I wrote last week about my mother always saying “better late than never is rubbish.” She thought you should be on time instead of rushing to get to an event or meeting a deadline. Rushing drains you. It takes away from your ability to think clearly. I try never to be late. If I’m late, I don’t panic or become frantic. What’s the use? The time is gone, and I can’t get it back.

I’ve learned over time that rushing does more than just make you late in spirit, even if you arrive on time physically. It scrambles your mind, leaves you frazzled, and diminishes the quality of your presence. You walk into the room still catching your breath, heart racing, and unable to settle into the moment. It is as though you’ve arrived in body, but your mind and spirit are still trying to catch up. Sometimes they never do catch up.

We live in a world that normalizes rushing. The morning rush. The lunch rush. The rush-hour traffic. Deadlines and back-to-back meetings that leave no breathing space. But what is this constant rushing doing to us? Beyond the physical tiredness, it steals our ability to savor, to plan, and to act with calm intention. Rushing leaves no room for clarity. There is no way we can focus because it’s just about catching up. Very often, we are never able to catch up, and everything just spirals out of our control.

I’ve found that when I prepare ahead of time, whether it’s laying out clothes the night before, planning a speech a few days earlier, or even just starting a project before the deadline looms, I walk into the moment differently. I feel lighter, more centered, and fully present. Preparation replaces rush with rhythm. This way of thinking I have passed on to my children: let’s prepare ahead of time and not wait until …

When I think of my mother’s words, I realize she wasn’t only talking about punctuality. She was talking about a way of living. Which becomes a mindset. To stop rushing is to respect yourself and others. It means valuing time enough to meet it with grace, not chaos.

So today, I remind myself and anyone reading: don’t let rush rule your life. Take a breath. Start early. Give yourself the gift of calm arrival. Because when you eliminate rush, you create space for clarity, confidence, and presence.

Let me know your thoughts; I genuinely want to know, and I’m sure others do too. Feel free to comment 👍🏽, but if you’re not comfortable, reach out to me through any medium. I’d be thrilled if you could share something, anything, and let others know. 🙏🏽 Your comments help me understand your perspective and often present a completely different view on the topic. They could even inspire another blog. 😉 And you never know how your comment might benefit others. Always remember, life is meant to be lived, and you should always strive to live your best life. #lifeisforliving #liveyourbestlife #gratefulforlife #faithgreaterthanfear

See you next Wednesday at 8:00 p.m., Bogotá time.