Slow Down & Savor

There isn’t enough time in the day. So much to do, so little time. Let me do that real quick. Hurry up!

These are all things that we have probably found ourselves saying a time or two (or even everyday). The constant feeling of hurry is something that we have become accustomed to in our everyday life. No matter how much planning, organizing, time blocking, or delegating we do, it never feels like quite enough. We listen to podcasts at double speed in order to consume more, we do power cleans in order to maintain the home, we run from one activity to another in order to fit it all in. We constantly multitask in the hopes that if we do it all, all at once, it will somehow get done.

What if we didn’t? What would happen if we stopped the rushing and the hurrying, slowed down, and savored the life that we have?

How much of the rush is necessary, and how much of it is self induced due to unrealistic expectations we put on ourselves?

I have 3 small children, work 30 hours a week, and very much understand that there is a lot that has to happen every day in order to keep our world spinning. The shopping, the laundry, the paperwork, the dishes, the planning, the communicating, the driving, the cleaning, the list goes on and on. But, how much more am I actually accomplishing by rushing? If I’m honest, I am maybe saving 10-15 minutes here and there, but at what cost?

When I feel rushed and in a frenzy, I feel irritable, anxious, and easily frustrated. If I am living my life in a frenzy, that means I am living my life feeling irritable, anxious, and easily frustrated. And guess what, often, even when I do rush, I still don’t get it all done!

So, what would it look like for us to savor the moments, to “stop and smell the roses?” How can we slow things down, in order to savor those ordinary moments and dismiss the rush?

What if while you are doing dishes, you play beautiful, calming music and light a candle. Or, when you fold laundry, smell the clothing and inhale the warmth and scent of your laundry detergent. Acknowledge the work you are doing for yourself and or your family. When you walk in or out of a store, slow down and breathe. Walk just a little bit slower and appreciate the weather. When you cook dinner, slow down and enjoy the process, appreciating the way ingredients come together, and maybe even use it as a time for connection with someone.

I know this sounds like I am looking at the world through rose-colored glasses, but maybe that’s not such a bad thing. There is so much hard in this world, and we can’t avoid it, but what we can control is how we choose to live our days. Are we going to grin and bear it, put our head down and rush through the ordinary moments that make up our lives, or are we going to slow down, find the beauty, and savor those mundane moments that create this beautiful thing called life.