Slow Down! Enjoy More

We live in a fast paced world particularly in the western hemisphere. There is a song, “I’m in a Hurry” by Alabama that aptly describes many of our lives:
“I'm in a hurry to get things done
Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why. “

Many of us find that we run and run on life’s treadmill, rather than living our lives. We rush through our day, late into the night and then wonder why we can’t slow our minds down enough to sleep. We toss and turn through the night and get up tired, to do it all over again.

It is time to slow down. Carl Honore, the author of In Praise of Slow, recommends slowing down at the right moments. Many of us are looking for balance in our lives and this may help us find it. Slowing down at the right moments can help us eat better, live healthier and love more.

Busy is not necessarily best, there are times when slowing down allows us to rejuvenate and our productivity actually increases. The slow food and slow sex movements, which started in Italy are gradually moving to the west.

Slowing down can allow you to establish deeper relationships, to get more pleasure and health from food, to enjoy more fulfilling sex and to savor your life. You will find that your quality of life improved. You will be living rather than racing through life.

It can be difficult to slow down. We may be using busyness to keep ourselves from paying attention to how we are feeling and to avoid taking responsibility for the state of our lives. Also, our culture rewards and encourages busyness. Slow is synonymous with stupid or lazy.

It is important is for us to recognize when hurrying is necessary and good and when slowing down is necessary and good. Slowing down to have an uninterrupted meal with family strengthens families . Slowing down to build relationships or to make love adds richness to life. Make yourself step off the treadmill and find more balance in your life.