Category: self-care

Slow and Steady…

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.

Moment by Moment…

This year I will be intentional about not being focused on the big picture, but noting each brush stroke. The ripples and dimensions of colors that enter my world will get their own special attention. I know it is important to many to have an iron clad plan for the year so that they can achieve something special. However, I want to step back out of the crazy push to be normal and get on a path to being sane. So I will take time to looking closely at those little idiosyncrasies that lead me to make the same mistakes with what I put into my body, being quick to acknowledge the little hurdles I have to overcome and slow to finding quick fixes. Instead I will acknowledge my faults and work through finding their weaknesses.

You first have to be honest with yourself. Stop chasing dreams that make no sense and stop nurturing lies that trap you in a world of constant disappointment. Take the time to write all that you hope to achieve, but in increments, achievable timeframes that counter grandiose disillusionment. Take time to learn about yourself and for the sake of your sanity stop living in denial. Trust yourself to be tough enough to do the right thing, even if you fail the first, second, third and so forth and so on. Take each day moment by moment. Stop and tend to your yard before you start looking over the fence. Stop and check in with yourself from time to time. Am I doing okay? DO I need to shut down my social media, or shut out thoughts that may harm my mental well-being? Those are important questions that require your attention.

It is never too late to slow things down so that you can be more productive. Despite all the chaos and uncertainty around, we do not have to go down in flames. Be present at all time and to do this you we have to find time to be still, to let things happen organically without trying to control the outcome all the time – we are not omniscient and we will never be. Instead, all we need to do is to take the time to find out what works within the frame of our imperfections. No need to plan to totally change, but to improve on the good and slowly let go of those bad things that have been holding us back. Take the time to breathe in and out slowly, moment by moment