Instead of trying to do as much as possible in any given day, hour, moment, I'm consciously NOT doing as much as possible. I'm doing everything that needs to be done and nothing that doesn't need to be done. It's remarkable to realize, consciously, just how different those two states are.
I'm taking the time to think rather than simply doing everything in the time I have: Why not amble down the sidewalk and scuff through the leaves? Why not do one errand at a time, instead of all the errands in one go? Why not take the time to read the entire Saturday newspaper instead of just skimming the headlines of the main section?
It means making room in my mind to enjoy the moment, rather than always looking ahead to prepare for what is coming next. It's more than just being mindful. It's being deliberate about slowing down my moment-to-moment living. It goes against the 21st century grain of constant connectedness, and it's liberating.
Go on. Unplug yourself. Slow down. Embrace a slower pace.
1 comment:
Very difficult to do, but yes, worthwhile and necessary in this crazy, fast-paced world in which we live.
I had never thought about emptying my mind until a therapist recommended I do so. Having an empty mind always conjured up images of Captain James T. Kirk sitting in that chair (on an episode of Star Trek) in which the aliens had stripped him of all his thoughts. I'll never forget the screams of terror and look on his face when all he could think was ... nothing.
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