A client of mine said, “What if everyone in the world went 33% slower?” and I thought OMG, yes! I can’t say enough about the value of slowing down. In fact, I love slowing down so much that I get in a rush to talk about it! Easy there, slow down. Take a deep breath. Okay, lemme tell you why I like slowing down. Here’s

Ten Benefits of Slowing Down

• Time to notice what you’re feeling. This has sooo many benefits: expressing your feelings in a healthy way (Check out The Value of Venting); how feelings help us know our needs (Check this article about all the neat things our feelings can tell us); and then being able to advocate for ourselves or protect ourselves in the world.
• Time to breathe. Breathing is a big hug for our nervous system. We re-regulate ourselves, let our nervous system calm down. Then we can more easily handle life’s challenges when we are in a calmer state.
• Time to consider options. Instead of flying off the handle, we have time to process and decide. Reacting emotionally can cause various kinds of damage: damage to ourselves by agreeing to things we may not want to do. Or damage to our relationships by responding with anger or attitude. Slowing down, we can give ourselves time to assess our choices and formulate a clear response.
• Time to be generous. When I leave early, my driving is calmer and I have time to be nice to other drivers. Or let someone go ahead of me at the grocery store. I like having the time to be a nice person.
• Time to be creative. Slowing down gives your mind room and time to float, to ponder, and to discover. Little amusements can wander in to your thoughts. Insights, ideas, and inspiration. (Check out this article about your natural creativity)
• Time to catch the small things. Like noticing little cool things, special tiny moments – a kid making faces on the bus, a squirrel, the interesting song your car tires sing on the freeway bumps. In this way you are actually experiencing your life moment-to-moment, not just trying to get through the day.
• Time to get more done. What? How does slowing down help me get more done? When we slow down, it’s actually easier to focus, not get distracted, stay on task. One thing at a time, and all of a sudden you’re ticking things off your list!
• Time to really connect with others. When we’re not in a rush, we have time to notice and give attention to our relationships. Notice our partner’s subtle mood and take a moment to connect with them. Share some pleasant conversation with a stranger. We can feel strengthened by meaningful connections with other people.
• Time to let our body rest. When we’re constantly zipping around, our bodies feel it – the stress, the rush, the constant low-level panic. Maybe there’s a tightness in the stomach or shoulders, or a clenching of the jaw. Slowing down gives our bodies time to function more healthily: digest food better, get better rest, function better overall.
• Time to be who we really are, who we really want to be. We can give ourselves the space to know ourselves and to take actions that reflect our true values. We’re not just rushing down some path that someone else laid out for us.

I love all of that. And, one might think, “Well, that’s easier said than done, Jonna.” You’re right! Slowing down takes some practice and getting used to. Sometimes the hardest part is the mindset we can get caught in, the mindset that says, “You must be productive!” “You’re not living up to your potential!” “If you’re not getting ahead, you’re falling behind!” “If you slow down, everything will fall apart!” Check out my post about “How to Start Slowing Down For Mental Health.”