Having Courage to Slow Down

I, like many of you, spend a lot of time in my car. I always feel like I’m rushing from one thing to the next and I never have enough time for anything. As I was driving to work the other day there was a car that I ended up behind in the turning lane that didn’t increase its speed once it turned. At first, I found myself annoyed and thought “Are you kidding me? Come on, GO!!” I was looking in my side and rear-view mirrors to try to change lanes but there was a steady stream of cars in the lane next to me. I, then, realized that I didn’t need to rush, I was going to have half an hour in the office before my client’s appointment and I calmed down.

I thought to myself as I paidmore attention to the car in front of me that it was probably someone olddriving the car because I couldn’t see the driver’s head above the head rest.When I was finally able to change lanes and go around this car, I looked overat the driver as I passed. Sure enough, it was a little old lady, hunched overand barely seeing over the steering wheel. A smile came to my face as I thoughtof this woman who likely had slowed down in many aspects of her life, only oneof which was driving, and how I am always in such a rush. It made me wonder howoften I missed things from not paying attention and always rushing from onething to the next.

We live in such a fast-pacedworld with so many things demanding our attention at once. I find myselfgetting lost in the mundane routine that is my life as crazy and busy as it isright now. But when I can slow down and just be present in the moment, I findthat while there are parts of my life that are mundane, there are also prettyamazing things that happen around me and inside of me every single day. If weare constantly chasing the next thing, we can never truly just be withourselves. But maybe that is part of why we don’t slow down.

Slowing down can be vulnerable.When we allow ourselves to be still, things can surface that we’ve been avoiding.We constantly measure ourselves by what we do and what we accomplish, so whoare we when we slow down? Maybe we aren’t enough, maybe we are too much, maybeour emotions are too overwhelming, maybe it will be too vulnerable. Brené Brownhas dedicated her life to studying vulnerability, authenticity, and courage. Ittakes courage to be still, to allow vulnerability, and to show upauthentically. She says, “authenticity is the daily practice of letting go ofwho we think we are supposed to be and embracing who we are.” Slowing down,embracing who we really are, and being still with whoever we are right now canbe scary but can also be powerful.

So how are you going todemonstrate your courage to slow down, be still, and embrace that you areenough?