Seriously, we spend a lot of time lamenting about the fact that we tire more easily, have more issues to deal with, and can’t do as many things as we used to. We now have more time to do things but find that our adrenalin flow is missing. This is called slowing down. Instead of resenting the fact that Mother Nature has dealt us a low blow, we should be recognizing that this is a subtle wake up call.
We’ve become accustomed to racing through our days trying to do more and more with less and less time. Life is almost like running on a treadmill. If you don’t run fast enough you will fall off the back, and then wonder what happened. The world seems to have embraced the idea that being slow is a bad thing. Slowing down has come to mean that you are lazy, unproductive, or that you have given up on yourself.
You will not be alone if you still feel compelled to make a long “to do” list every day. Some habits are hard to break. If you are newly retired it may take awhile to transition to a slower pace. Hopefully you will learn how to slow down before your body gives up and forces you to stop in your tracks.
Our physical and mental capabilities began to slow down in our twenties. After that the push to move faster and faster became a race that we played just to stay in the game. It isn’t any wonder that stress and anxiety became buzz words in our vocabularies. Well, we are older now and hopefully wiser too. Instead of dreading the idea that we can’t do as much as we used to, it is time to embrace a slower pace. We need to learn to live in the moment, instead of stressing about what comes next.
Do you have to slow down? There is no right or wrong answer to that question, but you will probably find it happening whether you want it or not. It all depends on how you feel about your life. If you can step back just enough to enjoy the process rather than worrying about the outcome, you may find life more exciting. You don’t have to compete in the Olympics in order to enjoy taking up a new sport. Taking a class for the fun of it can be stimulating, even if you don’t have to worry about your grades. You might actually learn something this time around. It is all about enjoying the process. Do one thing and do it well and revel in your sense of achievement. It all goes back to smelling the roses doesn’t it? Slowing down is a good way to enjoy the moment.
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