The Benefits of Slowing Down
We live in a fast-paced world. There are so many things to do and so little time, like going to work, taking the kids to practice, exercising, accompanying an elderly parent to a doctor’s appointment, making dinner, or finishing a project at work.
It just seems like a never-ending list of things to do, which has become the norm for most people in this day and age, including myself. Whenever people ask me how I am doing, I reply, ”I am so busy.“ Then I recite my checklist of all the things I have done or need to do.
As time went by, I realized this fast-paced lifestyle wasn’t conducive to my well-being. To be quite frank, it wasn’t working for me at all. I was tired. But even more so, I was missing out on the important things in life. So, I decided to ask myself some important questions, like, why was I busy all of the time? Was there something I was trying to distract myself from?
I put on my mental health detective hat to figure out what secondary gains were being derived by my busyness, and what I discovered was eye-opening. Staying busy didn’t give me time to think about things I hadn’t come to terms with in my life, what the future holds, dealing with painful emotions, or coming to terms with my mortality.
To counter my insatiable need to stay busy, I focused on doing the complete opposite, being still, thereby creating empty slots in my schedule to do nothing. No checking emails, going on social media, or doing a load of laundry. No, I sat with my thoughts. And in doing so, I was able to come to terms with my fears and process them one by one.
In the months to follow, I turned it into a daily practice and leaned into my thoughts and fears as they surfaced. I welcomed them with open arms and thanked them for the lessons they taught me. In doing so, not only did I come face-to-face with my fears but also my incessant need to stay busy.
A new door had opened, and I was able to view life through a different lens. Like watching a hawk soar in the sky or watching a hummingbird pollinate a flower. In the moments of stillness, I realized I had nothing to fear, and I was never alone. Above all, knowing I didn’t have to be in a constant state of solitude to refrain from being busy and made a conscious choice to live in peace.
So how do we manage busyness? Is it possible? Yes, it is. However, we must work at it. We must remind ourselves that we don’t have to be on the go all of the time. Or when we complete one activity, find another one. We can create a new way of living. Rather than rushing to rake the lawn, we can appreciate the feeling of the sun beating down on our back and the sound of birds chirping while we are doing it.
Some other ways to un-busy ourselves are to determine what truly matters to you and focus your time and energy on those areas. Or, make it a point not to cram too much into your day. Prioritize what needs to be done, and let the rest go. Spend time in nature by going for walks and hikes. Embrace slow living by not being fixated on the quantity of the things you do but the quality of your life, and appreciate the simple things in life that bring you peace and joy.
It’s easy to fall prey and become a victim of a busy world. When I reflect on my own life, I realize being busy was a way to distract myself from the things I felt were too painful for me to face. However, that has since changed because I know I can. So I don’t need to be on a constant merry-go-round to get through life. Nor do I have to be in a perpetual busy state. I can derive the benefits of slowing down and enjoying a peaceful existence.
See you next month!
Music & Events Calendar
