Have you ever felt the weight of time, wishing for just a single day more to achieve your dreams? Time's elusive dance is the heartbeat of this episode, as we weave through the tapestry of a leap year's extra day—a gift of time. Along with listeners' shares, we ponder a number of ways you could enrich your life with those precious extra hours. From personal growth to the bliss of extra sleep, we explore the delicate balance of effort, surrender, and trust and take a brave leap forward to relinquish the reins of control, just a bit. Plus, a challenge that's like having me in your pocket whenever you need it. ⁣ ⁣ Download the FREE HUG It Out 5 Day Challenge!⁣ https://www.hilaryrusso.com/5daychallenge ⁣ Connect with Hilary:⁣ https://www.instagram.com/hilaryrusso⁣ ⁣https://www.youtube.com/hilaryrusso⁣ https://www.facebook.com/hilisticallyspeaking⁣ https://twitter.com/HilaryRusso⁣ https://www.tiktok.com/@hilisticallyspeaking⁣ https://www.hilaryrusso.com/podcast⁣ ⁣ ⁣Music by Lipbone Redding https://lipbone.com/⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ----- EPISODE CHAPTERS WITH SHORT KEY POINTS ----- ⁣ CHAPTERS ⁣ 0:00 Intro⁣ 1:21 Why do we have a leap year?⁣ 2:41 Audience shares. What they would do with extra time.⁣ 6:22 You choose to choose and the HUG it Out challenge.⁣ 8:22 Eight ways to leap into better health.⁣ 15:29 Closing thoughts ⁣ ⁣ --------- EPISODE TRANSCRIPT ---------⁣ 00:00 - Hilary Russo ⁣ What would you do with one more day, if you were promised an extra 24 hours? How would you choose to spend that time, knowing that it was the only amount of time guaranteed to you? That's been on my mind a lot lately, especially with it being a leap year, a year that provides an extra day on the calendar, right? But here's the rub that day is not promised to you and it is not promised to me. What is promised is that the measure of time, that unit of time, is going to go on with or without you. So a calendar year is typically 365 days long, right? These so-called common years are the number of days it takes for the Earth to do a complete orbit around the sun, but 365 is actually the rounded number. It takes the Earth 365.242190 days, or five hours, 48 minutes and 56 seconds. That's almost six extra hours in that year, and that time has to be accounted for somehow. And that, my friends, is why we have February 29th. And I am not here to give you a science lesson, as nerdy as I might be, as interesting as it might be to you. I'm here to go back to that first question I asked you, with that extra day, if it was promised to you. What would you do to take the leap? ⁣ ⁣ 01:44⁣ As I'm recording this, I'm on a deadline to get this episode done. Boy, oh boy, I could really use some extra time. It was in perfect Hilary fashion. It was the last minute idea that came to me ADHD brain was really showing up. Oh, I'll do an episode about this. And I started saying things to myself like oh, I could really use an extra day. If you're like me, I bet you catch yourself saying that too. Don't you Just give me a minute? Can I get a tea by the end of the day? Oh, the hours are flying by. I mean, the list goes on and on, with all the excuses, right. In fact, I recently asked you about this very thing, both in my Havening Happy Hour and then on social media. I asked you what would you do if you had more time? What brave leap would you take? And these were the replies that came back, and you might identify with some of them. ⁣ ⁣ 02:42⁣ Ann said that she would use the time to promote her business and put herself out there more. Debbie would make a serious commitment and a plan for retirement. Rebecca would organize more activities and travel more with her kids. Matthew says work runs his life and he wants to relax more. Beverly wants more peace and tranquility in this last part of her life. Diane wants to build a website. Shelly wants time to work on her speaking and training business. Beth is leaping into making that long-term Italian visa a reality. Amy says she's got a big move coming up and that will likely shift her business. ⁣ ⁣ 03:17⁣ Julie is thinking if I had an extra day, I would launch my new podcast. Now there's a lot of wood is going out there instead of leaps. Right, this is a "no woulds zone. No woods just when what a could have showed a product. So when is now the right time? And the answer is in the question. You need to trust. Stop micromanaging the universe. That's not your job. Show up, be trust and let it do the work for you. Right, surrender and release. And then there's that one leap I hear about the most. ⁣ ⁣ 04:03⁣ If I had more time, if I had an extra hour or two, I would sleep more. We are a society, a nation and even a world that's really lacking sleep. And if you want to learn more about this, I actually shared all about sleep and our need for optimal sleep in episode 140 of the HIListically Speaking Podcast with sleep expert Molly Eastman. She was my guest on the show and she shared a lot of great advice on how to get optimal sleep. So be sure to download that episode after our little chat right here and before we move forward. ⁣ ⁣ 04:50⁣ I love that you tune into this show week after week. I love that you're pressing play, but I really need you to do me a solid okay so others can find this show, Make sure that you're not only subscribed, but that you also hit that download button when you're listening, wherever you're tuning in from. This actually helps independent podcasters like myself be found by others just like you, and that's what we're trying to do here. We're trying to provide a space that gives people the tools to be kind to their mind and be a happy, healthy grown-up. So hit that subscribe button, tap the download, press play and off we go. Okay, so let's take that leap. ⁣ ⁣ 05:39⁣ February 29th is leap day. I want to remind you that, even though it's just about six hours of extra time that leap year provides us, it's more about you getting into the mindset of using your time effectively, whether it is on leap day or any day really. So if this episode is reaching your ears on leap day. That's great. There's a reason for that. But if it's not, there's a reason for that too. Everything's a message, everything's a sign. So stop for a moment and think why now? Why today? Right, because in the silence the answers do come. ⁣ ⁣ 06:22⁣ You can choose to do something you've been working on and we heard a number of different ways you can do that or start something brand new. You heard many examples of people wanting to dive into something that could really benefit their lives, and that's the beauty of life. You choose to choose. And if you're feeling a bit of self-doubt with trying something new or diving into something and leaping into something you've been thinking about but it's been on the back burner, you just need to hug it out, and I'm going to help you with that and you're going to love what I have to share. I have a special gift for you on this episode. I've never done this before. I'm sharing a link to download my Hug it Out Challenge for free Five days to add more awareness, allowance and alignment in your life, with humor, understanding and gratitude. H-U-G gotta HUG it Out. So make sure you check the link in the podcast notes of this episode to grab that PDF. It is absolutely free. It's the first time I've ever shared it. Like I said, this version, and I want you to reach out to me afterwards, after you download it, after you do the five days, let me know how it's going for you. ⁣ ⁣ 07:40⁣ Choosing little changes in your every day is what is going to create the space for the life that you deserve, and I want to help you do that. And part of that extra time is to provide you with ways to get you in the flow and sometimes taking that first step is the hardest into that leap right, that first push, when you hug it out with yourself to be brave and to take the leap knowing that you will not fall, and even if you do, you will get back up right. Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down. The one place to start is always with self-care. So I want you to take a deep breath and connect to what I'm about to share with you. ⁣ ⁣ 08:24⁣ Sometimes, even with a little extra time, you procrastinate, don't you? I'll do it tomorrow, I'll get it done at some point. You think that time is promised to you. It's not. Like I said before, let's be intentional and use this time well and be grateful for it, too Grateful for every moment you have. We don't need to be abusing time. We need to work with time. So here are eight ways to take a leap into better health now that you have a little extra time. Not when, but now. And we're going to start with the big one Sleep. ⁣ ⁣ 09:08⁣ You need to get more sleep. Make it a priority. Imagine if you have an extra five to six hours of sleep, or even divide that up to have an extra hour for five or six days. Lack of sleep increases your risk for obesity, infections, heart disease, depression. The list goes on and on. Not to mention, you're going to be a little bit grumpy, right? So make sleep a priority. Okay, and I will join you on that. One Will not join you with your sleep, but you know what I'm saying. I'll join you on that journey. I want you to move your body. ⁣ ⁣ 09:51⁣ Take this time to leap into an activity you enjoy. It doesn't have to be an hour of fitness. It can be simply taking a walk in the park, or what about dancing around your living room? When is the last time you did that? The American Heart Association recommends moderate intensity activity at least 150 minutes per week. That's about a half hour, five days a week. You have 30 minutes. Use it effectively. That's time well spent. I want you to connect. Give yourself more time for human connection. It can be coffee with a friend or even a phone call. If you're going to move, you might as well ask somebody to take a walk with you. Strong, healthy relationships promote better well-being, and human connection is essential for healthy living. ⁣ ⁣ 10:50⁣ How about upping those skills? Have you thought about learning a musical instrument or a new language? But you keep thinking, ah, it's going to be too hard, it's going to take too much time. Or you want to learn CPR, but you've been putting it on hold. Or how about finishing that book? I'm raising my hand on that one. I've been putting that on the back burner, thinking when am I going to find the time? That self-doubt has got to go and trust me, I get it. But note to self and to you, time isn't promised. Do something you haven't done before that will ignite your mind and challenge you. I promise you you'll feel better. ⁣ ⁣ 11:35⁣ Volunteer Acts of kindness can do a lot for your mental health, and imagine what it can do for those that you're serving. It can really be anything you want it to be Finding something that you really connect with and brings you joy. So a little story for you. When I was living in New York City, I was a volunteer for therapeutic horseback riding. Yes, there are actually horse stables in New York City. It brought me such joy. Right, it aligned with what I love children, animals being of service. So look for those moments. What do you love? Find that thing and then lend a hand. You're going to feel so much better when you do. And, yes, you have the time, or you're going to make the time right. ⁣ ⁣ 12:29⁣ Eat! Mangia! That's our next one. And yes, you should enjoy foods you love. Have you ever wondered why people in areas like the Blue Zones are breaking the 100 mark, living past 100? They eat foods that are healthy, but they also eat foods they enjoy. And food is a relationship, and you might remember my conversation with Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner on Episode 66, when we talked about the nine principles of longevity. Nourishment is more than just what you physically eat. Your relationship with yourself includes everything around you. So treat yourself. Why rob yourself of life's pleasures? And if you need help creating a better relationship with food, that's something you struggle with. I got you. There's a link in the notes of this episode to support you on that journey, because we'll get you there. ⁣ ⁣ 13:24⁣ I want you to pamper yourself. You don't have to hit the spa to treat yourself right, okay, one of my favorite things to do is take a bubble bath. I am a bubble bath fanatic and I love to soak and I love to sit in the tub. It can be as simple as that. It can be anything you want it to be. Actually Read a book, just rest your eyes for a little bit, listen to some great music and look, I'm a gal that also loves bumping it up a notch and hitting a spa or getting a massage or a mani-pedi. You can do that too. Maybe a run or hike or, even better, a little havening session, a little CPR for your amygdala Hampering yourself will help boost your mood, so why wouldn't you want to add that to your day? ⁣ ⁣ 14:12⁣ And last but not least, gratitude. Practice gratitude every day, numerous times a day, for the little things and the big things. I can't say that enough and I know I've said this numerous times on this podcast when you start your day with two minutes of gratitude, compared to three minutes of grabbing your phone and going and doing and getting up and moving and not really giving yourself time to appreciate you and the things that you provide in this world and put out there in the world, and even the things around that bring you joy. Those two minutes, six to eight hours later, have a 27% more likelihood of bringing you a good day, a happy day, compared to those three minutes doing that other thing. That's a lot of time to put on the table, and that G in the gratitude is the H-U-G and hug it out. ⁣ ⁣ 15:10⁣ And it's not just about that gratitude, like I said, towards others and experiences. It really starts with self, it begins with in. That's where I want you to start. Those small moments of appreciation are going to make big dents in happy living. So that's it. Eight ideas. Eight ideas, sunshine. ⁣ ⁣ 15:29⁣ Imagine what you can do if you just take one step forward into that leap and be brave. It becomes so much easier after that, after you take that first step right. It's momentum, it's movement, it's energy. So be brave and hug it out every day. And remember to download that five day challenge, the Hug it Out Challenge. It is my gift to you to take that brave leap into a new day and a new possibility. And, of course, I want to thank you for tuning in week after week. Thank you for subscribing, for downloading so others find this show too and reminding me to keep showing up. That's what you do for me Keep showing up and keep pressing record, Hil. Yeah, I'm grateful for that every day. So, on that note, be brave and leap, because I promise you the net will appear. I love you and I believe in you. Be well. ⁣ ⁣