I remember when I asked a life coach if she had any advice for me and one piece of advice she told me was I needed to slow down. I had not thought about it much before she said anything, but I really did need to slow down. Prior to her advice, I would go to my job during the day and I would rush through all my work. Then when I left my job I would I would rush through my “to-do” list.
I did this with the best of intentions, or at least I thought I had good intentions. I thought to myself that if I rush through things, then that will help me be more productive and give me more time to relax at the end of the day. However, there were some practical and spiritual flaws with this line of thinking. First of all, when I rushed through things so I could have more time to relax, then I was completely exhausted by the end of the day and couldn’t really relax because of how tired and stressed out I had made myself from rushing. Additionally, when I rushed through things, it actually took me longer to complete certain tasks because I made mistakes when I was rushing. Then, I would have to spend more time fixing the mistakes that I had made. Had I slowed down and taken my time, I would have had a clearer mind, been more efficient, and save time in the long run.
Additionally, on a more spiritual or psychological level, I realized that I was rushing through things because I was questioning whether I or the Universe / Spirit would give me enough time and/or competence to complete my tasks for the day. My rushing through my tasks was really part of a deeper fear that I was not good or competent enough to get done what I needed to get done each day.
So, I decided to make a conscious effort to slow myself down. Instead treating life like a business I was to gain startup funding, I actually slowed down. I do this by mentally reminding myself to slow down when I feel myself rushing through tasks. I also try to focus on my breathe when I am thinking through things too fast. I do not change my breathe, I simply focus on it going in and out. Or, I may just get up and go for a short walk or simply look out of a window at the clouds to help me slow down. I have also tried mentally repeating the following mantras throughout the day. I will tell myself, “I probably have enough time and competence to get done what Spirit wants me to get done today. And, if I don’t then, I can handle it.”
Slowing down has really helped me out a lot. Psychologically, it has helped me feel less stress throughout the day because my body and mind are moving at a slower pace. It also helps me build my confidence and self-efficacy because by slowing down I am telling myself that I can accomplish all of my tasks without rushing. Slowing down has also helped me on a spiritual level too. It helps deepen my trust and faith in Spirit or God because I know the Universe will provide for me everything I need for that day. Additionally, it helps me on a spiritual level by opening myself up more to my intuition and clearer spiritual guidance. When I rush through things in life, it is hard for me to be open to guidance and that still quiet voice of inner wisdom inside all of us. However, when I slow down I have a greater connection to my intuition and instincts which helps create more synchronicity in my life. In the long run, this helps me be much more efficient, saves time and conserves my energy. It also helps improve my relationships. If I hadn’t slowed down, then I may have needed to look for a marriage counsellor near me or find another job look for best general labour jobs.
When do you know you need to slow down and what are some strategies that use to help you in those situations.
Peace,
Dr. Matthew Welsh, J.D., Ph.D.
Founder of Spiritual Media Blog