Slowing down đ«§
By slowing down at the right moment, people find that they do everything better. They eat better, they make love better, they exercise better, they work better, they live better.
- Carl Honoré
It was the beginning of 2023; I had a lot of uncertainty and was feeling a little lost. It was intense and a little scary. 2022 had been challenging in my personal life, I found myself often questioning my decisions while simultaneously hearing a voice deep inside reminding me to not ignore how I feel⊠How we feel often signals something important â„ïž
January to mid-march 2023 was great! I did amazing at work; my diary was full and I was being productive. YAY to me! The only thing was that, in my personal life, I was still a little unsure about many things and felt as keeping myself busy was the best thing to do so I wouldnât feel lost. It did help, a little.
On one cold Sunday in march, I went on a stroll downtown... a long one. I let myself get lost, people watch, smile to strangers etc. I remember standing in front of Van Gogh observes by the late Joe Fafard (Canadian sculptor); I had never done it before but I often would look at it when in a car because I was fascinated by how the eyes (on the sculpture) follow you no matter the direction - I know I sound confusing now, please go look at it and you will understand đ
- I was in awe, I took my sweet time to enjoy every inch of it. It felt so magical, I was in the moment and had this big smile on my face*also smiling big now while writing this*; took a few photos and continued my walk.
As soon as I arrived home, got comfy on my couch and reflected on my day. I was so happy, I told myself âWow it feels so good to just slow down, be in the moment, walk without any music or real destination and just experience the world around usâ. I donât know how to really put it in words but I was feeling so light, grateful; I felt this nice and intense energy in my mind and body. đ„°
Few days later, I came across this quote by Carl HonorĂ© âBy slowing down at the right moment, people find that they do everything better. They eat better, they make love better, they exercise better, they work better, they live betterâ. I wrote it down in my little quotes journal (unusual I know). It reminded me of how I felt on that Sunday and how great my week had been afterwards and at that moment I decided Iâd do my best to slow down as often as possible. I do so in many different ways and here are a few of them:
- Long destinationless walks where I take my time to pay attention to every little boutique, cafĂ© and more + randomly chat with stranger (this particular one helps me a lot because I am an introvert đ
)
- Volunteer
- Read as frequently as I can - by the way I added a few on my wishlist, in case you would like to contribute to my never-ending curiosity and learning journey đ;
- Enjoy a nice bottle of wine/champagne in complete silence while looking at my windows
- Breathing exercises / meditation / yoga classes;
- Quality time with friends + family;
- Little getaways;
- Spa day: everything often feels so good after a nice massage, a facial and relaxation
- Solo dinners + private chef dinners (I am foodie and this always thrills me);
- Having my fav French pastries and write my thoughts;
- Gift myself nice things;
- Practice gratitude đ„°
I created a good balance for me. My mind is less preoccupied, I am able to understand things in my personal life, have clear boundaries, communicate clearly, prioritize what brings me pure joy, often show up my best and enjoy every single moment alone or with company đ„°
Lastly, slowing down helps us lower our cortisol (stress hormone) level and I agree with Carl because:
- I do exercise better: with a clear mind, my body performs better;
- I do make love better: I find myself enjoying every second even more. I am more expressive of what I want / enjoy and get an immense satisfaction from mutual pleasure. And as you may know by now, I am a true hedonist;
- I do work better: I do my best to focus on what work, delegate, avoid multitasking;
- I do live better: I prioritize everything that brings me joy and pleasure đ„°;
- I do eat better: often in great company too đ„.
What do you do to slow down? If you do not, is it something you would consider? No pressure, no judgment â„ïž
While you think about it, here are more selfies until my next âblogâ in 2 weeksđ„
Tendrement, NĂ©la đ