“Slow Down, You Move Too Fast.”

Happy Halloween!  I hope you have a silly and fun day!  I’m heading to Erie, PA, to visit my oldest friend for a long weekend.  Currently, I am writing to you from the airport.  The flight is expected to be packed, so I got here very early.  Given that and the fact that today is the first day our dear Air Traffic Controllers are not getting paid for their work (until Congress figures out a deal to pay them), I am feeling a bit nervous.

The words to the title of the blog reflect my age, as my mom used to play Simon and Garfunkel when we were kids.  They are the first lines of the song “Feeling Groovy”.  What a funny word-groovy.  I was curious, so I looked up the origin of the word.  (I promise that I am going somewhere with this!). Groovy has its roots in Jazz music of the 40’s.  Musicians would say that a number was  “in the groove,” referring to the grooves of a record album.  Later on, in the 60s, the Hippie generation took over the term “groovy” as a way to express that some experience is cool or exciting. My parents were mostly hippies.

Over the past few weeks, I haven’t felt very “groovy”.  This time of year is historically overwhelming with the final projects to be done before the holidays and the holidays themselves.  Then these lyrics popped into my head: “Slow down, you move too fast”!  I decided to play this song, and I instantly felt a bit more chilled out. They encouraged me to be in the moment, rather than the frenetic push to get “it” all done now.   I am not sure if you feel this way at this time of year, but I thought I would share some additional strategies that I use to balance my nervous system.

1-Enjoy a slow, warm cup of coffee or tea.  Smell it, feel it on my lips, in my mouth, and go down to my stomach.  Breathe in and enjoy.  This morning time is critical to the start of my day. So simple.

2-Listen to a guided meditation.  Recently, I switched my meditation app from Insight Timer, that I have been using for the last 5 years, to Balance.  (links). His voice feels like a friend, and he is walking me through some meditations that range from 5-15 minutes.

3-Read a good book.  Whether I am reading fiction to escape or non-fiction to learn something new, I love the little set-up on my sofa, with my book, journal, and light, to grab every moment that I can.  My current book is “Designing Your Life-How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life.”

I will let you know about this book. Essentially, I am reading all the books I can find that involve “designing” and “balance” because this is what I am researching for my book, which I’d like to write.

4-Create order in your home.   This is my easy strategy to control the things that I can.  Whether it is making the bed, cleaning off the kitchen counters, washing the dishes or rearranging my bookshelves.  This process usually takes less than 10 minutes and gives me something beautiful to admire.

5-Make a list of people that I love.  I earn bonus points if I text a couple of them and let them know I am thinking about them.  This will often give me a quick text back, which is immensely gratifying.

6-Take a hike. Layer up and get out in nature.  I love hiking along a river or finding a waterfall.  Water and Nature are my guides, and I can bliss out; I have to remember to do it!

7-Enjoy some warm comfort food. For me, that includes curry, chili and ramen.  What is your comfort food?

8-Put on some cozy clothes.  Feeling the fibers like cashmere, cotton, and linen.  No belts, only drawstrings and elastic waist, lots of pockets.

9-Spend some time with your best friend.  As I head to Erie to hang out with Lara or play cards with Gail, the conversation can easily flow or not.  It does not matter; we are together, we trust each other, and we can just be.

10-Make a list.  When I am ready to get back to “it,” I make a complete list of everything on my mind.  I usually begin with some easy tasks so that I can gain momentum for the harder stuff.

I  admit that I created  this list for me, so that I can remember a few strategies when I am feeling the pressure.  I do hope that it feels beneficial to you as well, to find special ways to cope over the next few months.  I would also appreciate it if you would share your strategies to assist you over the upcoming months.

Until next week,

Stephanie