Slow down once in a while, and take time to enjoy all the beauty around you

Slow down once in a while, and take time to enjoy all the beauty around you

Sometimes, I think this is easier said than done.  How often don’t we get caught up in the day to day humdrum of life?  The craziness with all it’s unscheduled and unplanned instances.  We become consumed with everything else around us, that inevitably is unimportant in the greater scheme of things.  We even complain about it from time to time…move on from it and continue the cycle on another day.

This morning I missed my train by 1 minute.  I saw it slowing down, hurriedly parked my car in a bay and convinced myself that I could So make it.  I grabbed my bag and ran for it but stopped as an old lady pulled out in front of me, after dropping off someone who successfully boarded said train.  I smiled as she apologetically put up her hand, saying sorry for crossing my path.  What could I possibly do…Nothing!  I watched as the train doors closed and slowed down from my hurried state.

attitude

I stood waiting for the next train to come, which would be here in the next 5 minutes.  Yes, that’s right…5 minutes…Not long at all.  I turned on my phone and decided to look at my daily life tip (the topic of today’s post).  I smiled, took a deep breath and raised my eyes to look at my surroundings.  It was a bit cold this morning, but I told myself “We’ve had worse“.  There was some fog covering the hills.  I lazily stared at the houses against the hill and thought what a pretty sight it is…just like a picture.  This little place makes me think of a sleepy town in one of those stories where nothing ever goes wrong, a quiet serene life and laid back lifestyle.

My life is always a rush…or so it feels.  In hindsight, I was thankful for missing the train.  I had no real reason to rush to work aside from wanting to start early so I could naturally finish early.  I still got to work the same time I would have, had I caught the earlier train but there was just less stress when I adjusted my attitude and accepted the old lady’s apologetic look and wave.  In that split second, my day changed…not for worse but for the better.  That’s all it takes.  A split second to adjust your attitude and response to a situation and all can be well with your world.  Had I not done that, I would not have had the 4 minutes of pleasure, taking in the beauty of my surroundings.  I would not have had the time to slow down my heart rate and minimise my stress levels.

slow down

How often do we take these little interruptions (“gifts“) for granted?  Think about it…Kids can be a big interruption at times, especially little ones.  My 5-year old constantly interrupts me, my train of thought or just my general state of trying to have some peace and quiet.  It might even be someone who comes to your desk at work, while you’re busy typing up an important e-mail in response to your manager or that dreaded report you just have to get out ASAP!

Think about the stress levels, the effect of the adrenaline pumping to your heart and the time it shaves off your life.  Is it really worth it?  So what if you’re late?  So what if you don’t make your deadline?  Is your life really that unimportant?  Would 5 minutes of your precious time be too much to give to your child who will have grown up, before you know it?

Would slowing down once in a while, really affect the balance of your life negatively…or would it enhance the flavour of the quality?

slow

 

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