Slowing Down

Slow down! We hear it a lot, but we don't always do it unless a traffic cop says it. July 24th was National Self Care Day (coincidentally it was also National Tequila Day). TEDTalks put out a play list of videos on self care. Turns out I had watched a lot of them, but there was one on slowing down.

You are way better at this than I am, Goat.

I've written about pacing before in regards to living with chronic conditions. It's really difficult not to do all the things when you feel well. It's tough to slow down when you feel lousy, too. For example, I get dizzy when I have a migraine. Therefore doing something as simple as getting some water is challenging and all I want to do is get this little thing over with so I can collapse again. Holding onto the wall or the counter as I scramble means I get to where I am going and can chill. Same goes for the intensity of the migraine. Mine often get worse when I move around, so I rush to the bathroom to try and reduce the duration of the thumping. It's kind of a race really. Can I beat the dizzy or the thumping? No. But I can shorten the time. Mostly. Or at least it's how I cope. 

I admire the fierce determination, Owl. 

I tried to slow myself at the grocery store, too. This is a real challenge because I do not enjoy shopping much at all. Crowds annoy me. People get focused on their lists and forget to watch where they are going or they stand right in front of what you need or any other number of small frustrations. I tend to zip in and out as quickly as possible. That day, I plastered a pleasant smile on my face and moved at about half my usual speed. People probably thought I was stoned. I'm not sure if I'd call it self care though. Speeding through and getting home is more self care in my opinion. Self care or self preservation. Same thing, right?

Me going grocery shopping is not unlike this. 

Instead of a bloodthirsty bunny, it's the crowd at the store.

I tried packing for a camping trip more slowly. Taking my time picking up the bin, carrying it up the stairs, checking the contents against he camping checklist I have. I found myself counting in my head to make me take longer in my movements. It was almost a meditation really. There was no need to rush, but it wasn't exactly comfortable either. Knowing I could be done with three bins in the time it was taking to do one was tough to reconcile.

This is something I would likely do more slowly. 

Cat, you got mad walking backward skills.

Interestingly, this session of dance focuses on slow movements to refine them. I'm usually really good at this. I still move the most slowly of anyone. People tend to pace off of me when we move around in the circle for things like a camel walk because it reminds them to slow down. It requires a lot of conscious effort on my part to do the movements that slowly. I slow my breathing, too. I have a song for our performance that is still a month away.  It has faster tempos with the slower tempo underneath. I have to keep pulling myself back to the slow rhythm because I really get caught up in the melody and just go with the flow a lot of the time. But no. Must slow my roll. I chose my song early so I can practice it and only move with the melody speed at precisely chosen moments instead of the whole thing. This will be good for me. Refined movement is good for me. 

Almost, Bear. Try it half time and you'll be there.

I paused to reflect on all the things I do that require me to hustle, or at least that I think require it. Reading a book I've checked out was one that came up that I wasn't expecting. It checked out to me automatically while I was out of town, so I missed out on 4 days of reading time. It was a long book. I devoured it more quickly and would have preferred relishing it a bit more. Cleaning the house is a given for me. I want it over and done so I can get on with other more enjoyable activities. Would it kill me to slow down? No. But I probably will plow on through it next time again. 

 

Just think about all the things you could get done if you were The Flash.

I did try and slow down some things like eating. Savoring the food rather than woofing it all down. It's supposed to be better for you anyway. I thought that perhaps this is one thing I can do to slow down even during school. Of course, I'll reinstate my meditation time. Just sit there and do nothing for a few minutes every day. Slowing down my shower time would be delightful, but then I feel guilty wasting water. Perhaps just being aware of those little things that can go more slowly and letting them is the important take away.

Hmmm. I'd think that snow would slow ya down, Moose. Clearly I'd be wrong.