Slowing Down and Enjoying More...

"Sometimes I think there are only two instructions we need to follow to develop and deepen our spiritual life: slow down and let go." ― Oriah Mountain Dreamer

I’ve been wondering… what if we did a little less, but a little more often? It sounds a little bit counterintuitive at first lol, but when you really think about it, it actually makes perfect sense. We live in a world that rewards constant movement, where productivity is SO VERY often mistaken for worth. "Achieve, achieve, achieve," they say. But how much of what we do is truly productive? And how much of it is just busyness for the sake of it? If we’re honest, probably more than we care to admit.

Over the past few months, I’ve felt a shift within myself. Instead of pushing to meet unrealistic expectations…(ones I set for myself, mind you), lol - I’ve started listening more! Some days, inspiration just flows and so does action. Everything comes effortlessly and other days, I feel a bit stuck in the mud, unable to move forward no matter how hard I try. I used to reject and fight against those “slower days”, treating them as if they were failures of some sort, which is so very wrong! Now, I’m learning to accept them for precisely what they are - necessary pauses!

We are not machines. We are not built for endless output, no matter how much we pretend otherwise. Even the most driven or the most resilient individuals, eventually reach a point where sheer willpower is no longer enough to carry them through… And yet, just as apples fall off trees, we resist slowing down, as if stopping for a moment will somehow erase all our progress… and when we finally DO allow ourselves that breath, we often find we’ve been holding it for wayyyy too long.

Taking time to slow down isn’t laziness - it’s an act of self-preservation. It’s recognising that some days will be filled with action, while others will be quieter and a lot more introspective… and both are okay. Both are needed. I no longer punish myself for the days when all I can do is just be… the ones allowing life to unfold without force. They are anything but wasted. They bring clarity, fresh perspective, and a sense of ease that only comes when we stop running from ourselves.

"And so taking the long way home through the market I slow my pace down. It doesn't come naturally. My legs are programmed to trot briskly and my arms to pump up and down like pistons, but I force myself to stroll past the stalls and pavement cafés. To enjoy just being somewhere, rather than rushing from somewhere, to somewhere… I take a moment to just stop and look around me. And smile to myself. For the first time in a long time, I can, quite literally, smell the coffee." ― Alexandra Potter

And that’s just… taking the long way home, pausing in the moment for even just a few seconds. We don’t do enough of that. We live for "just now" or "later" or "when things settle," but by doing that, we let the present slip right through our fingers. Before we know it, another week is gone, another month and then another year… or even years, and we’re left wondering where the time went.

Life isn’t just about what we accomplish. It’s about how we experience it. It’s about the quality of our moments, not just the quantity of our achievements. Slowing down doesn’t need to mean stopping… it means moving and living with more intention, being fully present, and allowing ourselves that grace.

"My new deliberate and slower pace has created a higher quality in my experiences." ― Lisa J. Shultz

So, I am making a habit of reminding myself of all of this. The world isn’t going anywhere. And if I move through my days with a little more awareness, a little more care, I might just find that the very things I thought I was chasing have been right in front of me all along.

On that note, Good Morning and Happy Thursday! Wishing you all a FANTABULOUS KLEIN VRYDAG (as we call it here in South Africa)... one that unfolds at just the right pace.

❤❤❤

Until next time...
Much Love from Country Bumpkinland, South Africa xxx
Jaynielea

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