Slowing Down: The New Trick My Old Dog is Teaching Me
Meet, Arlow, our 14 year old rescue lab.
When Arlow was young, we hiked and went on very long walks. It was never enough to tire him. But let’s be honest, those walks were as much about my exercising as they were for him.
It was important to go far and fast so I could get the most out of the time invested. It was important, to me, to be efficient.
Sadly, that’s not an uncommon theme in my past life. It was important for me to get through what I found unsavory or boring or those tasks that I didn’t find particularly important.
Much like a child rushing through homework to get out and play, I was trying to get to what’s next.
I wore efficiency like a badge of honor.
I remember in my coach training we did an exercise about going slow. We were asked to walk around at our normal pace, then slow to ½ then ½ again, etc., until we were barely moving.
That was so painful for me. But it did make me think and I remember practicing it outside of class. At the time, I came to the conclusion that I walk fast so when I get to my destination I’ll have more time to slow down and enjoy.
Sounded reasonable at the time.
Fast forward 5 years and I am slowing down because I have an old dog who still enjoys his walks. This requires me to shift my perspective of the purpose of our walks. No longer are they about getting in as many steps as possible while exercising him.
Now they are all about him.
We stop often. There’s lots to smell from his point of view.
This allows me lots of time to look around. I now see things I would otherwise miss when blowing by at my faster pace. Like these below.
Imagine my delight when I found a book called Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing and Underliving by Celeste Headlee. She writes about how we look for more productivity hacks to fit more in each day. She explains how we got to where we are in our thought process and the associated judgements around productivity. She offers alternatives.
I know I’ve shared before that even though I call myself a productivity coach, my definition of productivity is not about efficiency and getting more done in less time. Admittedly, this was not always true for me.
Here’s my definition now:
Identifying what is most important so I can focus on the people and activities I most value while leaving space to welcome the unexpected.
It’s about living a fulfilling life. It’s what I do for myself and it’s what I work on with my clients.
I’m actually a fulfillment coach.We know everything in life is not all fun and games. I tried to make those tasks efficient to free up as much time as possible so I could then go slow and savor the fun stuff. At least that’s what I told myself just like the justification I had in my coach training exercise.
There was a time (not too long ago even) when the thought of being inefficient would make me break out in hives ~ ok ~ an exaggeration, but you get my point.
Why would someone choose to be inefficient?
I realize I was getting caught up in the literal definition.
It’s not being inefficient.
It’s being! Perhaps you are familiar with the statement, “We are human beings ~ not human doings.” Oops…
It has been such a delight slowing down on those walks that I’m introducing slowing down in other places in my life as well.
Dishwashing is now a meditative Zen experience.
Instead of rushing through errands, I linger in shops and on streets or take a different route to familiar places.
I’m enjoying the journey even more.
Most recently, I have taken slowing down one step further. I completed a volunteer role which freed up some time in my schedule. The past me would have long ago figured out how to fill this new empty slot so as to not ‘waste’ time.
The current me is taking it slow. I’m not filling that space right away. Instead, I’m embracing the openness and the time to experience being.
I’m curious what the universe will reveal to me. If nothing else, I’ll have more time to take walks with Arlow.
How about you? Where would you like to slow down? Is there a new trick you’d like to learn? Reach out to me here. I’d love to hear what going slow means to you.