the art of slowing down

I woke up late this morning, which for me looks like a chicken running around with its head cut off. I told myself I no longer had time for meditation, for journaling, for self care, the rest of the world was already up and at ‘em, an hour into working their corporate jobs and I had to keep up with them (what an absolute lie). 

I chugged a large cup of coffee, which is sometimes anxiety fuel for me and continued to rush through my morning. 

I’m not even close to being present; I’m brushing my teeth but thinking about my to-do list. I’m talking to my dad but thinking about the pile of laundry overflowing in my hamper. I’m listening to a podcast but thinking about how much packing I still have to do for an upcoming trip, even though I’ve yet to unpack from my last one (happens to the best of us right?)

“I have so much to do,” I kept saying to myself. “I don’t have any time to rest.” 

I’m racing out the door to go on my morning walk, thinking about everything I have to do throughout the day. I’m five minutes in and I realize I haven’t even picked my head up from the ground. I’ve completely missed the fact that it’s a beautiful sunny day, the birds are chirping and the Hudson River is glistening. It’s a rare, gorgeous, November day and I almost missed it.

And that’s when I realized when I feel the need to rush through life, I don’t need to run faster, I need to slow down.

I went and sat in the gazebo by my house and meditated for 12 minutes, breathing in the fresh air. I instantly felt my body relax. I felt lighter.

Life is a gift and we owe it to ourselves to be present in it. To truly enjoy our morning cup of coffee, to engage in a conversation with our parents, to appreciate the colors of the leaves changing on the trees, to put our phones down every once in a while.

Stop rushing towards the imaginary finish line you created in your head. Take a deep breath. Slow down. Enjoy exactly where you are.