Healthy Chicks

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Yesterday, my yoga instructor said something to the class that really stood out for me. He was comparing our worries and anxieties to the clouds in the sky. They aren’t always there, but when they come they can clutter the clear blueness (i.e. clarity) of what’s really there. He challenged the class to let go of all those thoughts, anxieties and concerns and simply slow down; pause between thoughts and just concentrate on one thought at a time. In doing this, you will soon find clarity and feel more like yourself, rather than your distorted “cloudy” self.

I took his words of wisdom to heart, and am trying to carry them with me throughout the rest of the week. Although it is difficult to press “pause” on your life and simply slow down and let go, it’s something that comes with great gratification.

Slowing down to me means many things, both literally and figuratively. It means walking down the street a little bit slower, finding beauty in what surrounds you. It means looking at your watch/Blackberry/pager a little less often, and looking at the smiling faces of passerby a little bit more.

Slowing down means forgetting about the laundry/grocery list/calories in a plain bagel with cream cheese. It means forgiving yourself for not running 5 miles as planned, and instead giving yourself ten minutes dedicated to meditation. It means curling up with a good book, unplugging from the internet, and phoning an old friend. It’s remembering the goodness in who you really are, not how you may have acted in an unfortunate situation.

What does slowing down mean to you? What’s some meaningful advice you’ve been given lately?

XoXo,