It’s funny how the Universe presents its patterns when you need a suggestion to slap you across the face.
For several days now, I’ve been hearing “Slow down, slow down” in so many aspects. In interviews, from my mom, within podcasts, etc.
Today, on my first solo hike in months, two speed hikers were coming up a hill and passing some other folks, so I moved to the side and allowed them to ramble up the trail as fast as their legs could carry them.
The old man next to me turned his head and said, “I think there’s laws against that.”
I completely, 100% agreed with him.
“Absolutely,” I said. “I mean, look at where we are! Slow down!”
But that’s not how I’ve been operating in my life.
Honestly, I’ve been coming from a place of fear for a while. I’ve put a ton of effort and energy and money into a new business that I know there’s a need for but people are seeming slow to find it, and I often wonder what I’m actually doing in my life.
Two years ago, the me that I was would be super impressed with the me that I am now. I was a part-time work-from-home mom, married, in a lovely house with a lovely view and hanging out with my lovely children every single day. And I loved that life.
Mostly.
I constantly felt like I wasn’t doing enough, wasn’t contributing enough, and wasn’t worth enough. My ex-husband’s constant disappointment and depression (not necessarily with me, but with life in general) wasn’t helping.
I’m now at a point in my life and in my career that I actually feel like I’m doing meaningful work, on several levels. I’m meeting new people and helping them to tell their story, as well as working to support other entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and digital nomads by providing a functional workspace with resources and options to help grow their own business.
There are meetings, Zooms, networking events, luncheons, celebrations, and more meetings. There are deadlines, daily tasks, social media, and more that all need constant attention (plus being a mom), and I love it. I really do.
I’m constantly moving, and though sometimes what I really want to do is slow way down, that’s actually quite terrifying for me.
We are taught to go, go, go. We are taught our value is dependent on our productivity. We are taught our value is dependent on our achievements.
What if the real value of life is simply to be in it? What if slowing down will actually show us our next steps, our real goals, our real feelings, and where we are actually aligned?
Just like when I started taking (MUCH) slower hikes when my kiddos climbed out of their carrying packs, it was hard to slow down. But what happened was I started to notice way more. I noticed the beautiful, organic way the kiddos played with sticks and rocks. I noticed beautiful berries, mushrooms, flowers, and bugs alongside the trail. And I noticed the way that I felt simply being outside in nature. I noticed how it felt to be witness to all the beauty surrounding me.
My past self would be celebrating the shit out of my current self, so how am I supposed to enjoy my current self when all I can think about is my future self?
I say we all need to take a pause.
In our business life, we can slow down and look around just like we can on a trail. Noticing the people surrounding us. Noticing the little wins we’ve won each week. Noticing how the struggles and challenges make us feel, and noticing how we come to conclusions of how to overcome those.
Life is a beautiful dance, and for many of us, our business is a big part of our lives. Can we all take a moment to slow down and witness its magic?
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