We’ve all heard it before.
“We all get the same 24 hours in a day.”
It sounds motivating until you really sit with it. Because the truth is, not all 24 hours are created equal. And not every season of life gives you the same kind of time.
Right now, in this season, I don’t get 24 usable hours. I get about four intentional hours a day, sometimes four and a half on a good day.
Before anything else touches my schedule, the first hour is mine. My workout. My mental health. My self-care. That time is non-negotiable.
What’s left of those four-ish intentional hours is where I work, create, build, and move the needle forward. And because they’re limited, I’m intentional with them. I don’t waste them. And I don’t take them for granted.
Your Time Will Look Different, and That’s Okay.
Here’s what we don’t talk about enough:
Everyone’s time looks different.
There was a season where I didn’t even have four hours. Not even close. I was piecing together moments, 20 minutes here, 30 minutes there, just trying to stay afloat while still believing in what I was building.
So when I say I protect my time now, it’s not from entitlement.
It’s from experience.
It’s from gratitude.
I know what it feels like to not have it, which is why I don’t take the time I’ve been given for granted.
What Being Patient With Yourself Really Looks Like
Being patient with yourself doesn’t mean being lazy or unmotivated. It means being honest about your capacity.
Here’s what that can look like in real life:
• Identify your intentional hours. Not the hours you wish you had, the hours you actually control.
• Anchor your day with one non-negotiable. For me, it’s devotional & movement. For you, it might be journaling, reading, or quiet time.
•Decide what truly matters in that window. One or two meaningful priorities, not everything at once.
• Stop comparing your schedule to someone else’s. Their life isn’t your blueprint. Their pace isn’t your assignment.
Love Is Patient, Because Growth Takes Time
We rush ourselves in ways we would never rush someone we love.
We expect clarity, confidence, and results on timelines that don’t honor our season. But becoming who you were created to be is a process, and patience isn’t wasted time. It’s part of the work.
So whether you have four hours, one hour, or just a moment today, don’t dismiss it. Use it with intention. Protect it with gratitude. And give yourself the same grace you give to everyone else.
Because love is patient. And that includes the way you treat yourself.
XOXO,
Steffanie Monae’
steffaniemonae.com 