Take it Slow Sunday

I feel like every day my only reasons to wake up are to check my email, WhatsApp and Facebook messages, and Google Analytics. In this day and age of immediate gratification, my life now is all about getting up quickly just to spend my whole day in front of the computer. I even have to rush my favorite ritual of the day - breakfast. I forgot to just sit there and sip my cup of coffee slowly without holding my phone or feeling the urge to check nonexistent messages.

Don't get me wrong, I thrive when I'm being productive. I love the modern day's quick and efficient lifestyle. I find meaning in life when I have to push myself to get somewhere. I like making progress toward achieving my goals. It's my only way to cope. There are times that it's just too much. It only leads to burnout and dreaming of other things that I don't have at the moment. I only have one body, one mind, and one life. And perhaps even just for once a week, I can try to stop rushing through life.

After experiencing oppressive heat for the past couple of days, the best thing is waking up to the sound of pouring rain. The cool air coming through my window is making me happy. Surprisingly, I don't feel the need to get up quickly to get to work or anything. I take my time to just lie there and appreciate the refreshing weather.

From now on, I'll take it slow on a Sunday. I'll make some really nice fluffy scrambled eggs for breakfast and drink my coffee gently. I want to just sit there and stare into space as if allowing the reality to sink in. I'll sit with it as if I'm participating in loving myself. I'll enjoy the freshness of everything and just be there in the moment. And be grateful for everything that I have - my loving cat, a good breakfast, and a roof over my head.

As I drink my coffee, the music player surprises me with some random song that makes me appreciate this morning even more. Isn't it nice when that happens? It's like the music player knows exactly what I want at this moment, even though the song brought some memories of my cold mornings in Russia. This was just the song that was playing in another morning. It feels surreal to remember. Same song, different morning in a different place in time.

One of these mornings
Will be the loudest you hear
You'll write your story on firecracker paper
And disappear...

I know I may sound crazy but this is how I slow down my life. I pause the time just to appreciate the details. The pouring rain, a nice song, a cup of coffee and this morning. I pause to look around me. I look out the window and see my neighbors with their families going somewhere. Maybe going for a picnic on the beach or something. I see how happy people can be if they learn how to slow down and enjoy the moment with their loved ones.

With all the freshness of everything, I begin my day by writing about this moment. I want to slow down my speeding thoughts. I know that eventually, I will get tired of being anxious. And the only way out of it is to stop feeling anxious. Easier said than done I know. It's just funny because I like to control all the external events in my life when the only thing I can control is my mind. Writing helps in calming my racing thoughts.

Slowing down even just for this day of the week helps me to sit with my thoughts and gather perspective. I'll take this as an invitation from my deeper self to stop rushing through life. And just pause, breathe, and enjoy this moment.