Skip to main content

Slow living


#respecttheoldseekoutthenew2022

 “The ‘slow philosophy’ can be summed up in a single word: balance. 

Be fast when it makes sense to be fast, and be slow when slowness is called for.”

We all know by now that every so often, when all is going seemingly well, suddenly obstacles and challenges can present themselves.

 These moments can be very destabilizing, but if we choose the correct mindset and accept them as opportunities to pause, reflect, re-evalute and re-focus, we can try to make the best out of some difficult situations.

A few weeks ago, I felt an immense amount of stress take over my mind and body. Above all, I was feeling frustrated with little things happening (mostly at work) and also pressed to train with more intensity in preparation for upcoming competitions. The accumulation of these stressors eventually led me to ‘crash’ and get really sick; it was a brutal reminder of how costly stress can be.


Though I laid on the couch, several days in a row, feeling absolutely terrible, I had alot of time to rest, reflect on how I got to that point, to re-evalute my choices and to re-focus my energy on things that matter most; primarily my health!

Working and exercising rank high on my list of priorities, but if I am not healthy, can I do either of these things well? Of course not! Burnout and exhaustion are serious issues and we must take care of ourselves to avoid them.

Over the last few years, I have made lots of progress in listening to my body and being aware of certain signs of fatigue, but every so often, I still get caught up in the fast pace of life. Being sick recently reminded me that I either need to make the choice to slow things down, or my body will simply make that choice for me.

Clearly, there are times when we are required to speed things up, but that said, we often forget that we can also get better results from time to time just by slowing things down and even doing less. 

Choosing the right speed can be tricky, and it can also be costly.

Let’s choose wisely!


“By slowing down at the right moments, people find that they do everything better.”



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mirror, Mirror

  “I could try to be just like you, but I wanna be like me - the girl in the mirror.” Have you ever looked at a picture of yourself and thought “YIKES!”? Of course you have! We all have! We can all get a little self-critical from time to time, can’t we? I’ll be honest, I don’t often love seeing pictures of myself, especially those really close up, like selfies. Every image seems to amplify my insecurities and highlight “ flaws ” that I wish would disappear. I’m a pretty simple girl—no make-up, no heels, just me as I am, and I find that the world often holds up a different standard of beauty for females, one that's heavily curated and polished. My negative thoughts can weigh heavily at times, and social media ( with all its’ filters ) only magnifies those feelings of self-doubt. Over the last year, I’ve taken a number of selfies or mirror pictures. Some were taken to capture moments during my solo trips, some were taken to track physical changes influenced by diet, training and r...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fly Away

  “Until you spread your wings, you’ll never know how far you can fly.” For as long as I can remember, there has been a relentless pull within me; a desire to fly away, to explore beyond the boundaries of familiarity, and to immerse myself in the cultural richness of our world. It all started over 15 years ago with a pivotal moment: my first international trip to the Dominican Republic for humanitarian purposes. Little did I know then that this remarkable trip ( *along with teaching in a challenging multicultural school ) would set the stage for a life defined by adventure, discovery, and personal growth. Since that transformative experience, my life has been a whirlwind of movement and exploration. I've been blessed with the opportunity to experience living and working abroad, both in the UAE and in Vietnam, and along the way, I've had the privilege to traverse more than 40 countries, each offering its own unique blend of culture, history, landscape and perspective. Looking ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The runner in me

“Mind over miles.” A few years back, I was all in. I was that person signing up for every race that came across my radar—10K’s, half-marathons, marathons—you name it. The thrill of crossing the finish line, the camaraderie at the starting line, the way the crowds cheered you on, it was all so energizing. I didn’t even need music to get through a run, even a whole 42km marathon, which, I know, sounds crazy to most people. But there I was, in my zone, taking it all in and doing something I enjoyed. I collected lots of medals and racked up plenty of podium finishes, but most importantly I had some memorable international races, and met tons of amazing people along the way. I discovered that running was a really accessible sport; all you needed was a pair of shoes and the will to go. I could literally show up to a race, put one foot in front of the other, and—boom—be part of a community of people all working toward the same goal. So, what happened? Why did I stop running? For me, it came d...
Post a Comment
Read more