5 ways to slow down in life and breathe…like really breathe

We are all so busy running from one place to another, one goal to another. We’re so busy that we do not have the time to slow down anymore!

But slowing down doesn’t just happen. Life just keeps getting faster and unless we make a conscious effort to pause when needed, we will just be catapulted from one thing to the next. It just becomes a whirlwind of chaos.

On World Sauntering Day, we remind ourselves to take that little break and add moments of reflection into our daily life.

Here are five easy ways to slow down:

Be present

Keep bringing your awareness to the present. When we do not do that we are most of the time living in the past or worrying about the future. What about the moment right here and now? When we identify the barriers to being present—things like cell phones, interruptions and wandering thoughts—it becomes easier to guard our attention so we can be in the moment. Ask yourself what stops us from bringing our awareness to this current moment and you can begin from there.

Practice silence

Think about it. We are surrounded by noise. We feel the need to have music or a podcast playing when we’re doing nothing much, or running errands, we have the buzzing and ringing of our phones, with notifications and calls coming in, we have the hustle and bustle of life continuously filling our lives that a moment of silence makes us uncomfortable. What if you could just stop? Stop the noise, stop the rushing, stop trying to perform, stop trying to keep up. Just stop. Be still. In the world we live in silence is something we’ve got to choose and practice. It is ok not to fill every moment of our day with activity.

Journal

We never pause to check in with ourselves, think back on the day, or consider whether or not we like how we’re spending our time. Beginning our day by writing down our thoughts, what we’re grateful for and even ending the day journaling can be so helpful in understanding ourselves and streamlining our thoughts. Journaling helps us connect with ourselves. And there are no rules to it! Just write away.

Take a walk

Spending time with nature is again another way to get in touch with ourselves. Disconnect from the digital world, leave your phone and music at home and step out for a walk. Choose offbeat destinations if you have a little extra time over the weekend maybe and relax in nature’s lap. Fifteen minutes of leisurely walk in nature everyday can rejuvenate you so much.

Get your sleep

Again, in the world of gadgets and distractions, our sleep schedule has gone for a toss. We cannot have a productive life without getting enough sleep. With a good amount of sleep, we can begin our day early, and have so much more time to pursue what we really love. That in turn increases our focus through the day. Fixing our sleep cycle is easier said than done. A tip is to keep the phone far away from the bed, and begin by sleeping 15 minutes earlier than usual each day.

Our breakneck pace of life is devastating to our mental and physical health, our relationships, and our productivity. But when we make slowing down a priority, we can:

• Focus on what is truly important
• Stay physically, mentally and emotionally healthy
• Increase productivity
• Simply become a happier person!

Slowing down can take a lot of discipline, but like they say, if you really want something you just make up your mind to do it. And since these ways are highly practical, we’re sure you can do them too!

Don’t hurry. If you must then hurry slowly!

— Festina Lente

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