Hurrying Week 3

“When you get into your car, shut the door and be there for just half a minute. Breathe, feel the energy inside your body, look around at the sky, the trees. The mind might tell you, 'I don't have time.' But that's the mind talking to you. Even the busiest person has time for 30 seconds of space.”

Echart Tolle 

Tolle makes it sound so simple, yet I know people are reading this thinking I would never do that. The quote is a message giving us an opportunity and a plan to be present. 30 seconds is all it takes. You can try it right now. Look out your window or step outside, see something, trees, sky, know that you are a part of something bigger than just you. The concept is that when you are present, you pause and then recognize why am I hurrying?

In my younger years I thought yoga and stretching were just too slow, I needed to run and feel that exertion of energy. Older and wiser, I now appreciate that yoga and static stretching are challenging and transforming the body by increasing its mobility. Slowing down can increase physical gains.

When we watch a skilled musician perform on the piano or a guitar solo, we notice how engaged and in the moment they seem. When you are engaged in the moment, you aren't thinking about the future and don't feel the need to rush. 

When I am meeting someone and they are running late, notice the terms we use, I take that 5 minutes to enjoy wherever I am. Maybe daydream or add an extra meditation to my day. This was not always the case; I taught myself to enjoy the pause, instead of being annoyed at their lateness.

Applying this to our lives is creating a new habit, one of slowing down, being more present. Do you ever slow down or are you on that rollercoaster of constant action? You may notice, if you were to take that 30 second pause, that you can still get it done, but without as much negative urgency. Try it this week, build deliberate pauses in your day, notice your surroundings, take 3 deep breaths, be present. A small step to a big change.