Slow and steady wins the race. This is a proverb that we have forgotten and if not forgotten, have chosen to reject. We walk up rushing and go to sleep rushing, with no in between. Instead of running a sprint maybe what we need to do is to settle into the long distance race. It can be disconcerting to see everyone pass you on the way up, but there is the cautionary tale that many of those persons quickly pass us down, some having jumped off the edge.
So let’s take it slow. When you feel anxious, take a seat breathe and wait. Wait for your racing heart to settle down, the fear in your gut to disappear and for your vision to clear, so you can truly see what is in front of you. There have been many times in the urgency of getting things done, that we make things worse than they needed to be. Slow and steady will get you to the finish line, where nervous energy will not.
When you feel like furling your fist because you feel that you are being left behind remember that when the hare left the hedgehog behind he did declare his defeat. Instead he kept at it, step by step, never giving up even when the sun beat down and his vision was blinded by his sweat – he kept going. But what is important is to do so step by step, not to leap for imaginary bridges and swing on fragile could. With both feet firmly on the ground, we can calmly allow our seeds to take root, become plant that eventually bear fruit.
