How many of you enjoy traveling?
I personally like seeing new places and meeting new people. However, I sometimes find the time spent in the car or plane to be tedious. When I have an extended journey planned, I prepare in advance to avoid becoming bored. Favorite music, sudoku puzzles, and a fat novel are some of the items I bring along for distraction during my ride. Providing distractions in the car became even more desirable as I started having children and began traveling with them.
This strategy is fine for dealing with vacations, but how many of us approach life this way? Filling each moment from dawn to dusk with activities that act as distractions, while forgetting that in life, it's the journey itself that's important?
What is your "journey" like? Is it rushed and hurried as you jump from one thing to the next, or are you making time to take in the sights and sounds around you?
I believe life is made up of moments, each one special and unique, and each - unfortunately - irretrievable. It is up to us to learn how to savor and enjoy each one of them.
How can you learn to slow down a little and enjoy your ride? I've put together a short list of strategies I've found helpful when I feel my own life speeding by too quickly:
1 - Live in the moment. Too many times, we find ourselves so focused on mourning the past or anticipating the future that we fail to enjoy what's happening NOW. Try to savor the events of "today".
2 - Avoid over scheduling. It's okay not to schedule every minute of every day. Leaving some open time for "whatever" will help you feel less rushed and eliminate stress if unexpected things crop up.
3 - Learn to say "no". While service is a great way to spend your time, recognize your limitations. It's okay to decline if you're already feeling overwhelmed with your situation.
4 - Watch a sunset. Look at cloud formations. See a flower that's uncurling it's tender new petals. Little children are great at noticing the wonders of nature around them; try to follow their example.
That's the assignment for this week; slowing your life down a little, allowing yourself time to notice and appreciate what's going on around you. After all, life's a journey, not a destination. And, as the Huggies' commercial recommends, we should enjoy the ride!
No comments:
Post a Comment