Nica time — The Mark of Joy

We are consumed by the daily schedule and rush of our lives that we forget to notice how wonderful life can be. We are caught up in the rat race, in consumerism, in the competition. Recently, I started to wonder what we are all racing towards? Are we racing to the promotion, just to race to retirement, just to race to death?

In Nicaragua, there's a term they use "Nica time." It's an explanation of the pace of life. Things happen when they happen and people don't stress about it. Whether that be the bus arriving, the waiter coming to your table, or a store opening. Life dictates- not the clock.

When I first arrived in Nicaragua, I could physically feel my heart racing. I woke up with an itinerary in my head and set out for my day. My body was shaky with the high energy that traveled through me. I was inpatient and checking things off my to do list. And then I realized that instead of living in the moment, I was just trying to get through each day. I couldn't shake my Boston pace. It was so hard for me to just stroll without a plan or to just read for as long as I wanted, waiting for my stomach to tell me when it was time for lunch. It took conscious choices to slow down, to let my days unfold naturally, and to stop forcing things to happen on schedule as I thought they should.

Traffic jam! Traveling with the pack on the way home from Volcan Cerro Negro

Nica time won't work everywhere. Claiming you're on Nica time probably won't get you off the hook for arriving late to the office, but there is something we can all take from this. Nica time is not about disregarding schedules, it's about letting life unfold naturally.

I try to incorporate a little Nica time into each day. I let a conversation with a colleague last a little longer than I have time for, I let my dog sniff until he finds the perfect spot to pee, and I try to consciously savor little moments with those that I love.

Hay mas tiempo que vida

There's a saying in spanish, "hay mas tiempo que vida." This means life is short, seize the moment. It's unpleasent to think of our own mortality, but perhaps having that at the forefront of your mind will push you to live more on Nica time, enjoy the moment, and of course, to celebrate everything!