Slow Down; There Isn’t Much Time!

Take a moment to notice the gap between your breaths. This small space holds immense power. Did you catch it, or is your mind too busy racing?

Finding Balance in a Fast-Paced World:

Think about how often we get caught up in the fast-paced nature of our lives. We have become so accustomed to filling every moment with activity and noise, that we often forget the value of slowing down.

My father was a hardworking man his entire life. However, he was also stressed, distracted, and constantly on the move. After he immigrated to the USA, he developed motor neuron disease, which forced him to slow down. In his final years, I would visit him often. Although he could not walk, he could still speak, and his mind remained sharp.

During breathing exercises on his balcony one day, he paused and pointed into the trees. “What’s wrong, Dad?” I asked. “Look, up there,” he said in a calm tone. “The leaves are dancing in the sunlight. I’ve been so busy my entire life that I’ve never seen dancing leaves before.”

The Benefits of a Slow Strategy:

Slowing down helped my father become more curious, aware, and connected. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait until we are ill to slow down. Instead, we can make that choice now and in every single moment.

Life can be busy, and we need an antidote to the hustle to restore balance. As the adage goes: “You should sit in nature for twenty minutes every day — unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour.”

Imagine you are baking in the hot sun and starting to feel overheated. What would you do? Seek shade, drink a glass of cool water, or perhaps jump into a refreshingly cold pool? In the same way, slowing down can be the refreshing break that we need to regain vitality. It’s important to alternate between slowing down and speeding up to regulate the temperature of our nervous system. Failing to find this balance may lead to burnout, depression, and a general sense of disease. Slowing down can truly be a life-saver.

The Habit of Slow:

A slow strategy is not only regenerative but can also set us up for greater productivity. The brilliant motto “slow is smooth, smooth is fast” applies universally. Rushing too quickly often hinders progress. Slowing down enables us to move carefully, avoid mistakes, and remain efficient, particularly in stressful situations. It may seem counterintuitive, but this approach not only allows us to go farther but also faster.

We tell ourselves we don’t have time to go slow. We have to keep moving! However, in the dance of life, consistency beats intensity. In essence, adopting a slower, more deliberate approach proves to be more sustainable over time. Practices that vary mental and physical rhythms can contribute to achieving heart coherence. This measurable physiological state synchronizes our body’s systems while disrupting habitual neurological patterns undermining our well-being.

Yet slowing down is easier said than done and may not always feel comfortable, especially when our default habit is living life in a flurry. However, with practice, the benefits soon become apparent as the habit of slowing down kicks in. Fast is a habit, and so is Slow.

The Superpower of Slow:

If you struggle to slow down, ask yourself, why do you need to be doing life only at pace? Where does the need or belief to go fast come from? How is going fast really serving you right now? By integrating a slow strategy into our daily routine, we reclaim our autonomy. As poet Alan Wats says, don’t cheat yourself! The point of a dance is the dance itself, not the final pose.

With that, I urge you to find many small moments every day where you can drop into that proverbial gap between breaths, and allow your nervous system to replenish. Ask yourself, what does slowing down mean for you? Embrace the superpower of slow. And when you feel rejuvenated with coherence, fire up again with presence, passion, and purposeful action in the world!

Because wisdom is born in the quiet and the slow.