Slow Down Just a Little

I'd be surprised if you said you didn't receive that answer as a deadline for a task you had to complete.

Such is our lifestyle these days. Always in a hurry, always worrying about checking off the next thing on that to-do list.

We must rush, or we'll miss the boat, miss the deadline, miss the opportunity, miss who knows what else.

Full-on FOMO

Sure we are aware of words like "relax". "Slow down." "Be patient."

All great advice, but who has the time for them?

People who take their time are seen as lazy types who lag behind.

But . . .

Can you imagine a situation where a surgeon hurries through a patient's surgery because his calendar is full?

Can you imagine that sculptor rushing through his creation so he can move on to the next assignment?

Can you imagine your car mechanic applying a quick fix because he's got a big workload?

Can you imagine that jeweler cutting that diamond in a hurry?

You know what I mean.

Why can't we allow ourselves to take time to do things well?

Why don't we let ourselves focus, enjoy and pay attention to whatever we are doing?

We are in such a hurry that we forget to respect ourselves.

We neglect our souls and our spirit.

The result?

We pay the price through depression, frustration, fatigue, desperation.

Why try to become what we're not in a matter of days when it needs years?

Why hurry so much?

Now, let's do this.

Slow down

Take our time.

Let's do it the way it is meant to be done.

Let's stop to question ourselves.

Let's take time to answer those questions.

Let's decide how we want to act, who we want to be.

Let's work towards being that person.

Let's not get worked up when we stumble, make mistakes.

Let's accept that it's all part of the process.

Let's not hurry.

Taking time to do things usually results in long-lasting outcomes.

Let's take the time to enjoy the process.

Of course it is tempting to wish for immediate change when you are faced with a problem. And of course it is exciting when you get what you expect. But there are times when we feel confused and sad when we don't get the instant answers we seek. When that happens, let's remember that our good traits and the ones we want to improve are all part of who we are. It is okay to be flawed. Sometimes change comes slowly and that's okay. We cannot always control our growth and that's okay. What we can do is move forward and hope.

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." Lao Tzu

Prioritize the things that must get done, and then leisurely work your way through them.

Think about this:

When you take on a task, how do you recognize which steps are right, which steps are not?

When was the last time you slowed down and took your time to do something well?

"And every day, the world will drag you by the hand, yelling, "This is important! And this is important! And this is important! You need to worry about this! And this! And this!" And each day, it's up to you to yank your hand back, put it on your heart and say, "No. This is what's important."― Iain Thomas

Wednesday Wisdom is a series with short bursts of easy-to-consume wisdom in the form of stories, quotes, anecdotes, reflections and humor.