Talking Time + A Cool Watch Giveaway

Buongiorno!

Today I wanted to talk about the huge topic of time and our often complex feelings surrounding it.  I’ve been inspired to discuss today’s topic by a beautiful new accessory that’s come into my jewelry box, a Jord wooden watch. We’re even bringing you a big giveaway to win a Jord watch of your own, so head to the bottom of this post for all the details.

I haven’t worn watches in a while, but this one struck me as pretty unusual and I love the size and weight of it. It also doesn’t hurt that the wooden band complements the nice little tan I have going. As I’ve been wearing my new accessory lately, I’ve felt compelled to broach this topic of time: the procrastinating, saving, rushing, and pressure of it.

Staying present

As someone who’s still trying to master the art of staying in the present moment, I definitely feel myself stressing due to time often. Whether it’s balancing work and play time or experiencing a bigger pressure to achieve my career and personal life goals within a certain period, time can cause a lot of anxiety and it’s up to us to keep it in check.

Most people who have had any exposure to yoga, meditation or even a good self-help book will know that staying in the present is key to achieving lasting inner peace. So much easier said than done of course, but just having that knowledge is comforting no matter where you are in your practice of reaching that goal. When I feel my thoughts spiraling downward with pressures surrounding time, I try to remind myself that the present moment is all that matters and that these deadlines I’ve set in place are irrelevant. Breathing and fully coming into this moment instantly relaxes my body and mind. It’s just staying there that can be the challenge.

Reaching all those goals

As women, we often put a lot of pressure on ourselves to get everything done and right before a certain age. This impending deadline is one that dictates much of our every day. “Am I going to achieve all of my professional goals by [this age] or by the time I have children?” “Will I get married by [this age]?” “Can I travel/see the world before [this age]?” Often times too, that age is something like 30, which is super young in the scheme of things, yet we force ourselves to figure it all out in some of our most formative years. Talk about stress.

When I feel myself putting this pressure on, I remind myself of all the people who achieved great success much later in life. Or the relationships and families I see in my personal life that started a little later and how everything fell into place for them. Part of the excitement of life if not knowing, and if we did know, I think things would be lot more boring for all of us. Embrace this mystery and trust that your plan is working out for you.

On “wasting time”

I’ve come to very much disagree with the notion of wasting time. I used to throw the phrase around regularly. I felt I had wasted time in past relationships, in difficult or boring years of school, or in driving time when I could have been doing something fun. My mom helped me to shift this mindset so much, and I applaud her for being able to chip away at such a stubborn philosophy of mine.

She always worked to enforce the concept of trusting with me and it’s something I still work on now (I even have a tattoo in her handwriting that says “fiducia”- “trust” in Italian- on my arm). Trusting that everything is working out in its time for each of us. Trusting that no one is trying to make things difficult for us or sabotage our plan. And yes, the now cliché, trusting that everything is happening for a reason and furthermore, for our benefit. When we’re so worked up and impatient, it’s hard to believe that anything is happening for our benefit, but as time unfolds, we often look back and understand that it was. Saving yourself that frustration and just trusting from the get-go is your best tool to rid yourself of those worries and enjoy your now.

giveaway!

And now for the fun stuff. If you guys are looking for an elegant new watch, I’ve teamed up with Jord to bring you a big giveaway for $100 off any of their watches. All you have to do is fill out this form to be entered to win. Only one winner will be chosen, but all who enter will receive a 10% off code when the contest is over. If you like my watch, it’s from the Cassia Collection in Olive and Aegean Blue.

A presto,
Amanda