I found myself writing in my journal recently on the need to slow down every so often and how that is such a good thing to do.

I’m in that mode at the moment, so every action—besides what I’m supposed to be doing—seems like the appropriate action.

I am heeding the call of taking a slight respite prior to the holiday madness. Finding joy in the daily mundane, noticing more nuances of outdoor movement between people and nature, and communication with friends and loved ones have positioned themselves from the back burner to the front seat.

I’m cooking all meals from scratch at home, catching up on my laptop hulu shows that have me roaring in laughter, organizing photos on the very same laptop, gathering old clothes to give to Goodwill and rummaging through my spices to see what I can display outside the pantry that will make the entire kitchen smell delightful.

I’m creating little altars everywhere in our small apartment, daydreaming about the big picture, communicating about what matters most in life with those I love and not worrying one single second about the holidays and travel, but actually excited that seeing family and friends for a week always shifts the perspective on life for a moment.

Being overly productive is a small guarantee that something meaningful in life is being dropped.

I’m a believer in success at every possible juncture, but when the cost of that success is leaving others in the dust then it’s time to rethink the priorities.

While having a “to do” list is admirable, if every item is not crossed off that list at just the right time, it might leave you with a feeling of imperfection and laziness. Why rush around from point to point, adding to the already congested traffic on roads, gaining a possible headache in the making, when whatever it was you were going to do could truly wait?

Successful people have a knack for taking their time, especially when it is a task they are passionate about and want to participate in for a long time.

There is no rush.

Some have staying power in their chosen life, simply because they took their time. It can cause craziness in true Type A personalities, yet slowing down might be the best decision you can make.

Get off the beaten path here: gut in, shoulders back and stand up straight.

Okay, now that we have that small adjustment dealt with, what is the real reason for all the rushing around? I have fallen prey to that behavior for many years, and although it looked good on paper, it drove my adrenals into the ground.

Taking care of business doesn’t have to mean being late from one appointment to the next, making just one more stop before you arrive at the final destination or shoving just a few more handfuls of chips in your mouth because you might get hungry prior to dinnertime.

It doesn’t have to mean exerting 10 extra unwanted minutes on the treadmill because it will make up for those extra chips you ate or pounding away on the keyboard with deadlines looming because your fingers can’t keep up with what your brain is thinking.

This is all just one big rush around tactic and it sends your insides into a tizzy.

Sit up straight, take a deep breath, feel that breath, shift your gaze to something pretty and simple, loosen up your facial muscles and smell the roses. Don’t rush to do it. Relax to do it.

Your success of the day has been achieved. You woke up.

You made it through another round of whatever it was that made your heart sing. And, you did it all without a single solitary misuse of time and energy. So, what’s the rush? It is time for reflection, reset, and richness in spirit.

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Editor: Catherine Monkman

{Photo: Peggy Markel.}