Slowing down is good for your health. That's the whole principal behind the slow movement. Whether we're talking slow food, slow living or just taking time to simply, “be”, it's all good. Why don't we take time to relax anymore? It feels as if we have to be doing something all the time. Even when we play, we take it too seriously. Instead of a to do list, how about making a don't do list?
Fill your days with simple joys. Forget about having the latest gadget, taking the latest trendy class or going to, well, anywhere. Regain your life through experiencing simple joys. Watch the squirrels playing in your backyard. Listen to the laughter of the neighbor kids at play. Feel the joy in every moment. It's amazing the difference little pleasures can bring to your life.
Just breathe. Who says you have to do anything to be happy? Sometimes it's nice just to sit and breathe in and out. Some call it meditation, but you don't have to put a fancy name on it. Just enjoy the fact of being alive and breathing for a few moments a day. Concentrate on filling your lungs with air. Inhale the beauty of the world with every breath. As you exhale, picture the outgoing air cleansing you of stress.
Float in the pool. This is my new personal therapy session. When things get tough, I take a break to do nothing. Well, almost nothing. I head to the backyard, where my cheap little portable pool awaits. I climb the ladder, step into the watery wonderland and float my cares away. Sometimes I swim. Mostly I just lay there staring at the clouds overhead. It's so relaxing! I've got my partner doing it now. He calls it, “taking a zen moment”.
Be alone with your thoughts. When was the last time you had an opportunity to just sit and think? Let's face it, in today's world, thinking is a luxury. Everything is go, go, go. Even kids are pressured to achieve and plan for the future. Whatever happened to the days when kids just played without agendas or life lessons all summer long? It's OK to do nothing and teach your kids to do the same. In fact, it's good for you.
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