Slow Down and Notice

One of the most helpful ways to calm down and destress is to literally slow down and notice what is happening.  By using all of our senses, tapping into our feelings and watching our breath as it moves in and out of our bodies, we can become grounded into the present moment and let go of worry.  The buzz word of the day is "mindfulness" which just means that we slow down long enough to be grounded in the present moment with no regret over the past and no anxiety over the future.  There is no judging with mindfulness.  We just notice things like feelings, body signals, emotions.

I was once dating a guy a long time ago, and we were supposed to go away for a weekend to attend a wedding.  Before leaving for the trip, I was at my gym taking a shower and shaving my legs.  I kept nicking my legs as I thought about not wanting to go to the wedding and the weekend.  I remember thinking about what would happen if I just didn't show up at his house and get in the car and go?  I wasn't in touch with my feelings enough at the time to realize that my body signals (frustration and nicking my legs...) and my thoughts (I don't want to show up...) were telling me something.  At the time, I didn't want to listen.  I went to that weekend.  It was very stressful.  I wasn't happy and didn't enjoy it.  It was very disappointing.  A week or so later, we broke up--no surprise.  

Sometimes giving ourselves permission to listen to what's going on in a judgment-free zone with a wealth of compassion is all it takes.  Mindfulness means we notice--not that we take super-hero action.  We have to practice this because technology and the fast-paced world we live in keep us in a hyper-alert responsive state to the next email and the next problem and the next to-do list.  

I am a dog walker of my girl, Pippa.  She is a 20 pound Terrier mix rescue dog.  I walk her several times a day for 20 minutes or more in spring, summer, winter and fall.  She slows down long enough to notice everything.  I may not realize a squirrel or rabbit, but she does.  I may not notice the sound of a truck backing up, but she does (she's a rescue dog who moved up to Minnesota from Missouri in a truck).  She knows what our neighborhood smells like.  She sniffs everything.  She wants to be outside no matter what the temperature is.  I certainly notice how the day feels on my skin because we stay outside a while.  I have seen my neighbors gardens, home improvement projects and felt their sprinkled grass on my feet.  After a walk with my canine companion, I am more grounded and more patient and more appreciative of here and now.  It is a canine lesson in mindfulness.

This week, give yourself permission to slow down and notice what is going on around you.  Give yourself permission to take the "slow lane" and be present and aware of how you are feeling, how you are doing, what you are thinking.  Give yourself permission to let thoughts and feelings surface knowing that it doesn't mean you have to fix anything or make up for something--you can simply notice first.

Make time to take time.  Your life and health are worth it.