That time of year has come. The time to pull myself away from to-do lists and into vacation mode. I recently mentioned on Instagram how I have been on the go for months now, with my mind in super overdrive to achieve my goals in business and in science. If you followed me last summer, you might remember how challenging it was for me to snap into mindfulness and to let go of anything that kept my mind from being still. It was one of my major resolutions this year to practice mindfulness in ways that felt reasonable and accessible to me – in other words, without having to dramatically change my lifestyle in a way that would be difficult to uphold.
In the spirit of this resolution and to mentally prepare myself for my vacation so that I actually enjoy it when it comes, I made a list (of course!) of what I would like to consciously work on to slow down my pace.
Without further ado, here are the 40 pieces of advice I offered to myself to be less wrapped up in a hurried existence, and more peaceful this summer.
Without further ado, here are the 40 pieces of advice I offered to myself to be less wrapped up in a hurried existence, and more peaceful this summer.
1. Wake up to a feeling, not a device. Take two minutes each morning to notice, breathe, visualize, stretch or cuddle, before you reach for any device.
2. Wait your turn. When sharing food or conversation, be aware of turn-taking.
3. Walk slowly. Leave earlier to get where you need to get, and don’t rush.
4. Accept what you are presently doing. Stop thinking of what you are not doing or where you think you should be instead.
2. Wait your turn. When sharing food or conversation, be aware of turn-taking.
3. Walk slowly. Leave earlier to get where you need to get, and don’t rush.
4. Accept what you are presently doing. Stop thinking of what you are not doing or where you think you should be instead.
5. Reflect on the silver lining. Every day has at least one.
6. Read, don’t skim. It becomes a tough habit to break and, before you know it, you won’t be an attentive reader anymore.
7. Write a handwritten letter. Pay attention to your handwriting. Don’t hurry.
6. Read, don’t skim. It becomes a tough habit to break and, before you know it, you won’t be an attentive reader anymore.
7. Write a handwritten letter. Pay attention to your handwriting. Don’t hurry.
8. Make a to-do list. Then make another one. Why? Because in the first one you mistook yourself for a superhero on steroids.
9. Pretend you’re retired for a day. What will you choose to do?
10. Stop yourself from getting annoyed by slow walkers or slow waiters. Why are you so impatient?! (If it's because you're in a rush, go back to #3)
9. Pretend you’re retired for a day. What will you choose to do?
10. Stop yourself from getting annoyed by slow walkers or slow waiters. Why are you so impatient?! (If it's because you're in a rush, go back to #3)
11. Get some morning sun. No matter how busy you are, ten minutes of your face pointed to the sun is always worth it.
12. Have a to-be list. Think not only of what you want to do in a day, but also want you want to be.
13. Wait for the light to turn. In the grand scheme of things, waiting a few extra seconds for a green light won’t hurt.
14. Put your fork down between bites. Either that or use chopsticks to slow down your eating.
15. Remember that being busy is a choice and completely within your control.
12. Have a to-be list. Think not only of what you want to do in a day, but also want you want to be.
13. Wait for the light to turn. In the grand scheme of things, waiting a few extra seconds for a green light won’t hurt.
14. Put your fork down between bites. Either that or use chopsticks to slow down your eating.
15. Remember that being busy is a choice and completely within your control.
16. Schedule a mid-day “check-in” with yourself. How are you feeling? How are you breathing? Have your priorities changed? Are you being kind to yourself?
17. There is no such thing as a wasted day. A different day than you planned, perhaps. But wasted – never.
18. Stop measuring your self-worth in “likes”. Be yourself and let go of all else, before you tumble into self-doubt.
19. Let the waiter come to you. Don’t call him/her over if it’s not urgent.
20. Buy yourself flowers. Then, stop to look at them.
17. There is no such thing as a wasted day. A different day than you planned, perhaps. But wasted – never.
18. Stop measuring your self-worth in “likes”. Be yourself and let go of all else, before you tumble into self-doubt.
19. Let the waiter come to you. Don’t call him/her over if it’s not urgent.
20. Buy yourself flowers. Then, stop to look at them.
21. Go to bed. When the thought crosses your mind, you are tired. Don’t cram anything else into your day.
22. Picture a place where you have been at peace. Lose yourself in that imagery while you are in bed in the morning or at night. While doing so, relax your eyebrows and jaw, unclench your fists.
23. Stay. If you can’t travel, book a “staycation” and pretend you’re away. It takes discipline but it is so rewarding to be off exploring your own city.
24. Stop checking the weather. It’s not a certainty anyway. Instead, be prepared to accept whatever comes.
25. Hear the birds. I mean, really hear them.
22. Picture a place where you have been at peace. Lose yourself in that imagery while you are in bed in the morning or at night. While doing so, relax your eyebrows and jaw, unclench your fists.
23. Stay. If you can’t travel, book a “staycation” and pretend you’re away. It takes discipline but it is so rewarding to be off exploring your own city.
24. Stop checking the weather. It’s not a certainty anyway. Instead, be prepared to accept whatever comes.
25. Hear the birds. I mean, really hear them.
26. When you eat, eat. If you work or read while eating, you will gobble it up without even tasting it.
27. Tidy an area once a week. Whether it’s your desk, your clothes or that stash of receipts you keep in your wallet – going through a small area once a week helps feel lighter.
28. Swim. Inside, outside, in the tub – wherever. Just carve out time to be immersed in water.
29. Set boundaries. Don’t let your work expand to fill all the time you have.
27. Tidy an area once a week. Whether it’s your desk, your clothes or that stash of receipts you keep in your wallet – going through a small area once a week helps feel lighter.
28. Swim. Inside, outside, in the tub – wherever. Just carve out time to be immersed in water.
29. Set boundaries. Don’t let your work expand to fill all the time you have.
30. Make a point to go to nature. It does so much good for the soul and puts everything into perspective.
31. Slow down your speech and the questions you ask. It will automatically slow down your mind.
32. Enjoy the silence. Don’t fill it with anything.
33. Say NO to notifications. Almost nothing is urgent enough to require you to know about it (and respond to it) in a fraction of a second. Especially not Facebook. Nope, not even Instagram.
31. Slow down your speech and the questions you ask. It will automatically slow down your mind.
32. Enjoy the silence. Don’t fill it with anything.
33. Say NO to notifications. Almost nothing is urgent enough to require you to know about it (and respond to it) in a fraction of a second. Especially not Facebook. Nope, not even Instagram.
34. Transition between work and home. Make time to slowly unwind between the two rather than rushing between them.
35. Tell yourself: “Everything is going as it should. I am happy”, and watch your reality follow.
36. Look up. Notice the sky or the leaves of a tree.
37. Sit quietly with a notebook in your hand. What will you write when your heart is still?
35. Tell yourself: “Everything is going as it should. I am happy”, and watch your reality follow.
36. Look up. Notice the sky or the leaves of a tree.
37. Sit quietly with a notebook in your hand. What will you write when your heart is still?
38. Lose track of time. Remove your watch, put away your devices and enjoy not caring what time it is for a day.
39. Save it for tomorrow. Truth is, sometimes our to-do lists are too ambitious. Transferring an item or two (or three) to another day won’t cause the Earth to implode.
40. Watch your mouth. Cut out any negativity in the words you use, especially to talk about yourself. Be sure to balance complaints with gratitude, until positivity wins over.
39. Save it for tomorrow. Truth is, sometimes our to-do lists are too ambitious. Transferring an item or two (or three) to another day won’t cause the Earth to implode.
40. Watch your mouth. Cut out any negativity in the words you use, especially to talk about yourself. Be sure to balance complaints with gratitude, until positivity wins over.
It is my dream to be able to do all of these effortlessly, knowing that with a slower pace and increased patience comes a sense of acceptance and calm. Resistance and tension then dissipate to make room for clarity and inspiration, which unlocks so much of our potential. Our ability to cope with challenges strengthens and we begin to attract all sorts of good into our daily life.
TELL ME:
Which ONE of these do you swear by?
Which of these do you want to try?
I would love to know your thoughts. Don't forget to share this post if you think a friend could benefit from this list!
From my heart to yours!
TELL ME:
Which ONE of these do you swear by?
Which of these do you want to try?
I would love to know your thoughts. Don't forget to share this post if you think a friend could benefit from this list!
From my heart to yours!
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