Taking things slowly...

    This phrase to me now seems a bit of a cliché, 'taking things slowly...' Let's not go too far yet, let's take this slowly as well. First, taking things slowly does not have to mean you are lagging behind, it only means you are paying extra attention, doing more and living each moment gracefully! 

     It's been a minute. Well, who would know? We are all busy trying to get our lives sorted out. You might have been into studies, business, work and everything in between that you didn't even pay attention to everything itself. Let me show you what I mean here. 

    Two weeks ago, I decided to read this really nice book again, my favorite of all time, "Steal like an Artist" by Austin Kleon. I completed the book and I ticked it done on the week's to-do list. I was about clearing the book back when I suddenly stopped and asked myself, "What was it all about?" Well, it was my sixth time reading it in two years but my mind was blank. I felt bad for a moment and I just left it on my table. Later, I decided to read it again. This time, I made so many notes from it, I highlighted my best lines, I jotted like I would take a test, I applied some of what I read, not all yet. Each day, I would read a chapter and the next day go back to that chapter and see what I have applied there. I was gradually becoming a master of the art that I love. Slowly...

     This might not be you. Maybe you are cool with waking up each day, dressing up and showing up. But here's the question, "What do you have to show for it?" If there's nothing as much as you desired at first, then this is you. You might want to check yourself and see, "what was it all about?" Was it your passion, your talent, you desire, your quest? Now, you will have to go back to where it all started. Look in and deep and pick up your mistakes. Polish them and publish it again! I do check back my old articles and I look closely to see where I failed. The new ones should not have any of those. So, maybe you would have had a lot to show for your dressing up and showing up but you just were not paying enough attention. 

     Pick your goals up again, check them and ask yourself, "why do I want this, and this?" That's another reason why you haven't been seeing such good results. Maybe you're headed the wrong way. Ask yourself. See what you'll say. Don't be in so much hurry that you would not know your "why?". People will ask you sooner than you think and you might find it hard to wrap your head around it all. 

And here's another one. Inhale every bit of each moment. When you wake up, take a deep breath. Don't rush out of bed immediately, well, that's if you answered the alarm when it sounds the first time. Look around you and take note of every single thing. You'll find yourself setting your day in your head before you get up. Don't be in so much hurry. Create the time for everything important for you to get done. And when it's time to sleep, check into the day. "Did you live the day like you wanted it?" You should at a point have some control over each day. What was it all about? What happened? What did not happen? What should happen? 

You see why I said you might have not been paying attention to everything itself. So, go over it again and check. Double check. Slowly, this time.

Bonus;

I think you should try doing these ten things each day:

1. Pray 

2. Meditate

3. Exercise

4. Journal

5. Listen to good music.

6. Practice gratitude

7. Take affirmations

8. Reflections and self check

9. Keep quiet and listen

10. Take a nap and drink plenty water.

Don't forget, we are taking things slowly but we are not lagging!