Lately, I’ve been falling in love with slowing down.
It seems a lil counter-intuitive for achieving things, but stay with me on this…
Over a year ago, when my Mother got sick, I felt a tangible down-shift in the speed of my life. I didn’t make an intentional decision to slow down, it just kind of happened. The gift of this experience is one I’ll always remember.
Prior to this time, I was jamming lots of activity into each day and relishing the thought of all I was accomplishing. As my kids got older and busier, it felt like the natural progression of life. It wasn’t until I was forced to hit the brakes on my plans, that I saw that I had sped up too much. It started to feel like daily activities were rolling along on a conveyor belt, one responsibility after another.
Sitting in the silence of the ICU, holding my mother’s hand, slowed time right down. And due to some amazing friends and family, all the essentials in my life got done. As I listened to my breath and let my mind wander, a feeling of calm came over me. The peace of God, I have no doubt. As well as His whisper that everything would happen in its proper time.
I fully expected life to race ahead once again months later, as I moved through the cycle of grief of losing my Mom, but the desire to slow down stayed with me. It began to be thematic in how I looked ahead to each new week and to how I experienced simple moments in the day. As the year went on, I found my conversations deeper, my mind clearer, and my schedule more fluid. It happened so gradually, almost under the radar, because I only realized it upon returning home after a recent trip.
Normally, preparing my family to leave for travel, getting there, getting settled, and then doing it all over again on the return trip, was stressful. Can you relate? You know – the desire for everything to go smoothly, for everyone to eat well, be rested and happy… This trip was so different. I found myself moving slower and having more fun with the whole process. I left some tasks undone and was totally ok with it. I let go of perfection and opened myself up to peaceful possibilities.
Of course, there are days where life speeds up more than usual and I’m not zen all the time. What has changed is my perspective on the busy times. I have more awareness of my state of mind and more often recall the way I want to feel. Calm and at peace. Amazing how this one practice can make a ‘crazy-busy day’ easier to move through – and recover from.
As I mentioned recently, one of the words I’m focused on this year is ‘presence’. Slowing down has allowed me to be more present in every area of my life. I believe it’s helping me be more productive, because I’m not constantly shifting gears. I’m more aligned with what’s important to me and as a result, not stressing over the little things as much.
I’m also open to more creativity and the beauty around me. The most wonderful gift is that I’m more emotionally available for spontaneous conversations with my husband and children. Amazing how that happens when you’re not spinning like a top!
Making healthy choices begins with having clarity about the person you want to be and the life you want to live. When you slow down enough, you make space to identify these very things. If you’d like guidance, contact me here. I’d love to hear your story.
Tell me: In what area of your life could you use a slower pace? Do you find yourself daydreaming about it? Please share below in the comments to let someone else know they’re not alone!
Want more healthy lifestyle tips and tasty nutritious recipes? Subscribe here to get them fresh off the press straight to your inbox.
Many Blessings,
Sheila
PS: Have a girlfriend who’s looking to slow down and improve her health? Send her a link to this post. I’ll be sharing more insights on this topic over on on Instagram. Stop by and see me this week!
