Go With The Slow - Week 1 Reflections

Welcome to Summer of Slow Reflections - a weekly(ish) blog on my personal experiences as I attempt to hit the brakes on life's relentless pace. Each week, I'll share insights from the front lines of my summer of deceleration - the daily struggle to simply be present without jumpstarting into the next thing. To marinate in a moment without stirring. To gaze at a cloud without checking my phone.

The Struggle to Slow Down

We all want to slow down, but if you're like me, when we actually do, our minds go into overdrive like a hamster on a wheel. "But what about all the things? The looming tasks and decisions are piling up like dishes in the sink!" 😩 In our fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in the rat race 🐁, always hustling and bustling. The world seems to reward the worker bees who never stop achieving. Slowing down? That breeds restlessness - we start getting antsy like we're missing some crucial opportunity to be productive members of society. 🏭

When we do attempt to just "be," it's like ripping off a band-aid. Suddenly all the emotions and vulnerabilities we've been suppressing come flooding out. Our inner drill sergeant is yelling "Fall in line, soldier! No time for feelings, back to work!" 📣

But I'm trying, dear friends. Trying to resist that urge to constantly be a human "doing" instead of a human "being". To surrender control and exist peacefully in the present without an agenda feels utterly rebellious.

The Importance of Being 

Ironically, the key to finding happiness lies in the agonizingly difficult art of just...being. Of intentionally pushing the pause button ⏯️ on the perpetual motion machine. Letting the anxious voice have its tantrum while I practice some mental push-ups. Being present with my feelings isn't all rainbows and unicorns 🦄. When I turn towards the now, I often feel discomfort welling up like a brewing storm. As future fantasies and past regrets fall away, unprocessed gunk inevitably rises to the surface. The raw, messy, flawed stuff I've been distracting myself from. 😳

But sitting in that tension, as uncomfortable as it is, is paramount for becoming an evolved and authentic human being instead of a robot slave to productivity 🤖. It's an ongoing journey of staring my inner demons in the face, being with myself - wonderfully imperfect as I am - and accepting the present moment without judgment. 🙏

The Beauty of Deceleration

Slowing down is hard. It's like waking up from a fever dream. Suddenly, the frantic pace that propelled you begins to fade. The adrenaline ebbs. The dust settles. Those who viewed you primarily as a doer, a provider, may drift away. As your capacity to "perform" diminishes, they lose interest. Shallow connections dissolve when productivity wanes. But others remain 👭. They aren't fazed by your quieter existence. Their care transcends accomplishments. These are the people who sit with you, trading stories and comfortable silences. Bringing proverbial flowers 💐. Not because you've achieved, but because you are treasured. 

Occasionally, beautiful surprises arise - people you didn't expect appear with kindness and support. Their compassion catches you off-guard but warms your heart. In stillness, we discover who truly sees our essence. The deceleration humbles yet clarifies. You release identities that no longer fit, making space for whomever you're becoming. The noise dispelled; only what matters remains. 🦋

I'm grateful to have you meander down this path with me. My hope is that these reflections inspire you to wrestle free from hurry's chokehold, if only briefly. To shake off the itch to "be productive" and instead...ponder. Breathe. Listen to those dusty inner voices we've overridden for far too long. We might encounter precious sparks of creativity, rediscover sidelined passions, or just revel in the luxury of doing nothing. The only way to find out is to firmly (ok gently) apply life's brake pedal and trust that slowing down is sometimes the only way to refuel.