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Time is an equal and non-redeemable commodity. That is a great sentence but why is that important and what exactly does it mean?
The fact is that we, as human beings, are chemical animals, and there are some chemicals we really like. Some people may like nicotine or alcohol or chocolate, but every single one of us likes something called oxytocin. No, don’t panic, it is not something illegal that you buy on the street corner. Oxytocin is the drug our bodies produce when something very specific happens.
Our bodies produce oxytocin when we are in the company of friends, family or loved ones, and oxytocin makes us feel very, very good. We are happy to sit and watch TV with our friends, doing nothing, saying nothing, just sitting there watching TV. The longer we spend with friends the better we feel. It’s one of the reasons we invite friends to our wedding.
So, back to the original sentence. What is it all about? An example is the best way to illustrate what this means. When we are at a wedding, and the speeches thanking everyone for coming start, everyone grumbles under their breath, they just want the speeches to be over so that they can eat. But if the bride and groom go around to each group of people at the wedding, and personally thank every guest for coming, no-one complains. This is because you are spending time, and spending time with people releases their oxytocin, and makes them feel good.
One of the secrets to a great wedding is to include in your planning this one very special task, to spend time. Don’t spend more money, don’t buy more food or hire more entertainers. Spend time. Set aside enough time, and plan for this, that you can visit each table, every guest, and spend time with them. Five minutes may not seem like a long time, but if you have a large wedding those minutes add up, and you may run out of time to spend with your guests.
And here is the big bonus for you. Not only will this make your guests happier, but the amount of oxytocin that gets released in your body by spending time with your guests will make you feel fantastic. If you want that “feel good” feeling on your wedding day, then spend the time. The payback will be worth it.