"It's so nice to be home. It's so quiet here!" These are the sentiments of my friend upon her recent return from Bali.
"It's so busy there," she exclaimed. "And loud and polluted."
I wonder: Is the whole world being engulfed by busyness? What about your personal world?
"There's more to life than increasing its speed." - Mohandas Gandhi
21 Reasons to Slow Down
Lately, I haven't been able to keep up myself. As spring slides into summer, it's clear I need to slow down my pace. These are my reasons for downshifting. Maybe they'll resonate for you, too.
1. To imbibe the sweetness of life.
2. The leave the city of overwhelm.
3. To loosen my attachments. You have to give up all the busyness when you die!
4. To nourish myself.
5. To be in the present moment.
6. To allow ample time for reflection, inspirational reading, and meditation.
7. To let my thinking mind relax.
8. To foster intuition.
9. To cultivate the felt-sense.
10. To genuinely connect with others heart-to-heart, mind-to-mind.
11. To de-stress.
12. To write articles for you that are meaningful, inspiring, useful and/or thought-provoking without feeling rushed.
13. To allow time for healing and bolstering my health - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.
14. To absorb nutrients from the food I eat.
15. To care for my garden, which, in turn, cares for me.
16. To connect with the elements - earth, water, fire, air, and space.
17. To smell the roses.
18. To access clarity, insight, and wisdom.
19. To put perfectionism to death.
20. To read all the books I'm wanting to read and blog posts I've been missing. Apologies if I haven't been to your blog lately!
21. To better serve others.
22. To be part of creating a more peaceful, loving, joy-filled world.
Slowing down is not easy for me. My neurotransmitters are entrained to fire at high speed. There's a vulnerability in slowing down and simply being. It takes courage to let go.
But I know it's the only way to unpeel all the layers and live from my true essence. And this is the basis for being of service to others in a non-sticky way.
Is all the busyness really necessary or even helpful? We need to make a living, but how much more do we really need to do? Doesn't it make sense to be satisfied with what you have instead of endlessly trying to improve your conditions?
"Remember the example of an old cow;
She's content to sleep in a barn.
You have to eat, sleep, and shit - That's unavoidable.
Beyond that is none of your business."
- Patrul Rinpoche
Interestingly, the flavor of sweetness is associated with the earth element and the health of the digestive system in Chinese medicine. Often, when we are too busy and stressed, our gut ends up tied in knots. Just look at the checkout stand at most drugstores and you'll see an abundance of of antacids. A more natural solution is to simply slow down and reconnect with the earth element.
A few questions and reflections for you: Do you too need to slow down the pace of your life? Or, are you already able to stay sane amidst all the busyness of this world? If so, what's your secret?
Image: @Sue Alexander, Inspired Type
Thank you for your presence, I know your time is precious! Don’t forget to sign up for my e-letter and get access to all the free self-development resources (e-books, mini-guides + worksheets) in the Always Well Within Library. May you be happy, well, and safe – always. With love, Sandra