Life can often feel like a constant race to work the fastest, do more
and always live up to others’ expectations, leading to a constant autopilot
mindset. But learning to slow down and enjoy life can help us savor the journey
that makes daily living worthwhile.
“In our fast-paced culture, we
are surrounded by everyone’s highlight reels. All we see are others’
accomplishments, promotions and goals achieved,” observes counselor Meagan
Good, founder of
Take Heart Counseling & Equine Assisted Therapy. “Not many
people share the process or the work it took to achieve those goals, and even
fewer people share the failures or lessons learned along the way. This can
subconsciously make us believe that we are somehow behind, not enough or
failing in our own lives.”
For some people, slowing down
can be harder than it sounds, explains Karen Mummau, owner of
Matters of the Heart Counseling. She shares, “Some people relate constant busyness to a sense
of worth or accomplishment. Others see it as a coping mechanism to avoid
difficult circumstances and anxieties. Often, people interpret slowing down as
not doing anything, when in fact, it may mean doing something that is enjoyable
instead of something that is necessary.”
While slowing down and being
fully present throughout our days may sound simplistic, Good emphasizes that
taking time to notice or reflect on everyday moments that add joy to life or
bring a smile can help us slow down and remember why we do it all. “The journey
is just as beautiful and important as the destination, and we don’t notice the
journey if we are too focused on getting to the destination,” says Good. “When
we slow down and are present and aware, we are able to experience life in its
fullest and all the emotions involved.”
She advises that those
emotions might also include feelings that people do not want to face, such as
grief, anger or fear. “But learning to experience these emotions with safety
and support teaches us that they are just messages that guide our next steps,
like any emotion,” Good reports. “We also cannot fully experience joy, peace or
gratitude if we numb the so-called ‘negative emotions’. When we learn to slow
down and become present with all of our emotions, we are empowered to handle
them with self-compassion.”
Taking Intentional Down Time
Mummau believes some key
benefits of slowing down include the ability to make better judgements. “If we
take the time to truly weigh options and reflect on choices, we are less likely
to make costly mistakes in our decisions. Another benefit includes heightened
self-awareness, allowing us to reflect on our thoughts, emotions and
relationships, which can ultimately lead to more fulfilling lives for ourselves
and those around us.”
While many people seek out a
work/life balance, Mummau says that balance implies equal, but our work life
and our personal lives are rarely equal in time. “We spend most of our days
working, and without being intentional about our personal life, we miss out. I
prefer the phrase ‘work/life intentionality’, where we can be intentional about
our work time and intentional about our personal time,” she says. “Be
intentional about your down time so you have the opportunity to recharge and be
more productive in the long run.”
Good teaches her clients to
focus less on goals and instead treat themselves with the same kindness and
compassion they would show a friend. Using health goals as an example, she
says, “Going to the gym with only the destination of weight loss in mind can
quickly become a form of self-punishment. Instead, going to the gym with the
thought of, ‘What would be kindest for me today?’ will help guide your workout
and towards loving yourself along the journey.”
Follow Nature’s Cue
Malinda Harnish, owner of M. Harnish Counseling & Spiritual Direction, finds nature to be a valuable tool
in slowing down. “One of the ways we can slow down our lives is to step
outside. The natural world offers much to soothe the soul. Pause to listen to
the cardinal singing in the pine tree. Feel the winter wind on your face. Walk
through a patch of trees in all of their barren nakedness, knowing that in just
a few months, their leaves will push out and clothe the bark once again,” she
says. “Pausing to be in that space of created things beyond humans brings us to
a place of calm by slowing down the inevitable ticking of time that regulates
our human world.”
Take Heart Counseling &
Equine Assisted Therapy is located at 699 Wooltown Rd., in Wernersville. Call
717-917-7137 or visit TakeHeartCounseling.com.
Matters of the Heart
Counseling is located at 45 W. Brandt Blvd., in Salunga. Call 717-282-2908 or
visit MattersOfTheHeartCounselingLLC.com.
M. Harnish Counseling & Spiritual Direction is
located at 228 E. Orange St., in Lancaster. Call
717-875-5066 or visit MHarnishTherapy.com.
