Slowing Our Pace

A Grace & Growth Mindset

Rushing seems to be a normal part of our culture. We value productivity, therefore, the more we accomplish, the better we are, right? We justify rushing to get more done, which seems to soothe our anxiety about being lazy or having little purpose and value to offer. However, what we end up offering while we rush is a sad imitation of what is possible if completed mindfully. Without the pressure of rushing, we may lose our inner taskmaster that pushes us to ignore our anxious and sluggish thoughts which slow us down. It is necessary for us to honestly explore the incentives that push us too hard in order to be able to slow the rushing and gain a more mindful way of navigating each day’s challenges.

We introduce the idea of monitoring our systems based on miles per hour (MPH). Consider what typical speed limits look like in a residential area versus a commercial area or a highway. Highways have high speeds of 55-70 MPH, with few sharp turns. Residential areas can have a lot of turns and pedestrians and children to watch out for, justifying a speed limit of 25-35 MPH. Since a typical day entails interacting with people we can easily hurt, it may make sense to move a little slower and think more intentionally in order to ensure consideration of all factors. Coincidentally, commercial areas typically raise the speed limit to 40-45 MPH, which accurately reflects the fast pace of the business world. Though the expectation may be to move faster at our jobs, it is worthwhile to explore how healthy the fast pace is for us.

In contrast to residential areas posting speed limits appropriate for children at play, commercial environments are typically for adults. Us adults are expected to mature to a point of which we can handle a faster pace, which may be true for a lot of us. However, the pace may cause shame for some who struggle to keep up, whether due to a permanent limitation or one we can overcome. The problem is, we may not have the capacity to grow past our limitations in such a fast paced environment. In order to grow, we insist that grace is necessary to not rush the process. Healing simply does not happen under pressure. For healing to take place, we may need to slow to school zone levels of 15 MPH or even 5 MPH, without accepting shame for needing to slow down.

One of the greatest challenges to taking the necessary time, space, and slow pace to heal is the pressure we feel to live up to the standards of others. This is why we prefer our standard to be based on the Creator’s design, instead of people’s ever-changing expectations. The Creator desires our growth and gives us the grace necessary to heal in an open space that allows for healing. The pressure does not only exist outside of us, as others have trained our inner perspectives to apply the pressure when no one else is around. Therefore, this requires our constant inner awareness of our speed and the intensity we apply to ourselves. Develop the capacity to apply the breaks and slow down when we notice ourselves speeding. Learn the consequences of not slowing down sooner, acknowledging how irreversible it can be once we are going too fast for too long.

This is about daily mindfulness. We encourage integrating into each moment an awareness of our pace to keep it balanced and intentional, so we are more in control and better advised in what we do and say. At first, it may mean we accomplish less. The promise is that by slowing down now, we will heal in a way that will allow us to be more productive later. In addition, by healing and becoming more mindful, all that we do will better reflect our values and what we know to be true. This will lead to a greater satisfaction in our lives as we accomplish the things most important to us, with the values important to us.

Photo by Peng LIU