Tag Archives: slow down

Just drink your coffee.

Posted on by
6

uhl08

I am an avid coffee lover. I first appreciated the aroma of coffee as a child. Each morning when my parents’ percolator bubbled as I entered the kitchen, it told me everything was well with the world.

I have progressively adjusted my taste – beginning in college with a milky, sugary-sweet, beverage; I have “matured” to being a fan of the strong, pure-black, nothing-added variety.

I especially relish the warmth of a full steamy mug in my hands, especially when it is cold… but even when it’s hot outside – a tip I learned living in tropical Costa Rica. The “Ticos” taught me a hot drink warming up your inside makes you feel cooler outside. 🙂 My many years in Latin America conditioned me to be able to drink coffee at all times of the day – caffeine rarely affects me.

I collect coffee mugs from all over the world. Even my blog boasts a coffee theme.

However, as much as I love my coffee…
I lose my enjoyment of my coffee when I hurry.

Maybe you prefer tea or coke over coffee. The principle is the same. We lose our enjoyment of many things when we are not fully engaged, when we are distracted, and when we are not focused. Conversations are forgotten, food becomes tasteless and people feel less valued.

Victoria Sweet, MD understands how hurry works. She wisely says:

“You don’t have to have your coffee and read the paper
and talk to someone and text. Just drink your coffee.”

Slow down. Take care of you. Take time to replenish.

Today, just drink your coffee.

Or try one of these:

  • listen to music or play your instrument
  • go on a walk
  • work in a garden
  • write a card or letter by hand or journal
  • be creative – paint, draw, craft, build something
  • go to a spa, get a massage, exercise

How would doing just one thing at a time increase your enjoyment of that experience today?

What are you missing?

Posted on by
2

Living life unhurried is not easy.

A few months ago, I committed to spending three hours a week reading, reflecting and writing. It has already been a struggle, but so far I have been able to enjoy that time most weeks.

When I am trying to develop a new habit, it helps me if I remember WHY I am trying to make the change.

I discovered an excellent WHY video while I was researching content for the “31 Days of Unhurried Living”. I never tire of watching this video, and it continually motivates me to unhurry my life.

Kimi Werner is a champion freediver and spearfisher. She has learned an important lesson that is valuable for us also.

uhl04

CLICK HERE to watch the video. If you are in a hurry 🙂 , just watch the first part (0:00-4:20). It really is worth your time. The video continues – and it is all good – so watch the full recording when you have time!

These are the questions that came to my mind after watching Kimi’s video. They help me to remember WHY I want to live unhurried. How would you answer them?

What do you miss when you speed up?

What might you experience if you were to slow down?

Do you have hurry sickness?

Posted on by
6

00Pre_1

Have you got hurry sickness?

That has become a regular question in my home whenever anyone is impatient or irritated with another’s slowness. Sometimes I am asking myself. That is a rhetorical question! Some times I am asking my husband or someone else.

The symptoms have become all too familiar to us. We are more self-aware than we were years or even months ago. I’ve been told that self-awareness is a good thing, although sometimes I wish I was not so knowledgeable of my flaws and weaknesses.

Hurry is characterized by
continual rushing and hustle;
an overwhelming and continual sense of urgency and anxiousness.

As I have shared the message of unhurried living with others, some are quick to recognize and admit their own hurry sickness. Some are resistant to the idea, but become more convinced the more they think about it. Some people are VERY sick while others are less affected.

THINK ABOUT IT

Do you…?

  • work extra hours or finish work at home
  • hear from people: “I don’t want to bother you because I know how busy you are”
  • get flustered with delays and interruptions
  • often exceed the speed limit or weave to find the fastest lane
  • skip vacations
  • feel like you are always in the slowest line

WATCH THIS:   Mice Queue Video (1:37)

No matter the gravity of the sickness, the side effects are serious, so the question is worth asking… Do you have hurry sickness?

In Search of Unhurried Living

Posted on by
6

465e0c04434ee9f0fe6f21d01fde706e slow downI could easily describe myself as a recovering “hurry-aholic”.

I have a model Type A personality and a very full life that could give me plenty of excuses for living at a consistently frenetic pace.

Over the years, however, I have been learning to s…l…o…w… d…o…w…n.

It hasn’t been easy, and I still struggle at times, but all-in-all I am generally much more relaxed and at peace with my life and others. (Maybe one of the reasons you haven’t heard from me here in a long while.)

I have found that many others – maybe you? – also struggle with “hurry sickness”. So I thought I might revive my writing and share some of the things I have learned to counter our hurried life.

Some of what I plan to share comes from a “31 Days of Unhurried Living” campaign I directed last Spring. I will also add in new thoughts and content from books I will be reading. In the next few months, I am going to take three hours each Monday morning to read –  my new personal application of Unhurried Living.

So… if hurry has ever been an issue for you, or if your outer life is slow, but you would like to unhurry your heart and soul, please join with me! It could make a difference.