With our crazy lives and evermore demanding work industries where time really is money, the general notion of slowing down is near unimaginable. “SLOW DOWN” traffic signs are beaming and flashing on every highway/interstate of your lives. Our minds are constantly racing, bodies are logging less sleep, we are investing less in “real” relationships, and we are harnessing an inherent inability to appreciate and live in the now. Because tomorrow is coming too quickly. There will be no time wasted!
With the multiple catastrophes appearing across the globe which have completely taken away everything that money could buy, we are in constant reminder what we should be thankful for. The most valuable things cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen. Wake the fuck up world, is what the almighty may say, whoever or whatever greater figure may be to you.
Before the mainframe overloads in the sensory department and before you reach for the latest over the counter comatose pill to check out from the pandemonium that is our lives, please pencil in some much needed time to just simply “slow down”.
I regret to inform that there is no tonic or potion, no drug, no indigenous plant from the jungle, it cannot be purchased for any monetary amount from anywhere in the entire world or universe. The procedure is free, painless, and we have attained it already. Bullshit? Need I mention that its effects can be felt immediately and will be positively life changing? One word for the magic medicine, meditation.
Before you burst into laughter with the close minded idea that a monk or big bellied Buddha must be present, lets bring to light the simplicity and availability of one of the most powerful tools to slowing down.
The general practice of meditation, is stilling the mind. For those who aren’t ready to commit to a 3 day silent retreat in the middle of nowhere and the idea of sitting cross- legged in an ashram makes them uncomfortable, below are a few mellow tactics to introduce meditation into your everyday life. Think of meditation as a little vacation in your day. A moment where you can forget about your daily stresses. A moment where you can harness the same feeling as sipping on an ice cold beer with sand in your toes, watching the sunset. An afternoon delight, if you may.
Stop and smell the roses.
Take a minute to literally stop and smell the roses. Breathe in the sweet salty air near an ocean, the sweet smell of rain when it hits the pavement, the fresh crisp winter morning breeze, fresh baked goodies in the oven. A simple meditative moment that you take to appreciate something so pure.
10 year rule.
Will the issue at hand matter tomorrow? in a week? 10 years from now? Stress is like bad bacteria, do not feed it. The barista burnt the milk in your extremely modified latte? Some idiot didn’t shoulder check on your daily commute? Calm down, “every little thing is going to be alright”. How can you still your mind when energy is being wasted stressing about things that are insignificant. Cut out the crap and make room to channel your energy to positive things that serve you.
Just breathe.
Literally. Open your mouth, inhale some oxygen into those lungs of yours, and let it out. Bring awareness to a vital process that we take for granted.
Try this little exercise. Standing or sitting, in public or at home.
1. Begin your inhale from your belly button. Feeling the air fill your abdomen. Inhale 1/3 of your breath and hold for 1 second.
2. Continue to inhale, feeling the oxygen travel upwards, filling 1/2 of your chest. Hold for 1 second.
3. Inhale deeply, allowing all of your chest to fill with air all of the way to the top. Inhale as much as you can. Hold for 1 second.
4. Exhale all the air out, slowly and controlled.
5. Repeat.
Look up at the stars.
Instead of stressing about the future, regretting the past, take a moment to look up. Look up at the stars, the moon, the clouds, and the sun. It is an extremely profound reminder that we are nothing but tiny sand specs in the grand scheme of things as are our “problems”.
Pick one thing.
Regardless of how busy you are, set aside at least 1 minute a day to meditate. Be it at your deck at work, in the shower, or somewhere in nature. Narrow in your awareness to one thing; the sound of the ocean, the water cascading on to your head, the pencil on your desk, your breathing patterns, the feeling of the breeze hitting you with the window in your car rolled down, anything. Just pick something to dedicate all your attention to. A moment in your day when you turn off the bullshit.
Get creative.
Pick up a guitar, listen to music, scribble on a newspaper, cook a meal, any medium will do. It does not have to fancy and you do not have to be “good” at it, just do it. With zero expectation for the final piece, just let the creative juices flow. Find something that you can immerse yourself in with no distractions.
Count your blessings.
What are you grateful for? Your friends? Your family? Toilet seat covers? Golden sunsets? The Beatles? Chocolate cupcakes? A roof above your head? Make a list. Be it big or small. These are the things that truly matter deep down. Do you want to miss them because you are just too busy?
Smile.
Smile and laugh. Laughter can bring a lightness to any situation. Getting caught in a wave of it can remove all the negative sludge that has built up from living in a state of stress and thinking too far ahead. Less sludge means more space to breathe. More room to breathe, means more space to slow down. So laugh it off. Laugh off the spilt coffee and smile at the rude cashier.
Exercise.
Running has been coined as the cheapest form of therapy. Boost your heart rate to slow down the over-thinking process. Push yourself to a limit where all you can think of is the challenge at hand. No deadlines will be worried about when you are completing your last set of 30 pull-ups in cross fit.
Yoga.
This may come as a surprise to most, but there is more to yoga than stretching, hippies, pachouli oil, and pants that are flattering to the female figure. The act of practicing yoga exercises our ability to bring awareness to our bodies. The ability to bring awareness to our bodies can be translated off the mat to our every day lives. If I stand straighter I can breath more easily. If I set my alarm earlier I can be less rushed for work.
People watch.
Take a moment to look out of the bubble that you have created around yourself. Sit back and watch. Watch the simplicity that kids see in life as they play with a stick in the sand. Observe the love of an elderly couple whose wisdom and experiences have allowed them to stay together for so long. An opportunity to be reminded that there is a lot going on outside of your shell. An opportunity to check out of the craziness that can ensue from moving too quickly and see all the great things happening around you. Just a few more reasons to slow down.
I hope that this helps you slow the f*ck down. I hope that consequentially you don’t miss too many incredible moments, experiences, adventures, and the little things in life that matter. I hope that whatever form of meditation you choose, that it brings a little more lightness, appreciation, and happiness to your everyday life and heart. When all else fails crack open a beer, sit back for moment, and just breathe. This life of ours really isn’t as chaotic and crazy as we can make it out to be.
