What time is it?

Dear friend,
I bet you have a favorite watch.

Maybe also a favorite clock!

Mine is the grandfather’s clock
we had in our living room
when I was little.

It was tall
made of smooth brown wood

had a latch key
and made the best dongs ever!

Do you remember
how we used to stare
at the classroom clock?

We couldn’t wait
for it to hit 3

so we could run outside
and play.

We all still
look at the clock a lot.

But a clock
can only tell us

what time it is
on a superficial level.

3:15 just says
we are halfway to dinner.

But what time is it in our lives?

Do we dare ask ourselves?

When we do ask

we gain insight
and awareness

that make us stronger
and more capable
to live fully.

Here are three ways that
knowing what time it is

gives us insight and awareness:

—We SEE when immediate action is required

—We RECOGNIZE the passage of time in our relationships

—We FOCUS on the particular time of life we are in

Let’s look at each way
of knowing what time it is:

We SEE when immediate action is required

I learned
while doing psychotherapy

to become highly aware of
moments of opportunity.

After long periods
of little apparent progress

suddenly an opening occurs!

The person
lets down their defenses

and lets me in.

The question is:
Will I SEE this moment in time?

Will I immediately move in and connect?

Or
will I only realize later
that I missed my golden chance?

Ah
my friend…

but THIS is how life IS.

Sometimes we only get one shot.

So
how do you learn

to see
decide
and MOVE

fast and accurately?

It takes determination
and courage.

You have to develop your mind
to the point where

you can count on
your own swift judgment.

To get to the point
you trust yourself
when the chips are down

you will need
to prove to yourself

over and over

that you can
rapidly and accurately
assess reality
and
ACT.

For practice
I suggest you choose an area

where you face
many low-stake decisions.

If you get them wrong
it’s no big deal.

An area where you currently
are unnecessarily slow
to assess reality

and take way too long
to make decisions
and act.

If you aren’t aware of
what area that is

ask your partner
friends or family members.

They know.

Tell yourself
in each circumstance:
It’s time to make a fast and wise decision.

Decide.
Act.
Evaluate later.

You will get faster
at making
an accurate pounce.

We RECOGNIZE the passage of time in our relationships

Time is precious
and time is passing.

We need to become fully aware
that our older family members
may not be with us much longer.

It is time
for us to act
on our awareness.

Spend time with them.

Ask them to tell us
their stories.

Share our stories
with them.

Learn all we can
from them

while they
are still with us.

Indeed
we need to recognize

the passage of time
in all our relationships

and
in our own life.

Let us wake up
and cherish the dawn
of each new day.

Each one of us
(as Dylan said)

is either busy being born
or busy dying.

We FOCUS on the particular time of life we are in

Each of us
is in a particular time
of our life

right now.

Knowing what time it is
means

we recognize
the primary challenge
we are facing.

Recognizing that challenge
calls us

to FOCUS ourselves

and summon our best capabilities
to RISE to it.

So…

What time is it
for you right now?

Time to figure out who you are?

Establish your independence?

Get yourself healthy—physically, emotionally, spiritually?

Overcome a major problem or weakness of character?

Heal and build your relationships?

Find a new partner to love?

Have and raise your children/grandchildren?

Find your education and work path?

Create your words, art, music, ideas and visions?

Share and teach what you have learned?

Get involved in building your community?

Serve and defend the freedom of your country?

Lead others forward toward a just and loving future?

Yes, I know…
none of us is living
in just one stage.

Life requires us
to live several stages at once.

You must decide
which one

of the challenges
you are facing

is Priority One.

Then decide
how you will fit together

meeting your other challenges
with meeting that one.

These are not fast decisions.

They require deep dives
into your soul.

Only you
can answer:

What time is it
in my life?

And now is the time
to ask.

Blessings,

Dr. Hall