Do you slow down intentionally because you recognize that it is a necessity? Or do you slow down because life forces you to slow down because you get sick? These two things are very different from each other. There are things that you can only appreciate when you slow down. Life has conditioned us to believe that we should always be efficient and productive. Going fast has conditioned us to multi-task. But there are some things that call us to be slow and to work on a task at a time.
When we go slow, we prioritize our well-being. Sometimes going too fast becomes the root of so many health concerns and feelings of burnout. Going slow is being respectful of our capacity and our pace. Going slow also allows us to immerse in the present moment and take pleasure from it. When we slow down, we connect with ourselves. We allow ourselves to be in tune with our spirit. When this happens, we become more mindful of our thoughts, emotions, and behavior. When we are mindful, we become more intentional.
We sometimes forget that we are whole beings. We use our bodies too much that we neglect our minds and forget that our minds also contain our innermost thoughts and our emotions. Further, we also forget that aside from having physical bodies, we are spiritual beings.
We have a tendency to get so busy, always working, moving, trying to be productive, that we forget our spirit. We are human beings, not human doings. While there is no problem in working hard, we should make it a daily practice to nourish our spirit. Here are four things you can do to nourish your spirit:
SELF-CHECK: This is checking how you are. This is tapping into what you feel and trying to see if your emotions are trying to point you to a need.
SLOW WORK: There is no need to rush the things to be done especially this quarantine season. This is doing things one task a time, indulging in single-tasking instead of multi-tasking. Prioritize only three to five things daily, try your best to not overburden yourself. If there is a task that you weren’t able to accomplish, be gentle with yourself. Perhaps this is something you can work on tomorrow instead.
SLOW MOMENTS: Many times we want to capture the moment but sometimes you have to allow the moment to capture you. When I was looking back at the photos I took during my pilgrimage to the Holy Land, I was asking myself why I didn’t have photos of this and that. I remember that many times, I allowed myself to sit in the moment and feel as Jesus felt. Be in the moment. Capture the sounds around you. Savor the smells enveloping you. Appreciate the sights, and embrace the entirety of the experience happening in front of my eyes. Find your slow moments.
SLOW RITUAL: This is nourishing your inner child. This is allowing yourself to do something away from your regular routine. For instance, I enrolled in a class that allowed me to rekindle and celebrate my love for lettering. This is tapping into my playful side. Another slow ritual that we need to incorporate in our routines is quiet time.
Do not be embarrassed by having conversations with yourself. Don’t be afraid of getting in touch with yourself. There are individuals who choose not to get in touch with themselves because they are afraid of confronting their hurts, issues, and insecurities. But recognize that this is the best time for you to do that. Facing yourself will enable you to step out from the lockdown as an improved version of yourself.
Always remember that you can have it all but not all at the same time. Live slowly. Live purposefully. Find your flow and find yourself.