, I did not travel back home at Christmas. (My vacation was not over Christmas anyway.) I didn't plan any traveling for this break. I didn't plan anything for my five days of no school.

Do you know what happened?

Nothing. Since I did not plan anything, I did not do anything. While for some that might sound heavenly, to have no plans and to rest and relax for a week, I found myself feeling disappointed. There are so many times I find myself justifying not doing something because "I don't have time", but now that I had ample time, I was still not making the time.

During this season of new promises to ourselves, others and even the Lord, I want to encourage you all to do that thing you don't think you have time for. You have the time. You will have to give up something else that currently occupies that time, but for many of us, what we are sacrificing is 30 mins of scrolling through FB and Instagram or one movie a week. You will probably have to take time to learn what you need to do to accomplish your promise. You may have to change another aspect of your life to actually thrive at what you are doing. 

So in an aim to practice what I am learning, I made today a "work" day. I have spent all afternoon at an overpriced, trendy, but ultimately quiet and distraction-less cafe doing simple things like organizing photos from the past year and a half and finally updating this blog. While those are easy and enjoyable to do, if I were to attempt them while at home, I would never finish it. I would become distracted. I struggle to focus in many environments. I probably rode past thousands of cafes on my way here, but those places would not have offered the type of environment that stimulates my creativity without proving a distraction, so I made the extra effort to provide myself a foundation for success. So whether it is your health & diet, a new hobby, your prayer & bible meditation time, or strengthening a relationship, you do actually have the time for it. 

 

My wonderfully secluded corner at "EverythingButTheHero". I will say, I am a bit disappointed, with that name, I fully expected to see sandwiches on this menu, just not a hero.

Coffee. Really good and yet still very much overpriced. Worth it for the space though.