SLOOOOOOW DOWN
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WTFAYG?
“To go faster you must SLOW down.”
The greatest misconception is the human psyche manipulating us to believe that rushing through it all takes the win. I wonder if Steve Jobs would agree? Let's ask him. Oh, wait! He's not here, and he mentioned that he wished he had more time during his last few breaths. Also, a flawed misconception on his part; he did possess time. He rushed through it.
Let me be straightforward and ask you something, where the fuck are you going? Aren't we all going somewhere? The destination is not as precious as the journey. Alas, considerable depart this world before their worldly destination. Ergo, if you hustle through the journey, you will miss out on moments that were waiting for you, which you blindly rushed by, and then in your future, you will look back with remorse.
I assure you that each one of us holds regrets such as:
I wish I had more time
The day is always too busy
I wish I knew this then
I wish I knew then what I know now
I should have done XYZ
If you can resonate with this even for but a moment, STOP! Now hold that thought and think, you as an adult feel such opinions. Is this what you hope to pass on to the subsequent generation? Please slow down. Lead by example and offer yourself the respect to not be fixated on 'time.'
Time is not your enemy. YOU are the enemy of time. Time is a manmade theory for order in this world. Though with the order came opposition; 'chaos.'
I hold a motto from my first year at Stony Brook University that I would like to communicate and gift to you. Being overly fixated on time has crippled numerous relationships and rendered undoable bodily stress. Just RELAX and learn to pace yourself.
"Early is on time, and on time is late" - Plan ahead and be there early. I show up fifteen-twenty minutes early everywhere. Especially when I am tired, I will do it earlier so that I can prepare at a slower pace without pressure. It's the pressure that tumbles all mental clarity and induces damage.
Almost everything I do encompasses this time management foundation. Why do I do this? So that I am never rushed or put the pressure of being rushed on others. At times when I failed to follow my own standards (few but gruesome times), I also saw the moment fail. Humans are not robots. Don't be one, and definitely don't sabotage the happiness of others by creating robotic behaviors.
Let's leave rushing to Emergency helpers, and let's all slow down and focus a bit more on our current surroundings.
GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO SLOW DOWN
Stop living a life of idealistic expectations of yourself. It's okay to slow down. In fact, it's highly recommended. The demand for mental health awareness has thus increased due to society rushing the most beautiful part of life; life itself.
Why does wisdom come with age? Because we are rushing through youth, and when we ultimately learn to slow down, we begin to heed wisdom. That same wisdom could have been yours had you slowed down years back. All those memories you hold of rotten moments and horrendous ramifications were established on your ideology of some idealistic immediate future or goal. Whether it was school, a date, a wedding, a vacation, a new job, or any vision you held, you demanded it is done within a time frame that functioned for you, or maybe you presumed it would work for you with specific expectations and a craze to get it done. Though did you ever stop and wonder if rushing or overthinking worked for you previously and those around you on whom you were placing the pressure? Did it ever assist you or those relationships?
Here are a few key elements I would request you to initiate practicing to slow down.
slow down your speech
slow down your breathing
slow down your eating
slow down your walking
slow down your driving
slow down your reaction to what others do
slow down your cooking
slow down your thoughts
slow down the process of life
Let this slower, steadier pace perfume your mind. Just slow down. - Doko
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
By slowing down all vital activities, you are even raising the bar of clarity. Your brain cells can now de-stress, relax in a calmer state of being and use this to its advantage by letting the creative side (now not cluttered and conquered by rushing thoughts or stress) focus more on strategic planning and enjoying the space you are in.
For example:
I would rush to set the dinner table, rush my children to eat, and rush to clean up. As I grew, I let go of the rush, and instead, we added a family routine to our dinner, discussing our highs and lows around the table.
Now we reached a point where we remain seated, giggle and consult essential issues. The time at dinner is a stretch longer, though by slowing down, the quality of the time transformed monumentally. Everyone feels heard, and memories are created. It's not robotic anymore. We must learn to respect our food and our bodies by chewing slower (which is also scientifically proven better for gut metabolism) and showing more gratitude for a plate of food and those souls present around the dinner table. Enjoy the moment. Do not rush it. Where are you going, and how will fifteen minutes alter your life. Slowing down will change you for life for your benefit.
NEW ERA DISEASE
We can't run from living busy at work, dynamic family responsibilities, breakfast, lunch, dinners, never-ending house chores, and busy restful; yes, that is such! Even social activities become a rush event. When you sit down to relax, but your mind has not sat down, it's still running, especially on social media. STOP and remember who you are, and slow down for a minute for yourself and your best interest.
I am discovering so much more about myself by slowing down. I don't feel compelled to be the first to do everything or push my kids to be the first to do something. This pressure is honestly the disease of the new era where we must be okay to do everything all at once.
I am not conveying to decrease ambition, though definitely eradicate the time pressure and stress. Time management and a sense of knowing it will happen when the time is right is a value slowly becoming extinct.
Remember to enjoy the process; enjoy today. Stop rushing through life. When your life is near its end days, you will rue rushing and wish more than anything you had slowed down.
Slowing Down,
