I drive some people crazy with my clocks. None of them, not even one, is set for the exact time of day. Not even the one in my car. Any clock in my house that I cannot change, I cover. And I never wear a watch. This is crazy-makin' behavior for some folks.

I dwell in what the Greeks called kairos: timeless awareness. The early Greeks defined time in two distinct categories. Chronos is fixed, limited and quantifiable time. You need a watch when you operate in chronos time because you want to make sure things meetings begin and end on time and tights schedules are met. There definitely is a place for strict timekeeping.

Kairos, on the other hand, is unbounded and qualitative time. You've been in kairos before. Remember when you were so engaged in a task that you lost track of time? When this happens, we know the task we're performing is soul-nourishing. We can't get enough. While our mind is absorbed in these soul-nourishing kinds of tasks, our bodies are flooded with healthful hormones helping us stay vibrant and youthful.

One of my favorite affirmations is, "I always have plenty of time." And with most of the clocks around me set approximately 38 minutes fast, I usually do! I also like to say to myself when I'm stuck, "Everything I need to know will be revealed at the right time." Any time pressures quickly evaporate with this mindset. Ironically, I am punctual (even early!) and I always deliver projects on time. I just don't feel the pressure that a chronos-thinking person does.

As a healthy aging lifestyle counselor, I believe it's important to help others cultivate a similar sense of timelessness. Often as we age, we get negative messages from society and well-meaning friends about our limitations that are usually tied to time. Can you go for that doctorate degree if you're already 50? You bet! Don't let others talk you out of your dreams because they dwell in chronos time. If you feel your dream is realistic and attainable, there's always time. Thinking any other way is an injustice to a life well-lived.

What time is it for you?