Time Flies When You’re Having Fun: Why 2019 Feels Like a Blur?

Am I the only one over here wondering where this year has gone? It’s amazing how on a macro level it seems like 12 months and 365 days is a substantial amount of time. But on a micro level it’s equally astonishing how we can look up and all of a sudden the year is practically over. How is that even possible?

Because I was wondering if I was alone in feeling that this year was a whirlwind, it lead me to do some research to see if anyone else shared in this assertion. As a matter of fact others have expressed similar thoughts, and it has been scientifically proven that time does appear to move faster as we grow older. Researchers purport that as we age the brain’s internal clock begins to run more slowly. As a result the pace of life appears to speed up. Scientists affirm that your “brain cells that produce the chemical messenger dopamine begin to deteriorate in the basal ganglia and substantia nigra” and these regions of the brain are involved with our internal clocks (Mangan, 1999).

That scientific lingo may have gone over some heads (including my own) so I appreciated the breakdown that Psychologist Steve Taylor details in his article Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds. Taylor purports that our perception of time is largely determined by the amount of information that our minds are absorbing and processing. The more information there is, the slower the time goes. When we are kids, time moves slowly because of heightened perception of the immediate world around us. However, as we grow older, this intensity of perception fades, therefore decreasing our sensitivity to the minute details in our environment.

Hopefully now you can have a better understanding of why it feels as though 2019 flew by; because in our minds it really did. The reality of the situation is that the summertime shenanigans have come to a screeching halt and there are only 56 days until the New Year.

Much like every year, your social media favorites have begun to discuss all of the goals you should be setting already for 2020. While I do think that this is important, I also believe that it is paramount that you spend some much needed time reflecting on the past 309 days you’ve spent living your life. With fall vibes in the air it seems like there’s no time like the present to engage in this process.

Autumn: Reasons Why This is My Favorite Season of All

Autumn is by far my favorite season of the year. For starters I am in love with fall wardrobes and the opportunity to layer pieces. I live for a good scarf and a fly pair of boots honey!

As if the fashion isn’t enough to make this the greatest season of all, the nice cool weather and scenery is what pushes it over the edge for me. Gazing upon the beauty of the foliage when you’re driving through the countryside on the east coast or in any mid-western city is a reminder of how beautiful change can really be. Autumn is also the time of year that I can wear my natural hair without the fear that the humidity will get the best of me. When this happens it ultimately leaves me looking like a cuter version of a troll by the head or just plain atrocious. Can any of my naturalistas relate?

As a side note, I probably should have prefaced this blog with the fact that I live in New Orleans where it’s pretty much a milder version of hell…I mean summer year round. There are only a few sprinkles of fall weather here during a few weeks in January if we’re lucky. Luckily for us though, we’ve had a couple of cold fronts roll through in the past few weeks. I’ve been basking in complete bliss for this high sixty to mid-fifty degree weather. If only it could feel like this year-round that would be pure perfection.

However, despite all of the superficial or aesthetic reasons that I sway towards this season, I also love it because it has become a time of major reflection for me. As I’ve gotten older or as some would like to call it, “more seasoned,” the changing of the time between summer and fall, and the beginning of a new quarter triggers deep reflections about life, love, my career and the age old question of “What’s next?!”

Thank You, Next

If you’re like me you began this year with some lofty goals or you may even refer to them as resolutions. Regardless of what you call them they are intentions that you set for the next 365 days of 2019. Since then hopefully you’ve revisited your progress on those goals at least a time or two, but if you haven’t let me be the first to tell you that it’s okay. Life does have a way of getting in the way of our perfectly crafted plans and when it does we need to reflect and then adjust accordingly. Right now though as we are in the 4th quarter of this year, there is no time like the present to evaluate where you are, but more importantly what it is that you desire to create for the next couple of months and beyond.

Here are some tips that I have for you to “fall” into a more fruitful fourth quarter and begin preparing for a new year:

1. Honor your progress. Maybe you didn’t finish that degree just yet, or land that big promotion, purchase your dream home or lose 20lbs. So what?! There are always going to be goals that we don’t reach in the time frame that we want to, but keep in mind that God does not work on our time. He works in His perfect timing. Instead of focusing on what you haven’t done, spend adequate time reflecting on what you have accomplished this year. That could be something as simple and significant as being more committed to your family, getting through a new book or maintaining your cool in ways that you haven’t been able to in the past. Those are accomplishments and strides you’ve taken in the right direction, so kudos to you. The point is, stop focusing on all of the big things you didn’t do and be grateful for what you did.

2. Evaluate your 2019 goals. I once had a mentor that said “if you hit all of your goals you are aiming too low.” Don’t harp on what you didn’t do this year. Instead revaluate how you will accomplish those things in the year and/or years to come. Make sure that you are being clear on what you want and realistic about the achievement of it. Additionally, don’t be afraid to cross some things off of your list that you no longer desire.

3. Clean house. While it’s nice to do some fall cleaning to rid your personal space of clutter, when I say clean house I actually mean in your character and personal life. Consider the characteristics that you may have exhibited this year that did not assist you in achieving your goals and then begin to focus on creating better habits moving forward.

Moreover, consider the relationships in your life. Are the people you are spending the most time with contributing to your growth? If the answer is no, those are some relationships that you may consider leaving behind in 2019.

4. Set some short-term goals. So many people are already done with this year as if there’s no time remaining on the clock and are already mentally in 2020. While I do believe that you should begin to think ahead, do not lose sight of the fact that there is still time left in this year for you to accomplish your goals. Note some intentions that you have for the remainder of this year and spend the next 56 days crushing them!

5. Stay present. Despite what research says about us feeling as though time is flying by, it would behoove you to spend more time being present and in the moment. This allows us to feel as though time is slowing down because we evoke a certain sensitivity to the environment around us.

6. Forgive yourself. While I need to write a full blog post on this topic alone, it’s important that you include it in your preparation for the New Year. Many times we are more forgiving of others than we are to ourselves. We carry regret; self-doubt, insecurities and baggage that hold us back more than anything else. If you don’t follow any of the other tips listed here, be sure to follow this one. It will be life transforming for you!

A Final Fall Thought: Every Year is More About the Journey Than the Destination

seattle 5.JPG — If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight. - Martin Luther King Jr.

Travel much like life is more about the journey than the destination. It took nearly 4 hours for me to travel by plane from New Orleans to Seattle, but I wouldn’t have been able to bask in all of Seattle’s beauty had it not been for the journey there. So wherever you are right now on your personal journey, honor where you are, how far you’ve come and set your intentions to go higher for the remainder of 2019 and into 2020. Falling back is not all that bad when you have a plan in place on how to move forward.

What are some things that you intend on leaving behind in 2019? Let me know below in the comments.

Thank you for reading!

-Dr. Dom

References:

Mangan, P.A. & Carter, M.L. (1999). When “When will Christmas come” turns into “What happened to January”: Age related changes in the perception of time.

Taylor, S. (2011, July 7). Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds (Part 2). Retrieved October 21, 2019, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/out-the-darkeness/201107/why-time-seems-pass-different-speeds-part-2-1.

“Falling” for the Fourth Quarter: Reflections Before the New Year