Slowing Down

This weekend was a lazy one for me. Although I was enjoying the pleasures of a mid day nap and eating beautiful organic foods, I felt like I was falling behind on work. It is clear to me that this is a habit of my mind.

I’m perpetually “future tripping”, or feeling the need to "do”, in order to have the stability I crave. I believe that I must "produce" in order to feel valuable or worthy. However if I can't take a nap on the weekend, then when is it okay to slow down?

Work or play? Filming by the ocean. 

What comes to mind is the saying: "Meditate for 30 minutes a day. If you are very busy, then meditate for an hour." The busier I get, the more I have the need to replenish and ground. This is new for me; I am a list maker, and I love to cross everything off of the list and feel accomplished. I completely miss the point – I find myself thinking about where I will have dinner, when I am sitting down to lunch. I’m making future plans with my significant other, rather than enjoying him and our time together in the moment.

Work!

This calls for a slow down - a moment to take gratitude for what I have in the now.

The ways that I reset, and remind myself to slow down are:

Taking 10 deep breaths.

Setting a timer for 10 minutes to ground into silence and being.

Walking to do my errands instead of driving.

Giving thanks before I consume my meals.

Writing down 10 things I am grateful for.

Gazing at the ocean.

And of course – Yoga.

Whatever is to be done will get done, but what have I experienced along the way? Did I notice the silhouette of a small dog’s head in the front seat of the car up ahead of me? Did I smell the coffee grounds in the coffee house where I type? How does my body feel right now? Am I sitting comfortably with my spine straight, or am I contorting myself for no reason?

Become present right now. Slow down. Everything that you are planning, working on, thinking about...Will get done.

Most of my accomplishments happened and occurred as an unfoldment, one moment rolling into the next. As a girl, I checked out and missed a lot of moments. Today, as a woman, I take my time to notice. I take my time and notice that even still, there is a rush. Pressure.

Then I remember: Breathe.

Take some time to slow down today and know that you have already arrived.

Slowing down even during work is a good thing.