Why you need a Skid and Slide course to navigate life

by Dorine Reinstein

It’s only February and I’m already feeling like everything has been hurling at me at 200km/h this year.

Life in 2024 feels a bit like an obstacle course on a game show. You know the ones where you're half expecting to face-plant into a mud pit while the audience roars with laughter. I’m dodging work deadlines like they're… well, dodgeballs. I’m trying to juggle family stuff without dropping the ball. And I’m trying to leap over surprise bills like they’re hurdles. Every twist and turn in this obstacle course comes with its own “you can't make this stuff up” moment. It feels like the universe is watching, popcorn in hand, waiting to see if I stick the landing or end up in a snowbank.

Well – it doesn’t just feel like 2024 is spinning out of control, it actually is - and not just metaphorically. Earth has decided to put a spin on our daily lives, literally speeding up, leaving us with days that are microseconds shorter. Who knew we’d miss those microseconds so much, right? It's like Earth is trying to shave off time.

Not wanting to be left behind, Mars is also picking up the pace. It seems our neighbouring planet is eager to join the fast lane, adding a whole new level of FOMO. Are we missing out on interplanetary races now? Is Mars trying to become the hot new destination, leaving Earth feeling a bit, well, old-fashioned?

Amid this cosmic speed-up, we're all diagnosed with ‘hurry sickness’. Remember the good old days when boredom was just part of the daily routine? Staring out the window on your commute, contemplating life, or simply figuring out what to have for dinner. Now, our brains are bombarded with constant stimulation, from streaming services to social media notifications. We’re even having to invent whole new holidays to recreate those quiet commute or - dare I say it - loo moments. From mindfulness and meditation retreats to life coaching and destress holidays, there’s a range of healing holidays to choose from. It's time we bring back the art of boredom, guys. Let's make staring at the ceiling great again!

If you do find yourself spiralling, remember the golden rules of the Skid and Slide Course:

1. Take your foot off the accelerator.  Sometimes, slowing down is exactly what we need. Let's not rush through life trying to catch up with Earth’s new spin or Mars’ ambitions.

2. Don’t focus on the obstacles. Whether it’s the daily news, your endless to-do list, or the neighbour’s dog, don’t stare yourself blind on them.

3. Find a clearing and just look at it. Your hands (and mind) will automatically follow the direction. It’s about finding that moment of peace in the chaos, the eye of the storm, where you can just be.

So, as we navigate the skids and slides of 2024, let's remember to embrace the chaos with a smile and perhaps a touch of interplanetary envy. After all, if Earth and Mars can speed up without losing their cool, so can we. Welcome to the ride of the year—helmets, laughter, and an appreciation for the absurdity of it all are strongly encouraged.

Mindful Musings

What the world was musing over this past week

Step on a scale before a flight?

This airline just introduced weigh-ins for passengers and carry-ons as part of the boarding process. Sure, it's an odd ask at the gate. But it swears it's not about judging that extra holiday kilogram or two.

Skinny dippers to the rescue

Not all heroes wear capes. Some don’t wear anything at all. Two passengers on board a floating sauna in Norway plunged into the water to rescue a couple who accidentally drove their car off the quay.

High altitude hoarding

Who needs in-flight movies when you've got real-life drama in the overhead bins? Flyers on Delta Air Lines had to return to Amsterdam after maggots rained down from rotten fish wrapped in a bag in the overhead bin. And that’s not the weirdest thing people have brought onto planes.

Japan fires up "Janitor" sat to clean up space junk

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency successfully sent a radical new satellite into orbit that'll use some slick tech to locate and get rid of old, busted up satellites and random space crap hanging around Earth. About time someone tidied things up out there!

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