What’s your rush?
“Rome wasn’t built in a day,” the old saying goes. “Stop and smell the roses,” says another one.
All the time, everywhere I go, all the people I see, everyone seems to be in a hurry–me included. Hurry up, hurry up. Get there, do your thing, and hurry on to the next thing. Rush rush rush.
Oh, and the freeway–how many people do you know that can drive in rush hour and not get frustrated?
It’s killing me, this rushing-around thing. Faster, ever faster. I want to get off the merry-go-round. Who’s keeping me on it, anyway? Only me.
Time is too important to be rushing around all the time, colliding with this and that, being a human pinball.
So for the next few days, until it becomes a habit, my mantra is going to be, “SLOW DOWN”. Drive leisurely (sometimes — I like driving fast), take time with lunch and dinner, lose the franticness that has invaded my life, notice the things that show up–pay attention. I’ve missed too many of the little pleasures that make life enjoyable.
I know most of you know this. I did too. But I lost it somewhere along the way, and now I’ve rediscovered it.
Stop and smell the roses. What a concept.
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Joseph Bernard on April 7th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Driving in traffic is one of those experiences that tests our resolve to not loose our patience and inner peace. One of my favorite teachers is Thich Nhat Hahn a wonderful Buddhist monk who has this advice about driving in traffic, every time you see the red lights of the car breaking ahead of you then breathe in peace and breathe out a smile. If you do this practice you will be able to stop and smell the roses because you will not be run by your reactions. Check out further ideas the bring together the wisdom of the East and the challenges of living in today’s world at
http://www.explorelifeblog.com
Theresa on April 18th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
My rush is that I have wasted so much time and opportunities that I am feeling fear, regret, sorrow, guilt, embarrassment and so forth.
I am 37 years old, with nothing to really show for the hard work I have put in through the years. I have been stuck in a loop the last four years in particular, would have gone bankrupt before and be in bankruptcy now if not for my parents.
I know what habits and attitudes I am working on changing, but what I have lost during those years I can not get back - and I keep falling back into those old habits, attitudes, and feelings.
The rush occurs when I have the right attitudes and feelings - I rush/push to get as much as possible done during those times, before the others return.
Then I get sad/mad/angry at myself for letting the others return, and not getting more done, especially since more and more is being/will be required of me, now and within the next few years. If I had done like I should have, I would be in much better shape.
Thanks
Theresa
Theresa on April 18th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
others = other feelings/attitudes, the not-good-ones.
Returned and reread, and thought maybe some more clarification was needed.
Thanks
Theresa
Steve Johnson on April 19th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
Theresa, thanks for the comments. One thing that’s important to remember when changing habits, beliefs and attitudes is that previous behavior is conditioned in your brain. Don’t be sad/mad/angry when the old patterns of behavior reappear–just recognize that they’ve shown up again, interrupt the pattern somehow, and consciously behave in your new, preferred way.
Tony Robbins’ material, especially the book Awaken the Giant Within has excellent advice on this very thing.
But there’s still no need to rush, to be frantic. That’s not good, either. There’s an excellent section in Wallace Wattle’s book, The Science of Getting Rich on this very thing. Do efficiently what you can do in a day, and leave the rest for tomorrow.
You’ll do wonderful–you ARE doing wonderful. Keep your desires in the forefront of your mind, recognize and interrupt old unwanted patterns of behavior, condition new ones, and you’ll see your life continue to change for the better.
I know this!
Steve Johnson on April 19th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Joseph, thanks for visiting and commenting. I apologize for missing the comment
I looked at http://www.explorelifeblog.com — a lot of good material. Count me as a regular reader!