Humans naturally desire to be fast and efficient in their everyday lives. We want to move quickly from task to task, and we often brag about how quickly we perform tasks. But in our ever-growing and highly connected world, it is essential to understand that slowing down and taking your time can be indispensable.
Slow, mindful, and deep breathing can help you appreciate the small moments in life and focus on the task.
Do you find yourself constantly unable to keep up with the pace of life? Finding balance can be difficult, from work to family life and everything in between.
First and foremost, we need to set aside some “me” time every day, whether it’s taking a leisurely walk around our neighborhood, reading a book, meditating, praying, or taking some time for ourselves to help us slow down and reflect.
You can also practice mindfulness to help you slow down. Mindfulness is a practice of being fully aware of the present moment, free of judgment and expectations.
Incorporating healthy lifestyle choices like getting plenty of sleep, eating nutritious meals, and exercising can counterintuitively help you “slow down.” Taking the time to nourish your body will help you stay healthy and give you a crucial break from your hectic life.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and need a break from your life, try taking a vacation or a weekend getaway. Getting distance from everyday life can help you come back with a fresh perspective and feel more energized.
The beauty of nature is often best experienced by simply taking a walk outdoors. In a nearby park or countryside, wherever you are, experiencing nature is more calming and refreshing.
Nature has an overwhelmingly positive effect on our well-being. Walking outdoors can help reduce stress, improve mental clarity, and lift our mood. Studies show that people who spend time outside have lower stress hormones, such as cortisol. Not only does this help us reduce stress, but it can also positively impact our long-term physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.
Taking a walk in nature can be a delightful and inspiring experience. Not only will it help you to clear your head, but it can also help to stimulate and inspire your creativity. This way, we can reconnect with the world around, the universe beyond, and God within.
This moment, so peaceful, so still,
Mindfulness means living in the moment and being aware of your thoughts and emotions. It means being present in whatever you are doing and being aware of your surroundings. Simple exercises like observing your breath can help you practice mindfulness as you do your daily tasks.
Such mindful behavior is being aware, focused, open, and nonjudgmental. By recognizing our inner thoughts and feelings and responding to them with acceptance, we will likely be able to handle life’s challenges more effectively.
One way to practice mindful behavior is to pay close attention to the present moment, such as counting breathing, focusing on feeling your feet against the ground, moving your diaphragm, or listening to the sounds around you.
Remember that mindful behavior is not just a one-time practice. It would be best if you made it a habit. Let’s set aside a certain amount of time each day to focus on mindful activities, such as breathing meditation, prayer, spiritual reading, and journaling.
By taking the time to be mindful and recognize our thoughts and emotions, we can learn to respond with understanding and compassion. We can expect a lasting effect on our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being with practice.
Amongst those practices, breathing is a simple technique that can offer numerous benefits. It is a natural part of our everyday lives and can help us relax, boost our energy, reduce stress and anxiety, and much more.
Counting each breath, we slow down the breath rate. It involves inhaling deeply, and when exhaling, the breath should be slow and intentional to activate the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, resulting in a relaxation response in the body, mind, and spirit.
Breathing is something simple yet fundamental that we can do anywhere and easily incorporate into our daily routines. It can help us to become more mindful, relaxed, and centered in our lives, which is a great way to bring calm into our lives and can offer numerous benefits for the body, mind, and spirit.
Taking deep breaths and focusing on the breath can help clear your mind of any worries or stress that you may feel. It helps to take your mind off distractions and allows you to focus on the task.
And let’s remember to do it slowly.
Only by doing slowly do we appreciate the small moments in life and take our time to make more valuable decisions to reduce stress and bring joy to our everyday lives.
Let’s count our breathing. That is the way we can truly count our blessings as well.
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psalm 90:12
Image by lee seonghak
Tom’s Blog 