Your Time is Sacred- Protect and Honour it - Follow your path

If you’ve felt stretched thin by December’s pace and everyone’s expectations, this conversation is your reset button. We look at how to treat your time as sacred, why good people can still resist your growth, and what it takes to protect dreams without burning bridges. The goal isn’t to retreat from life; it’s to design it—five quiet minutes at a time.

We dive into the subtle ways we abandon our path: constant accommodating, busywork that feels productive but isn’t, and the fear of being seen trying. You’ll hear practical scripts for boundaries that land with kindness, not defensiveness, plus a simple framework for negotiating time with loved ones so it becomes a genuine win-win. We talk about selective sharing to safeguard fragile goals, how to handle emotional weather when the light fades, and why micro moments compound into momentum.

You’ll also get a guided meditation: picture a warm fireplace and a single candle that lights each time you claim space for yourself. That image becomes a practice—your choices fuel the flame, not anyone else’s verdicts. Expect grounded advice on people-pleasing, compassionate communication, and staying calm around holiday drama without abandoning your needs. By the end, you’ll have a week-long promise you can keep: carve a longer sit, breathe, and name one next step that honors your path.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs permission to pause, and leave a quick review to help others find it. Then tell us: what boundary will you set this week?

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A note for every episode: we do not necessary agree with all the views on our podcast and leave listeners to make their own mind up with what they do or don't agree with.

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (01:16):
Hello dear listeners and welcome to this special
recording of Awaken ConsciousConversations Podcast.
And my inspiration for tonight'sshow is your time is sacred.
Protect and honour it.
Follow your path.
It's so easy for us to notfollow our paths.

(01:38):
With so many demands, but somany people and in so many ways.
If we have any dreams oraspirations, it's so easy to not
do them.
We will find a million oneexcuses sometimes.
Or maybe we're the kind ofperson that is just so
accommodating, we put everyoneelse's needs before ourselves.

(01:58):
Or we might be that we we valueour social life above achieving
our goals, or maybe we justdon't even know where to start.
And maybe at the stage of yourlife where you kind of know a
lot of things, you've walkedyour path, but things still
aren't quite gelling for you.
So that's why I'm here to helpyou, whatever stage your path

(02:21):
is.
And if I've if you're at adifferent stage and I've not
mentioned it, there's stillvalue in tonight's show.
So we're gonna look why, why,why we don't always follow our
path and how to kind of getthrough that.
So we as I as time of recordingthis, it is December.
Think one day it is cold, thenext day it is a bit warmer.

(02:46):
Slow feeling to our morningsearly is feeling more difficult
as it's still dark.
We want to just stay in ourquilt covers, or if you're
somewhere where the sun is more,you may want to get up earlier.

(03:06):
So, how to make that space forwhat you truly want, even when
those people who love us don'tfully understand and try not to
judge them, it's not theirfault, it's just sometimes when
we're close to people, theycan't always see certain sides
of us, and in many ways it's nottheir job to do it.

(03:26):
You don't need theirreassurance, you really don't.
It's normal as well at this timeof year to feel slightly
emotional with the less amountof light.
If that is where you'relistening to the show from, you
might have loads of light,anyway.
So December is like a month ofcraziness, and we just feel like

(03:54):
we're kind of being we're justlike paint on a brush being
splattered against a wall.
It's everyone, it feels likeeveryone and everything seems to
want a part of us.
So, as I was saying in theprevious episode, it's really
important about getting thoseparts of time, those pockets of
time that are really sacred andthat are gonna honor us.

(04:17):
And forget what everyone elseexpects of us.
We can do all this busy stuff,but we must, we must, for the
sovereignty of our soul, dearlisteners, find time to do what
is important for us.
And what is your project thatyou wish to do?
Is this something that you havea heart's desire to do?

(04:39):
And if it's not more stuff thatyou want to add in, what is it
that you want to take out sothat you get those moments of
times to be quiet and with yourby yourself?
People right don't understandthings that are unfamiliar to
them and unfamiliar parts ofyourself, and no matter how much

(05:00):
people love us, they can feelmore comfortable if we don't
succeed, because it then makesthem look good, even if they
wouldn't see this on a surfacelevel, and also it you're gonna
kind of take them a bit out oftheir comfort zone when you
start to try and do differentthings, and it's more like a

(05:23):
habit that they see you in acertain way rather than they're
trying to be restrictive.
I'm talking generally, likeobviously, I don't know the old
ones, so I can't speak for everyloved one in the world.
I'm kind of sharing this as akind of general view of what may
be going on, and we do you knowwhat people can dump so much of

(05:47):
their emotional weight onto usagain without kind of fully
always knowing some maybe theydo, but a lot of the time it's
they don't really understand.
And I know the generation I grewup, we kind of as women we we
were taught to be like pleasingand agreeable and not to rock

(06:10):
the boat and to sacrifice ourwell-being for the general
well-being of others, and youknow what?
I think it's time to drop that,really drop it, regardless of um
who you are, just drop it.
So, how can you, dear listener,in a life that is brimming up

(06:33):
there, seems where you don'tfeel like you've got the support
perhaps that you need, and thatpeople don't always honor or
understand you fully, even ifthey love you.
So, you can do a few things, youcan set like boundaries that
feel sacred in a sense to yourwell-being, so you can tell
loved ones, and they may notlike it first, but you you're

(06:55):
gonna take 10 minutes foryourself now.
You do not want to be disturbed,and you want to do something
that is accommodating foryourself.
So, maybe like your familywatching TV, you can go up into
your room and find a way towrite out your dreams and
aspirations, set some sacredboundaries, like I said, and

(07:20):
replace trying to explain whyyou do it by just saying,
actually, I'm taking this hourfor myself, I'm taking this 10
minutes for myself, I'm takingthis five minutes for myself,
and try and stop okay.
We need to be dutiful sometimes,don't get me wrong, but can you
put yourself before these kindof fake duties that we're we're

(07:44):
brainwashed in many ways to tofeel that we have to live up to?
Of course, we're dutiful towardsour families, our friends, our
loved ones, and they are to us,but there's a you know what it's
about finding balance, and lifeis like one big negotiation,
which can be split into kind ofseveral ways.

(08:07):
So you can be theover-accommodating negotiator
where you will just try and keepthe peace no matter what, and
you please everyone else.
Then you can be the other waywhere you just prioritize
yourself without a care foranyone else, or you can be like

(08:29):
a prioritizer where you you justdon't you just bury your head in
the sand like an ostrich and youdon't try and negotiate life in
the way that's right for anyone.
The balance is to negotiate froma place of wisdom where you
feel, dear listener, that youhave negotiated the time.

(08:52):
But not saying that you um whenI use the word negotiation, I'm
not saying that you have to begfor the time, but it's like
negotiating the time with lovedones where it's a win-win for
both of you, which is a verydelicate line to walk, but it
isn't achievable if you startsetting those sacred boundaries,

(09:13):
but then you allow other ones toset their sacred boundaries as
well of where and how they wantto spend their time.
So, in this month of December,as we prepare for the deep, dark
winter's night of the longestnight of the year, we listen to

(09:35):
our inner self via meditation,and I am struggling sometimes to
fit the meditation in when it'sa very early morning start.
I will always sit down and dosome, but I really feel like I
want to do like a really long,deep quality meditation, and I

(09:56):
have noticed that with lovedones, sometimes they don't
always understand that you needthat space to be quiet just for
yourself.
Maybe because I've been soaccommodating my whole life that
I don't always put my boundariesdown to anyone, and I'm not
singling out any of my lovedones at all because they're all
amazing, but I just realizedsometimes I don't always put

(10:19):
that boundary down, and that isimportant to do because if we
don't put boundaries down topeople, it's not their fault,
they don't understand what isimportant to you and why it is
important for you to have thissacredness of the moment.
Remember, remind them, and notfrom a set place of like hard

(10:44):
judgment, like I said, but fromthat place of wisdom where it's
a win-win situation for both ofyou.
You know, we grow in thosemoments where we can find that
quietness and clarity, and yeah,it just feels such a battle
sometimes in this in this worldto kind of find that.
But your time is sacred, protectand honor it, and follow your

(11:09):
path.
That is essential.
If not, you'll get to the end ofyour life and you just think,
What did I do?
and it's not about becomingrich, famous, you know, it's
about finding those momentswhere you feel that you're
really connected with life andjoy.

(11:30):
In many ways, December is like ait can give you like a bit more
of a permission slip because youknow, I don't know, everyone
goes mad for this Christmasstuff, and you know what?
I just think at the root of allthese holidays, do you think it
was meant to be this way wherewe kind of skint ourselves
financially to share gifts withloved ones where I'm sure we

(11:53):
must all get it wrong for eachother so many times?
All the stuff that kind of stopsus from following our path.
And we have those wonderful dayswith our family, and that's
great, but the time either side,I think it's perfectly
acceptable for you to say,actually, I want some space to

(12:13):
myself now.
Because you know what?
People in general will alwaysfind a way to kind of pull you
into their kind of drama.
You know, I do it, we all do it,where we kind of feel so engaged
in our own life that wesometimes forget to pause and

(12:33):
think, well, actually, you knowwhat?
This is my life.
I need to kind of sort outmyself and not put it on to
everybody else.
Of course, we share, but can youspot times when maybe you feel
like loved ones of your yourloved ones need space from you
and how they kind of need thatfor their own path as well?

(12:55):
You know, and this is this is abit of a hard thing to to share,
but it it has got some truth,and again, it's not aimed at
anyone specifically, but it'd becurious of the the idea that
people who love us often becausethey're so close to us can
project their own sense oflimitation, their own sense of

(13:19):
not knowing, their inability tochange, and their fears.
It's just because it's not whatthey're used to seeing.
And often their doubts is abouttheir comfort zone and they're

(13:39):
responding to their own habits.
Carrying the light of of havingto live up to other people's
expectations isn't an impossibletask and one that we should not
have to live up to, where we'reso self-sacrificing that our
path becomes forgotten orfrequent not as frequently
visited as it should be.

(14:00):
So, having shared all this,here's a bit of joy in the
moment.
Just let go that loved ones willfully understand our path.
It's fine if they don't, as longas you get time to do the things
that you want to do as well.
Set the sacred boundaries,replace explaining with I'm

(14:21):
taking this time.
And remember, our micro momentsadd up to bigger moments which
add up to us finding our lifethat we want.
So, December this December,trying to find those times for
meditations.
If you're like myself, you'recatching bits here and there,

(14:43):
that's fine, but let's all makea promise to ourselves in this
next week to sit down for areally nice meditation session,
one where we just simply listento our breath in a quiet and
fully kind of receptive way, sowe just sit nice and quietly
because remember that it'sduring these moments of

(15:04):
quietness that we learn to trustourselves and find times to be
more grounded, like I alwayssay, out in nature, if that's
possible.
When loved ones wind us upbecause we're going to be around
loved ones, try and respond tothem in a place of less

(15:25):
defensiveness.
I know it's not always easy.
Try and keep calm and neutral,perhaps change the subject,
share selectively.
I always think when you've got adream, just don't share
everything about it until you'reready, and then share it with
people you trust.
Understand that people's lack offaith, people's lack of support,

(15:46):
or people's lack of ability tosee you as you are is not a
verdict, it's just theirperspective in the same way that
they may feel that that aboutyou in some ways.
Choose compassion.
As promised, here is yourmeditation inspired by today's
show.
Top tips for the meditation iseither sit nice and cross-legged

(16:10):
on the floor with a nicestraight back, always nice to
sit on a block or a cushion, orif that's not available for you.
You sit in a chair with the backnice and straight.
The important thing is you'renot slouching.
And if you're doing somethingthat requires little
concentration, all you need todo is just pause this and you
can reconvene the meditation ata time that is good for you.

(16:32):
If you're doing the meditation,let's begin.
So with your eyes closed, youimagine that you are sat in a
safe distance from a beautifulfestive fireplace, the crackle
of wood, the smell of pine, andcandles lit with full of

(16:56):
possibility.
You have one unlit candle in thecentre of this mantelpiece, and
you wish to light it with yourdreams.
Now, this candle has a specialability that it will light and

(17:21):
allow your dreams to flow if youdo one of two things.
You slowly start to just sitthere and you imagine in your
imagination, so it's a doubleimagination here, that the
candle is being lit by everyevery time that you mentally set

(17:43):
the boundary, you make space foryourself, and you sit quietly in
meditation.
This candle cannot be blown outby the winds of other people's
verdicts or their aspirations ortheir choices that they think

(18:05):
that you should have.
Your aspirations instead willlight this candle.
Perhaps you can stop to imaginein your mind's eye that this
candle has lit.
It flickers beautifully in thelight, and it is growing from

(18:26):
your ability to be your trueself.
For do not abandon your dreams,but find ways to be who you
really are.
Remember, a dream can beanything big or small, it can be
a dream just to find time tohave for yourself.

(18:48):
Do not abandon yourself, dearone, but listen from a place
deep within.
And you do this by sittingquietly.
So let's just sit quietly foranother couple of minutes.