Interesting Things
I today’s day and age we are constantly moving so quickly. We are used to things loading faster, making quick dating decisions and driving fast towards a red light. Most of the time people are not even paying attention to what they are doing, they are just on auto pilot and doing it. There is a constant “missing out” that is happening day by day because people are not always paying attention. It reminds me of that Ferris Bueller quote “Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once and a while, you could miss it.” Who knew a movie made in 1986 would be so telling and hold such impact for us now in 2020! I feel now more than ever, less people are looking around and we are missing a lot of life! It makes sense given the statistics of mental health issues in the past 10 years. People are really struggling to make connections with others and just going through the motions of it all.
What I have noticed lately as I have been in a strange place myself for a while, is that when I started to slow things down, things really changed. Instead of running (and I do mean running) from place to place, I did start leisurely walking (as much as any New Yorker can leisurely walk). I started taking time for myself to look around and take things in. I would focus on things I never even thought to focus on before. Honestly I started to pay attention, to others but also to myself. My therapist kind of sparked this for me by asking me if I “had ever looked at a blueberry?” To which I quickly responded “Yes!” Because of course I have looked at a blueberry, how can you not look at them and buy them? What she was actually asking though was, had I actually ever looked at a blueberry, by individually picking one up and inspecting all of this little nooks and crannies. Looking at how it “wears a crown” and how they are not always blue but sometimes purple instead. These little nuances were something that I had never even thought to look for. A result of moving so incredibly fast and trying to jump from one thing to the next with taking no breaks in between. Her experience of blueberries was unlike anything I had ever experiences before in my life. I had never moved that slow before to notice anything. That’s when I realized that things really needed to change, and they did, for the better.
It can be hard to go from moving so fast and doing so much to slowing down and taking a step back from everything, but it has amazing benefits. If you could just not be on your phone for 1 hour a day, or journal at the end of each night that could be super helpful. If that seems incredibly drastic, try just focusing on something when you are on the train each morning, like the color of everyone’s winter coats, or how many people are on their phone! We have become so unself aware as a society and there needs to be a big shift in that in general, but you can start by doing it for yourself first. Slowing down and giving yourself time each day and drastically improve your mental health. There is no reason to be running yourself into a brick wall every day when it is never going to break. Just give it a shot, next time you go to the store buy some blueberries and look at each of them, buy a journal and start writing in it, buy a sketch book and fun art supplies and draw people on your way to work (or even at work), take a lunch break!! Start doing things for you. I promise you will see a change.
Some links of journals and planners that can help!
The Happiness Planner- Mastering Happiness and Success One Day At A Time
The Passion Planner- I prefer the undated because it makes it for customizable!
Do One Thing Everyday That Makes You Happy - This is nice for the end of the day refresher of happiness
Ban.do Wellness Planner- There are two versions (here is issue 2) of it and you can also get fun stickers!
Ban.do Wellness Workbook- Just extra fun!