Did you make the time today?

You are running out of time; in fact, we all are.

Since returning from my six-month Yoga teacher training in India, the thing that struck me most upon arriving back at Manchester Airport was The Hamster Wheel.

I first sensed it in Dubai. My chest tightened as I witnessed the buzz, the speed, and the stress. People around me were talking about India bombing Pakistan. There was a sense of panic, urgency, and fear in every conversation. I thought of my yogi friends still in Dharamshala, locked down in the Himalayas. I remembered how, even amidst chaos, India somehow holds space for being, not just doing.

Contrast that with the UK. Here, everything is engineered for constant productivity. A culture of “doing” at the expense of just being. It saddened me deeply.

When was the last time you chose stillness over busyness?

I’ve spent years trying to shift from “doing more” to being more. But whenever I ask people why they don’t prioritise yoga, meditation, or mindfulness practices proven to reduce stress, I get the same answer:

“I don’t have time.”

But here’s the truth: time is the only thing you do have.

The fear-based economy has us shackled:

• Fear of losing our jobs
• Fear of not paying the mortgage
• Fear of bills piling up
• Fear of losing our status or possessions

Does that sound familiar?

Even running my own wellbeing-focused company, Kindness Matters, I’ve been caught in the hamster wheel. I’ve seen teachers visiting food banks, struggling to make ends meet despite earning decent salaries. Most people I know are in the red. And in response, what do we do?

We run faster. We work harder. We grind ourselves down.

“The faster we run, the more we forget who we truly are.”

This isn’t kindness. Not to ourselves. Not to our families. Not to the children in our care.

So ask yourself:

• Do you have more than £500 left over at the end of the month?
• Do you have passive income?
• Do you save at least 10% of your salary?

The late, great Jim Rohn once said:

“If you want things to change, you have to change.”

So what’s stopping you?

For many, the answer is fear.

False Evidence Appearing Real.

As the saying goes: Fear knocked, love answered… and no one was there.

If you live your life controlled by fear, you’ll find yourself at the end with a belly full of regret.

I don’t have all the answers, but here’s where you can start:

• Spend more time in nature.
• Join a yoga or Pilates class.
• Practice mindfulness.
• Read books like The Power of Now.

Mini Challenge: Commit to 10 minutes today where you just be. Sit. Breathe. No phone. No task.

I recently spoke to Roger at The Sanctuary of Healing, who said, “Not many people are making the time to smell the roses anymore.”

So I ask you now:

What’s stopping you from putting down the oars of stress and simply floating for a moment?

And what about the kids?

Lately I’ve been wondering: Am I failing the very kids I set out to help?

We enter education to make a difference—but are we preparing them for a broken system? Are we teaching them how to live, or just how to survive?

Even my own children will struggle to get on the property ladder. And it’s the same for the kids we teach. From Year 6 SATs to GCSEs, we’re grooming them for the very wheel that’s wearing us down.

I can’t change the system alone.

But I can change myself. And maybe inspire others to do the same.

Gandhi said:

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

So I’ll leave you with these questions:

• Do you think something needs to change?
• Do you believe the next generation deserves a debt-free, fulfilling future?
• Will they inherit a system that nurtures their wellbeing?

Join the conversation:

• What do you agree with?
• What challenges you?
• What actions will you take today?

I’d love to hear your feedback. Let’s talk in the comments. Let’s support each other. Let’s smell the roses—and invite our kids to do the same.

Thank you for your kindness, 

Your Kindness Coach, John

Twitter @Kindnesscoach_

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