moments - The Time Finder with Paula Eder

The Time Finder with Paula Eder

The way you use your time is the way you live your life.

Find Time for Some Expanded Spring Cleaning!

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Paula, under Time and Energy.

Finding time to make the most of your moments sometimes means letting go of the old, to let in the new – spring cleaning for your mind, if you will!

“You can’t reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday’s junk.” Louise Smith

The weather here in New Hampshire has been unseasonably warm lately, and even though it’s still just the middle of March, I find my thoughts gravitating toward the turning of the season and the coming green. And along with that shift come thoughts of another ritual – spring cleaning!

The concreteness and power of this activity is something that I always look forward to on the farm, as we open windows to fresh air, let ourselves stretch in the expanding light, and breathe in a sense of renewal and rejuvenation. Almost like riding a wave of energy, I also like to stretch and expand the concept of spring cleaning, so that it includes not only clearing out winter’s debris and hanging out the clean sheets to snap and flap in the March wind, but also cleaning out old habits and thoughts that trip us up and keep us stuck.

As with any spring cleaning, what’s first necessary is a pause – an in-breath as you step back and survey the lay of the land. Let yourself just-see-what-is. Maybe clutter catches your eye – or maybe it’s some habits that you’re ready to let go of.

That’s the thing with clutter and habits – they become so embedded that we don’t even notice them. So it’s very important to pause and take in your landscape as if you’ve never seen it before. That way you’ll notice some of the things that may be tripping you up.

Once you know where you are and what’s around you, then you can begin to think about making changes. Stay tuned, as we set about exploring that next step … letting go and making changes … in your spring cleaning journey!

And in the meantime, want to learn more about how you can expand and deepen your time and efforts … in whatever areas you choose? Here’s a great way to explore avenues to increasing your time skills and heart-based power – whether it’s in your business, or your personal life. I am so pleased to be able to offer my expertise and support as The Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to “Time Management”.

You can visit by clicking the link, and when you do you’ll find lots of time management articles by experts in the field, along with a vibrant and welcoming on-line community. Stop by my Expert Page and leave a comment or question … or just say hello. There are lots of ways to connect … let’s get started!

Find Time to Fuel Your Resilience With Empowered Compassion™ (thetimefinder.com)
3 Heart-Based Time Management™ Tips to Help You Find Time for a Lion-Hearted Holiday! (thetimefinder.com)
Finding Time to Enjoy the Ride: 5 Timely Tips about Time and Aging! (thetimefinder.com)
Find Time for Empowered Compassion™ (thetimefinder.com)

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Find Time for Empowered Compassion™

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Paula, under Time and Energy, Time Transformation.

Finding Time to become more authentic and heart-based opens up a wealth of possibilities. In the past, I’ve written about the unique insights that compassion can bring to your time management efforts.

When you bring compassion to any situation you make it possible to also bring your full and authentic presence to it. Accepting YOU, you can let yourself BE! And starting from that solid and real foundation, anything becomes possible.

So now that spring is on the way, I’d like to expand on that and plant a new seed in your imagination – something to build and grow with.

Empowered Compassion™ is the concept, and it’s like a fresh shoot rising from the earth – both tender and strong!

Tender and strong – what a powerful combination! You know how you flow when you move forward from a base of solid inner balance?

Because you feel quietly confident, you approach new experiences with openness, rather than feeling guarded.

Because you accept yourself, you are willing to learn as you go.

Genuine self-empowerment has its roots in both compassion and realism. You thrive by being human, not superhuman.

What images come to mind for you when you hear the words, Empowered Compassion™? Sit with them. Let these inner pictures come into focus and brighten as you bring your own insights and associations to what you read here.

The more you envision how you can welcome Empowered Compassion™ into your life, the more you awaken its potential in your days and your moments.

And here’s the thing: Empowered Compassion™ gains power from its underlying paradox. Embracing opposites, Empowered Compassion™ embodies yin and yang – acceptance and striving – inhaling and exhaling.

Tomorrow we’ll explore what this means for you, as you begin to step into the exciting potential that Empowered Compassion™ holds for you!

Find Time to Recover: 3 Keys for Healing and Resilience (thetimefinder.com)
Find Time to Put a Little Love in Your Heart (thetimefinder.com)
Find Time to Build Your Brave Muscles With a Daily Courage Workout (thetimefinder.com)
Find Time to Create Quiet-Some Timely Thoughts (thetimefinder.com)

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Find Time to Let Your Routines Deepen Into Rituals

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Paula, under Self-Care Time, Time and Energy.

Finding time to refresh your energy, keep in touch with your core values, and deepen your experience of your moments is always time well spent. And creating and sustaining personal rituals is a tried and true pathway to doing this.

Rituals can help you live your moments in Strong Time:

Anything that causes us to pause and contemplate, I think, offers an opportunity to connect with strong time – with the deepest experience of a moment. Strong time is not about duration but about depth. Getting to strong time often involves some form of tradition or ritual – and these can be family rituals, rituals involving religious traditions, or simple, personal practices, like meditation, that connect you with your heart and the deepest parts of your life.

As we’ve explored rituals here, we’ve contrasted them with routines, noting that “Routines can often feel rushed or monotonous – or both! They get you through one part of the day on your way to the next chapter.”

I was struck, yesterday, though, when a reader mentioned that she was happy to be returning to her normal routine after the holidays. As I reflected on that statement, I realized that it may be helpful to think of routine as a part of ritual, rather than something different.

You might view routine as the raw material for ritual. Routine is the foundation that makes ritual possible.

There’s a saying, often attributed to Woody Allen that states: “90% of life is just showing up.”

I think it applies in this case. In order to be present for the element of depth that ritual offers, you must “show up.”

Holidays and vacations, for all the richness they give us, can also be disruptive to routines that sustain us. So it can be very refreshing to return to routine.

Indeed, it’s vital to re-establish and maintain routines, as they offer you a beginning place for your deepening into ritual … and into Strong Time.

… and are you interested in learning more about the Heart-Based Path as you explore ways to deepen, enhance and energize your relationship with time?

I invite you to explore Secrets of Heart-Based Time Management - my chapter in the book I co-authored - Stepping Stones to Success! In it I share my proven system for exploring and harnessing the power of your mind, your body and your spirit to help you deepen your experience of time and of your life.

As you work with the ideas I offer, you’ll explore your patterns, clarify your values, identify and prioritize your goals … and create your path for achieving them. You can give yourself the gift of this wonderful resource today, and get started on your journey toward success, Stepping Stone by Stepping Stone …just click this link to get the details!

Let’s explore time together …

Find Time to Celebrate and Feel Grateful (thetimefinder.com)
Finding Time for Feelings-Move Ahead Powerfully by Looking Back (thetimefinder.com)
Find Time to Value Your Values the Heart-Based Way (thetimefinder.com)

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Find Time to Start Your Day Here and Feel Your Power!

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Paula, under Time and Energy.

Finding time to start your day in a grounded and powerful way is a wonderful and simple gift that you can give yourself every single day. It takes but a moment, and its repercussions will affect everything that follows.

Here’s what I am talking about: Do you know those signs that you often see in public places that say “You are Here” with an arrow or an X marking the spot where you are standing? That graphic illustrates the simple exercise that can help you place yourself in the moment and start your day firmly rooted in your power.

Just take a moment after you’ve gotten up. Maybe sit in your favorite chair, or on a meditation cushion, if you like. Take a deep breath and exhale.

Then, with your next in breath, say, “I am here.” As you exhale say, “I let go of ____ . I am right here, now.”

Repeat this several times. If nothing comes to mind that you want or need to let go of, that’s fine; just repeat “I am here now” or a similar phrase that is meaningful to you.

The exact words aren’t important. What is key is that you allow yourself to start your day by settling into it – feeling its newness and your full, unique presence.

Your power lies in knowing that, truly, as a new day begins, the world begins anew for you. You have access to the full range of your choices and your power in each moment – and you have 24 new hours in which to work. There is nothing quite so energizing as letting yourself touch this powerful truth as you start your day!

This poem, by Mary Oliver, captures what I mean quite beautifully:

How do you start your day? “Are you here?” Listen to your answer, be still, and let yourself settle into your power. Take this gift with you as you move through your moments today, and let me know how it goes - I’d love to hear!

And are you interested in deepening your relationship to time in the Heart-Based Way? Then, I invite you to explore Secrets of Heart-Based Time Management - my chapter in the book I co-authored - Stepping Stones to Success! In it I share my proven system for exploring and harnessing the power of your mind, your body and your spirit to help you deepen your experience of time and of your life. As you work with the ideas I offer, you’ll explore your patterns, clarify your values, identify and prioritize your goals … and create your path for achieving them. You can give yourself the gift of this wonderful resource today, and get started on your journey toward success, Stepping Stone by Stepping Stone …just click this link to get the details!

Let’s explore time together …

Find Time When You Need It Most Using Timely Flexible Focus (thetimefinder.com)
Find Time to Value Your Values the Heart-Based Way (thetimefinder.com)
Find Time to Transform Your Feelings About Time by Tuning in to the Words You Use to Describe It (thetimefinder.com)

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Finding Time to Feel then Deal with Disaster

Posted on August 30, 2011 by Paula, under Time and Energy, Time Choices, Transitions and Time.

Finding time to deal with disaster is not a subject that we relish writing about. But it’s something we all need to be prepared for, as Hurricane Irene most recently reminded us.

When confronted with sudden change, one key coping strategy is to take a step back and give yourself time to let your feelings out about what has happened.

You’ll notice I didn’t say ”explore”, but “let out”. You can take time to explore later, but in the heat of the moment it’s vital to “take the top off” in a safe setting. This will help you think as clearly as possible as quickly as possible. Doing this gives you access to you best problem-solving abilities, as you meet whatever challenges arise.

Once you have done what you can to clear the air for yourself, it’s important to quickly assess the situation, and address emergent challenges and problems. Mitigate the immediate damage as best you can, and prepare for whatever the next step might be.

Throughout the process, as you sort things out, be aware that you may need to take moments here and there to safely vent feelings of frustration and loss that will muddy the waters if left to fester. Then you can return to your practical problem-solving with more clarity and positive energy.

Attitude of Gratitude. In the midst of unexpected change, there are always things to be grateful for. When you reflect on what you are grateful for you create a nourishing base of positive energy for yourself. This is a vital and affirming touchstone that can sustain you through turmoil as you deal with disaster.

It is remarkably helpful to open yourself to the process of unfolding change. Your focus will shift and narrow to what lies straight ahead as you deal with disaster. Don’t fight it. As time moves forward, your vista will widen again.

Here are 3 things that you can count on as you deal with disaster … even as you feel like your world has been turned upside down:

With each moment, the impact and ramifications of what has happened will be felt, like ripples on water.
With each moment you will have new challenges and opportunities to respond to.
And with each choice you make, you shape the next moment.

A disaster like Hurricane Irene can feel like it is a single event in time – but really, that event is just the start of a moment-by-moment evolution that can take you in directions that you might never have imagined. Remaining as open as you can to this process is a wonderful gift you can give yourself!

These skills will simplify and deepen your experience as you deal with disaster … or most anything. And they can be lifesavers! How can you apply them in your life?

Let’s explore time together …

And while I’m on the subject of exploration, transformation and empowerment, are you a solopreneur, consultant, or small business owner who’s ready to take the next big step? If you want to learn how to create and to keep a successful business running on your own, then this is for you!

“How to Create Credibility as a Freelancer” is a booklet with 70 expert-proven tips that will help you recharge your energy and motivation, increase your visibility, and sharpen those vital organizational and time management skills. Success is within your reach, so don’t wait, click this link and get started today! http://bit.ly/FreelanceTips

Find Time to Transform Your Feelings About Time by Tuning in to the Words You Use to Describe It (thetimefinder.com)
Find Time to Prepare, Adjust and Carry On When Life Throws You a Curve (thetimefinder.com)

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Find Time to Transform Your Feelings About Time by Tuning in to the Words You Use to Describe It

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Paula, under Time and Energy, Time and Values.

Finding time to live your moments as fully as possible is what Heart-Based Time Management is all about. My aim is to help you live expansively, actualizing your potential and tapping into your core power, creativity, and values.

As you explore your own Heart-Based path, you’ll find that your feelings about yourself change. Not only that – this process will transform your feelings about time. That’s because the Heart-Based way works from the inside out. It starts with you as the base.

So, what’s a Heart-Based way to learn how you feel about time? I can think of no better place to start than with the words you use when you describe it.

Do you talk about feeling pressed for time? Do you have all the time in the world? Are you running out of time?

Here’s a very informative exercise:

Take out a pen and paper and set a timer for 3 minutes. Now, write down every word that springs to mind when you say the word “time.” Don’t worry about logic or coherence. Just write what comes to mind. Feel free to repeat words. Turn off your inner critic and just write as fast as you can.

Now, just sit with your words for a few minutes. What jumps out at you? Are there one or two words that offer you a good sense of the flavor of your relationship with time? How do you feel about those words? Would you like to change them?

This is where you have the opportunity to transform your feelings about time.

You see, those words that you use to describe time shape how you see, and how you live in your moments right now. If they are based in scarcity or fear, for example, those feelings will leak into your sense of time. As you can imagine, that has a very profound effect on every single moment of your life.

The wonderful and empowering Heart-Based news is that you can change that. Those words that you use are not writ in stone. They are yours – and that means you can come up with different ones - any ones you want! You can transform your feelings about time by taking charge of the words you choose to use. It’s that simple and that powerful.

I encourage you to try our simple exercise and begin exploring the transformative power of Heart-Based Time Management today.

Let’s explore time together …

And while I’m on the subject of empowerment, are you a solopreneur, consultant, or small business owner who’s ready to take the next big step? If you want to learn how to create and to keep a successful business running on your own, then this is for you!