I never use the expression “killing time.” It’s true what they say; time is precious, and the idea of wasting, killing, or squandering time feels like the opposite of what I want to be doing right now. Now more than ever, I realize that basking in the glory of a gorgeous sunset or being truly present at a simple barbecue with friends and family I have not seen for months are the moments that make life worth living—time truly well spent.

 This Memorial Day feels like the beginning of a new chapter. We honor those who sacrificed their lives and fought for our ability to live a free and full life. It is because of their bravery that we are able to lead our lives and spend our time as we choose. 

 As we collectively turn the page, this is the first chance many of us have had in so very long to get back to ‘normal’ life—whatever that means. But I am not so sure I want to go back to what was my normal. Instead I want to manage how I spend my time and not let the momentum of tightly scheduled commitments and ever mounting responsibilities take control.

I used to race through my days from meeting to meeting to soccer practice or dance class to cooking dinner and getting kids to bed only to go back to working late into the night. Not to mention the calls in the car while I commuted and shuttled! Never a moment wasted, but perhaps—if I’m being honest with myself—not enough moments fully lived.

What if all the challenges and hardships of the last year are presenting us with a gift? When time, productivity, and life as we knew it stopped over a year ago, I could not fully see the silver lining—the opportunity to redefine what we do with our precious time. When we fully value the time we have, it’s easier to make choices about how we want to spend it. And, honestly, I am so grateful to spend much of my time with all of you.

 I love being part of our Kindra community so much. I have spent so many years swimming upstream to create and market products or programs that were not nearly as impactful as connecting you with resources, solutions and new support systems to help manage and ease the journey. Thank you for letting me help. It has helped me to be fully me more than I can say.

Let’s make this rare and overdue Summer of 2021 our time to re-focus on what’s important, including and especially the most chronically overdue—ourselves. Keep up the walks, the zoom nights with old friends across the miles, or even the quiet, solitary moments we all found during this past year. Keep up the parts of change that make you feel better, stronger, and more connected. As we turn the page together, let’s encourage each other to keep up the self-care and thoughtfulness about how we each spend our time. It really matters!

 Happy Summer!

Truly,
Catherine

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