Am I the only one who feels as though there are never enough hours in the day? In this episode we discuss the value of time, who we allow to have access to our time and space, and the meaningful ways that we utilize our time that can shape our quality of life. So, buckle up as we embark on this journey and remember to follow us on Instagram @bloggersandfriendspodcast where the conversation continues.
Am I the only one who feels as though there are never enough hours in the day? In this episode we discuss the value of time, who we allow to have access to our time and space, and the meaningful ways that we utilize our time that can shape our quality of life. So, buckle up as we embark on this journey and remember to follow us on Instagram @bloggersandfriendspodcast where the conversation continues.
Hey y'all, I'm Jenelle Yarbrough and welcome to Blockers and Friends. This is your podcast for discussions around relevant topics and experiences that resonate with the culture. For those of you who roll with me, you know we talk a lot about embracing the possibility of change. We'll continue to touch on that and lots more Sound good Word Get into it. Hey, hey y'all. How is everyone feeling today? I hope you all are feeling good, looking good and out here doing and spreading good.
Jenelle:I know this time of year is different, when the day seems shorter and the weather is colder, but good thing is, y'all, that we are in the season of intimate events and togetherness, so hopefully those moments carry us all the way through to the sunshine and warmth. Come on. March, april, come on. Well, I guess for Portland that's not even sunshine and warmth. That just is getting us into some longer days. But I'll take it. I'll take it at that point. Y'all know how we do.
Jenelle:I want to take a second to shout out a few of the locations where our listeners are tuning in, from Shout out to St Louis, missouri, omaha, nebraska, fontana, california, roseville, california, camarillo, california, jonesboro, Georgia, laurel, maryland and Chiba City in Japan. I see y'all to all my listeners, new and returning, in the states and outside of the states. Thank you for being here with us today, as usual. Y'all I am grateful. Different day, same message. Pull out that phone, pull up to your laptop and y'all know what to do. We're going to keep doing what we've been doing growing this community. So don't forget to share by forwarding bloggers and friends podcast and a text in a post in your stories, or drop it in a group chat to your friends, family, lovers and others. You never know, this just may be the podcast they didn't know they needed. Also, remember y'all remember to go and follow us on IG at bloggersandfriendspodcast yeah, find us, block us in, follow us y'all. You know we love your thoughts and feedback, so hit us up in our DMs to let us know what you think of the episodes you're listening to and what's resonating with you most. And don't forget to interact with our posts on whatever platform you're listening from, by rating and or commenting. It feels so good to sit down and be here with you all today. I know it's been a few weeks since my last episode, which, if you haven't checked it out yet, make sure to do so. I had the honor of introducing my sister's new business to you all. Shout out to Jacquelyn Thompson from Living with Jacquelyn Go visit her website at www. livingwithjacquelyn. com That's my sister.
Jenelle:Before we get into anything, can we just pause and collectively blank stare and blink at the fact it's almost 2024? Like what as I get older, or seasoned henny? The one thing I come to feel stronger and stronger about is the value of time and the fullness with which we choose to live and how we spend our time, who occupies our time, what we spend our time doing and how we make each moment lived, feel meaningful Time. Y'all Thinking about quality of life and interactions. This fulfillment and joy is pressing me y'all Again, though in a good way. Boy, it's something else when your own self-connection can hold you accountable to your own evolution. Shout out to yourself, girl Hesh, love that for me, for us, girl Hesh, I think that, much like savoring the flavors you taste in a bite while you're enjoying a good meal, time too, should be savored in that same way Experiencing and appreciating each moment without rush, multitasking, dread, an annoyance, disdain or exhaustion.
Jenelle:This one here is for all the CEOs of their home, to all of the boss bays on a mission to have it. All the shakers and movers who are trying to carve out space in the world for their vision. The heavy lifters who are everything to everybody, folks who schedules have been hijacked by meetings that can be emails. Those that thrive on authenticity and genuine connection. The humans seeking to align their work with their purpose and passion. And the creatives who are all about building community. Y'all trying to get into this with me Honey, you had me at the meeting that could be emails. Word. Let's do it, then, in full transparency.
Jenelle:I have literally been taking it one day at a time. Life has been upside my head y'all, not in a bad way, in a demanding way, in a girl level up way, in a hold on to your crown and make tracks type of way you feel me, and as much as I hear the call and have started nurturing the vision, chow, it is moving at the pace of a snail. Cause, baby, the way that I am spent. Let me tell you something. My tank has been living on E. Okay, shout out to the incredible people who I have in my life. Bad, honey, I can pull up to like a Tesla and their energy alone will recharge my battery. That's a battery.
Jenelle:Leave me alone what this has brought me to think about is how important it is for me to continue removing all of the people, places and things that do not serve me, the things that don't charge my battery, that don't fill me up. Therefore, they should not occupy my time. Right, right, right. Time is one of the most precious resources we have in life. It is a limited resource and once it's gone, it can't be regained. My ability to honor myself is inclusive of my ability to honor and protect my time, and so there are three, maybe four, things that I just wanna touch on that is important in doing that right Mindfulness, being mindful of how we spend our time, prioritizing the things that matter most to us, spending time with loved ones, pursuing meaningful work that surrounds passion and purpose, and engaging in hobbies and activities that bring us joy.
Jenelle:By doing so, we can ensure that our time is well spent and that we are living our lives in a way that aligns with our values and priorities. Being present we often get caught up in the past or the future and we forget to appreciate the present moment, the here, the now where we're at, what we're doing, people's faces, people's smiles, people's reactions right. Being fully present, we can savor the experiences we are having in the moment and creating lasting memories that we can cherish for years to come. This is important for any part of your journey. It enables us to better appreciate growth, successes and the wisdom gained as we're navigating life right. And intention, good old intention.
Jenelle:When we show up for someone, whether it's through a phone call which those of you who know me know that your girl does not like the phone, but I answer and take those calls and make those calls when necessary I do or whether it's a visit or simply spending quality time with them, we're showing them that we value their presence in our lives. By making time for others, we can strengthen our relationships and create deeper connections with those around us. You know your girl here. You know we love a good happy hour. We love a good brunch. I mean I like personal time. I mean you know let's gather on the couch. I mean you know that's where I like to spend my time. Right, a phone call if we must. Those are the fluffy approaches to time and, as important as those three areas are, we can't talk about honoring time without talking about boundaries. Bloop, whoop, whoop that placing boundaries on your time is crucial for maintaining a healthy work balance or shoot life balance in general.
Jenelle:Professionally, the way today's world is set up. It can be tipped into work, work, work, work, work. Okay, rihanna, our work can intrude on our family time. We pull it out just to get one more thing done and think we're teaching our children good work ethic. Or think our partner will understand because we're both adults, they get it. Or we don't think it matters because it's just us here at home me here at home. Right, maybe you're the only one that live in your house when we're really demonstrating lack of boundaries, though right Now, entrepreneurs, don't come for me.
Jenelle:I know the rules are a bit different for y'all. I get that, I do. I get it. I mean, shoot you working for you. Ain't nobody doing it, but you. Sometimes you got to go the extra mile. All I'm saying is the goal should be to not To not have to work all kinds of hours, right? Um, you know. So it's something I think you should consider how we allow our work to impose itself.
Jenelle:Overworking yourself can quickly and easily lead to burnout, stress and all that extra time you overwork yourself. Half of it. You're probably just sitting and staring at the screen trying to remember what you're trying to do Feet and fingers, no longer talking to each other, and then all that time that you took was just unproductive anyway. Right? Just me. I myself am continuously working to improve on the way I enforce the limits on time I give to work. It's important to do this in order to give yourself the space to focus on other important aspects of your life, such as new professional endeavors, relationships, hobbies and self care. You know we love a good self care moment, friends.
Jenelle:Can we talk about the people part of this equation now? Now, I don't know about you, but I am just at a place in life where, honey, when I say I have zero space hours, minutes or seconds to give the folks who are sucking the life out of people, out of the room, versus pouring life into people, please know that I mean it. No, ma'am, no ham, no turkey. I can't share space. I can't give that time. I just can't. Y'all, I can't, and I don't know what to anyone. You don't know what to anyone. We do not owe it to anyone.
Jenelle:I've said it before not everyone deserves access to you and your time, and that's not a statement meant to belittle anyone or to make it seem like you're better than anyone. Really, what it is is a personal act of self love, recognizing for yourself what is and is not good, healthy and nurturing, and anything that is not good, healthy and nurturing should not occupy your time. Yeah, say it on repeat. What I'm currently seeing my way through is not uncommon, which is why I share. I know that many of you are so spent at the end of the day that planning for future goals and endeavors can sometimes seem impossible. In my case, I'm just moving at a snail's pace, but I also know that it's my responsibility to take control and kick this into the next gear in order to achieve the things that I see for myself. Yeah, so that's it. Y'all Short and sweet. How much is your time worth? We're all different, but if you're anything like me, or happen to be at a place in life like me where ease, convenience, peace and joy are everything, then I see you. I see you. Yeah, I will drop a few extra coins on the things that can free my time. I only want to share space with those who have the ability to encourage, uplift and inspire, who bring beauty and authenticity to the space, and I look forward to spending time further developing professional endeavors that are reflective of my purpose and values.
Jenelle:Here's a quote by Benjamin Franklin that says lost time is never found again. No hitting meaning there right. We can never get time back. We can only utilize what we have in the next second, the next minute, hours, days, months and years ahead to honor our time.
Jenelle:I think, if we have not been shown the fragility and importance of time, life, community and family any other time, these last two months of watching the people of Palestine fight for their freedom has reminded us, has reminded me, although, as a black woman, we are never allowed to forget how we spend and share. Time should not be lost on insignificant things, rather on the people and the things that we love and in the ways that allow us to show love and be in service to others. So, while we're here, I would like to say my heart is with the Palestinian people. Black people recognize this brutality and oppression, the systems and the gaslighting. We know this playbook all too well, although we no longer experience bombs hitting our homes and places of worship. We understand what it feels like to have our land stolen, our homes and communities taken over, our neighborhoods overpoliced and terrorized, and we understand what it's like to feel as though the whole world is watching and nobody is doing anything to help. We know what it feels like to fear for your life and the life of your family, because there will always be a digestible justification that fits into someone's stereotype box as to why you were brutalized or murdered. Our hearts are with you.
Jenelle:As I sit here in podcast about honoring myself and my time, I want to take this time to honor you in your fight, our fight for freedom, peace and self-determination. If any listener is bothered by this, you can exit the same way you entered. May we all spend our time in the full breath of our humanity, knowing that no one is free until we're all free. Free Palestine. If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe so that you are notified when a new episode is posted. You can stay connected between podcasts by following us on Instagram at fear. not. the. journey. You can also join our page on Facebook at fearnotthejourney, or you can subscribe to our website and blog by visiting www. fearnothejourney. com. Thank you for joining us for this episode and until next time, be well.