Okay ladies. 2nd blog! I’m officially a blogger!
The idea for this blog was born on the golf course. (I can’t figure out why after playing golf for so many years left handed, I would go and screw things up and become right handed… but that’s a whole other disastrous topic). Anyhow, back to rushing. So, we’re teeing off on the second hole, and my girlfriend tells me “I feel like my entire life is spent rushing.” As she’s saying this, I realize how I am rushing her through her swing so we can just finish the bloody game… kinda like I always do. I think I do this a lot actually. Rush people off the phone. Rush my son to finish his “poo” so we can get to the park. Rush in and out of the fruit store before I get a ticket. Rush my husband through sex…. just kidding… ok well not entirely kidding!
My entire life feels like one big fast forward button on a VCR.
So when you stop to actually think about why we do this, I think we have almost all been programmed to move this way. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Quoted from one of my favorite movies, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. But it’s true. Life in the fast lane. Car racing. Ski racing. Speed skating. We live in a very fast paced society…and I don’t even reside in New York City! I am beginning to think this is all a very shitty thing. In fact, I think my rushing in making me age a little. If I can just return 3 more emails, change a quick diaper, and run to the pharmacy quickly, I can pack it all in! Yah great. And give myself a heart attack in the process.
So, what I’ve been trying to do, is slow down the pace. I’m thinkin’ TURTLE SPEED. It’s VERY IMPOSSIBLE for someone like me though. I eat fast. I talk fast. I walk fast. I’m fast and rushy. But I think we can all try and slow down. I think it will make us much less stressed out. Much more happy. Even maybe bored… it could feel boring to go slow. But I think it’s better long term. We all know stress kills. Duh.
A few things you can do to slow down your own pace (unless of course you’re perfect, and if you’re perfect, you’re in the wrong place):
1) Firstly, slow down slowly. Someone like me can’t get all Zen in 5 minutes. It takes practice and effort. You gotta make a conscious effort.
2) Imagine you could take tomorrow off. No work. No kids. No meetings. What would you do? Get a massage? Make a cup of tea to go, and stroll through a museum? Sit on the beach with your ipod and a pina colada? Don’t you feel your blood pressure going down already? Try and bring that happy feeling and good vibe into your day.
3) Your “slow hour” to recharge. We were given a “lunch hour” on purpose. It was there to provide renewal, rest and rejuvenation. This has mostly disappeared. Bring it back!! Take the hour. Take the time for yourself. Be comfortable being alone in your thoughts.
4) Don’t sweat the small stuff. Traffic is a bitch. Long grocery lines are a bitch. Bring your ipod and upload some twilight music if you have to. But find a way to breath through the rush. Always remember to BREATHE! AAAAhhhhh. You are now starting to relax. You are now starting to feel calm. Ohm.
5) Slow down now. It should be your goal for the week. Try and bring more calm to your life to deal with whatever crap is thrown your way. I’m gonna start today… I know I’ll be so terrible at it though. But I am after all, in the words of MY American Idol, Miss Oprah Winfrey, simply “a work in progress.”
xoxEDxox
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