Whew! It’s been a few months since there’s been a Joyna post- and gosh am I glad to be back! Why the silence for a few months? Well, I’ll tell you- I took a literal break from all the writing by accidentally breaking a finger (or was it actually an accident?) In hindsight, I can see all of the benefits from being in such a predicament, and this article is dedicated to sharing some of these insights without you having to break any bones to get it!
Having a broken finger sounds simple enough, but there are many parts of the experience that can definitely slow you down. Many of the simple things that most of us take for granted, like opening jars, typing with one hand, showering, shaking hands…actions that we do on a normal basis and rarely put any thought to. Some of the lessons I’ve gathered include my willingness to ask for help WAY more often and not taking the small wins for granted. The biggest realization, however, is how many amazing things happened once I slowed down. And being in a fast-paced world of technology, checklists, and goal-setting, this renewed wisdom was priceless. Here’s getting to the bone of my findings (heh heh):
Slowing down gives space for your real priorities to show up.
We have all these projects, goals, and dreams we focus on achieving every day. It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of daily tasks, stress, failing to meet deadlines, and the ever-increasing action items to accomplish. With so much piling up, sometimes we lose sight of what our top priorities really are. In my case, being down a hand really pushed me to re-prioritize my goals and notice what had a true sense of urgency to be completed versus being let go. And let me tell you, I let A LOT go! Being able to slow down creates the opportunity for a re-set button to figure out what truly is a priority. Often times what we THINK is a priority ends up not being as high on the list as we thought. A simple way to check this is to take a look at what you currently consider a priority, write them down, and then ask yourself how motivated you are to do these tasks. Motivation is a key driver for getting anything done- and if you can start with something that truly motivates you, you’ll be surprised with how much quicker things get accomplished. Once your values are aligned with the task at hand, the motivation to do something becomes simple. So perhaps looking at your priorities and asking how they line up with your inner values will be a great way to boost the motivation needed to start a task…or recognize the value in walking away from it.
You get to be WAY more present when you slow down.
Being present is something that everyone experiences differently. In this case, I define being present as being in the moment where you are completely aware of what is happening around you (be it hearing the wind in the trees, seeing the penny on the sidewalk, or noticing the beat of your heart in your chest). By slowing down, we take the time to notice what is going on around us and within ourselves as we connect with something bigger than the stream of thoughts in our head. Rather than being pushed into a circumstance where you need to slow down, you have the ability each and every day to take an hour, a few minutes, or one moment to just be present. Give yourself five minutes (ok ok, start with a minute!) of just sitting, without a phone, without any plans, and just be curious of what happens when you become present to your surroundings and listen to what’s around you or enjoy the silence. (If I put my finger on it…some would say this sounds like a form of meditation).
Slow down and tap into the silly side of life.
Have you ever felt the serious pressures and overwhelm of being an adult? One way to break out of it is to go jogging downhill and try to pick a flower at the same time, and end up with a bright neon-green cast on your arm…or you could just intentionally slow down and reconnect with yourself for a moment. Being silly, connecting with the goofy part of yourself, and just finding ways to laugh actually improve your ability to focus and get more done throughout the day. Think of someone in your life who is really good at making you laugh. What are the things they say or do that actually make you laugh? What are some other things in life that really get you into a silly mood? Perhaps it is catching up with a good friend, or playing with your pet, or just thinking of something that makes you laugh. Tap into those moments when you need a good dose of silliness and enjoy reliving the moment. By doing so, you’re giving yourself the opportunity to slow down and exist in a space of pure goofiness. From here, the whole concept of taking life so seriously ends up being not so serious after all.
There are so many ways to slow down without the need to get into an accident to give you the memo. (I guess I needed the thumbs up in this case!) Take advantage of the ability to slow down in your own way. Breathe deeper. Add moments to relax in your daily calendar. Try on a laugh and see how it fits. Become super present for a moment- even if it means simply looking at all the cool lines on your hand and wondering what they mean and where they all lead to. Change up your daily routine, be it putting your clothes on opposite starting with your left leg or arm first if you typically do things with your right side first. Brush your teeth with your opposite hand, try a different hairstyle, grab items with your non-dominant hand…essentially try things differently in your routine so that you get to slow down and recognize things with a different perspective. You get to slow down! When your task list of action items gets too large, step away from it and give yourself a “slow down check”. Even better, add about five of those checks to the top of the list. Add a few silly moments in there too. You’re worth the slow down~
I remain surprised and amazed with how helpful feedback is, and I welcome your feedback to this article! Feel free to respond to this newsletter with your comments or email me and let me know what you think about this month’s theme. Additionally, I’m curious to know which topics you’d like to hear more about, knowing that practical solutions help support the pathway to a healthier lifestyle. Thanks for stopping by!