Our lives are measured by the value we give to others. This value comes from the things we spend our time doing. And since time is quantified in hours, the value of our lives is equivalent to the sum of each hour we spend. Opportunities to provide value are everywhere. Some of them are anticipated, while others blind us at midnight on an inactive day. Whether we decide to recognize and participate in these opportunities depends on us.

How would we spend the last hour of our life? Let this question sink. Let me inspire you ... Let yourself see how valuable is the gift of finding value in the loving gestures that you show, the genuine conversations you have, the significant collaborations in which you participate and the works that you perform that bring peace.

If you need a little extra inspiration in the next hour, here are some timeless strategies that I try to put into practice and as I would always like to share with you who in turn can share this writing with other people that you think may benefit. 

1.-Build a bridge or two. - Some people build many walls in their lives and do not have enough bridges. Do not be one of them. When you look at a person, at any person, remember that everyone has a story. Everyone has gone through something that has changed them and forced them to grow. Every face that passes on the street represents a story as convincing and complicated as yours. We do not find ordinary people in our lives. If you give them a chance, they all have something incredible to offer. Take small opportunities in people. Let them change your perspective.

2.-Be present and listen carefully. - If you think about the people who have had the most positive effect in your life -the ones that really made the difference- you will probably realize that they are not the ones who tried to give you all the answers or solve all your problems. they sat quietly with you when you needed a moment to think, that lent you a shoulder when you needed to cry, and that you tolerated not having all the answers, but anyway I was by your side. Be this person for others.

3.-Keep calm inside, even when those around you are angry. - People are much nicer when they are happier, which says a lot about those who are not very kind. Keep this in mind. And also remind yourself that you can not control how other people receive your energy. Everything you do or say is filtered through the lens of whatever is happening at that moment, which has nothing to do with you. Do not take things personally Calm is a superpower. Just keep doing your thing with as much love and integrity as possible.

4.-Love exactly what is in front of you. - Love what you do, until you can do what you love. Love where you are, until you can be where you love. And, above all, love the people you are with, until you can be with the people you love the most. Less judgments, less resistance, more love in this hour and the next. That is the way we find happiness, opportunity and peace, even in the most mundane situations.

5.-I know much, much more kind than necessary. - Think kindly about others, talk kindly with others and do kind things for others. Kindness always makes a difference. Create the small results that others may be grateful for at the end of your day. Be a bigger part of what is right in this world. And remember, the way we treat people with whom we totally disagree is with a notebook about what we have learned about true love and real goodness. 

This time: let's practice, together. One hour at a time, a decision driven by value at a time. That's what I'm really talking about here. We only maximize the importance of our short lives and make a small difference along the way. Of course, doing it is often easier said than done. Distractions and counter-rationalities are everywhere. The "reasons" for doing the opposite of the mentioned points are abundant when we are looking for them. To fill an hour with the same routines and answers, for example, always seems more comfortable in the short term.

But, the truth always rises in the end. And the truth is that in twenty years, it really will not matter how comfortable our lives are today, how easy we were, or what we were "working on" when we really just resisted people. Being perfectly online and on time every second will not matter either. What will matter is how we live, how we love and what we learned along the way.

It's our moment, right now. To fill an hour with real value. Infuse him with as much love, kindness, and compassion as possible. And doing what we know in our heads and hearts is right, every step of the way.

Some of the previous strategies (such as numbers 3 and 5, for example) may require a willingness to deal friendly with people who shout at us, interrupt us, talk about noticeably unpleasant things, and so on. These people violate the way we think people should behave, and sometimes their behavior deeply offends us. But if we let these people catch us, if we let them incapacitate our minds with negativity, we lose our ability to see and provide value.

So, what can we do if we have someone like this in our lives right now? We can challenge ourselves to embrace them mentally and wish them the best in the next hour, whatever happens. This is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but it is a small trick that can positively change the way we see most of the people who offend us. 

Let's say someone just told us something unpleasant. How dare they! Who do you think they are? They have no regard for our feelings! But, of course, with a heated reaction like this, we are also not taking into account their feelings: they may be suffering in unimaginable ways. By remembering this, we can try to show them empathy and realize that their behavior is probably due to some kind of internal pain. They are being unpleasant as a defense mechanism for their pain.

And so, mentally, we can give them a hug. We can have compassion for this broken person because we have all been broken and in pain at some time in our lives. We are the same in many ways. Sometimes we need a hug, some extra compassion and a bit of unexpected love.

Try this. See the immediate value in your gentle response. And then he smiles serenely, armed with the reassuring knowledge that you did the best you could, and you did not let someone else's behavior turn you into someone you're not.

Patricio Varsariah.