Slowness & Introspection

🤓 Bite-Sized Knurd: Practicing more slowness by being in the present can help you realign and lean into what you want and need.

In Case You Missed It: My Best Friend is a Hummingbird

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What did you notice?

Last week, I wrote about slowing down and taking in the beauty of our surroundings.

While I always love an excuse to talk about my friend, Hummie, I also think about the act of noticing as a way to cultivate slowness.

Our world is only getting more complicated. Before the pandemic, many of us were busy working 8-12 hour days at our jobs, commuting 45 minutes each way, and finding precious seconds to “clean” our homes as best we could.

Living what is considered the traditional life in the US means you have no leisure time in your day or week. And when you do, you’re so exhausted that you end up sitting in front of the TV for 3 hours at night.

Now on top of these daily routines with back to the office crushing many, we are dealing with the daily deluge of bad news on our democracy, economy, and climate. The uncertainties and strains that Covid caused on our systems have caused many people to act out causing increased anger at the airport, pedestrian deaths by car drivers, and teachers quitting out of sheer exhaustion.

It’s a lot. All of us are carrying a lot during this time of great transition and tumult.

No wonder people are more burned out than ever.

Slowness: An Antidote

That’s why slowness can be an antidote to hectic lives that are only getting more complicated.

Slowness is about letting go, living in the present moment, and realigning with what’s really important to you.

The world will always demand more of us. We can always put in one more hour at work, add an extra workout to your week, buy the latest fashion, and juggle the dinners and parties.

By practicing slowness, you can begin to notice what you do want and what you don’t. Maybe you actually do need a Friday night to yourself to watch the latest Disney+ Marvel show even though your friends are planning a night out. Or that project that got dropped on your lap at 6pm, maybe it can wait until the morning.

Humans were not meant to constantly strive like robots with a fresh new battery. Our batteries are a little more…human. We need downtime and leisure. After all, what is life really about if it’s not about truly living and living it with the people that you love?

So while our world continues to spin madly on, I invite you to take some slowness in your day. It can look and feel however you want and need.

• Actually sit down for coffee for a few minutes in the morning
• Sit at a nearby park during your lunch break
• Sneak out of work to watch the sunset
• Put on your Snuggie and binge the new season of ‘Never Have I Ever’

It’s up to you. This is your life after all and it’s important that you live it the way you need. That is our sole responsibility in life.

Next Up:

Societal Benefits of Slowness

🤓 Bite-Sized Knurd: Slowing down to be more reflective helps not only you, but society at large. When we are more introspective and align our choices with our values, we are more likely to spread that vision to the rest of society. Read on for more…

Roots of Change by Knurdology