Feel like you’re falling behind? Slow down

Feel like you’ll never catch up? Learn from the lowly snail. When you feel pressure, slow down.

Stop the world.

Right? Even in the midst of the pandemic, when everything is locked down, your heart is racing. You wish you could stop the world and catch your breath; maybe even start over. Why is that?

Here’s why.

It’s called anxiety. Anxiety is what happens when you’re not in the moment you’re in. You’re already ten steps ahead. Some might call it paralysis by analysis. And at one level, it’s good. It’s that part of the brain that keeps you alive. But it’s also bad; you’re missing the moment you’re in, replete with opportunity.

Here’s when.

It happens all the time. For example: you’re in a meeting. As the ill-conceived gathering drones on, you wonder why you’re there. Which makes you feel a little powerless, and reminds you of other times you’ve felt this way. And suddenly, you’re worried that you will never make the impact you wish you could, and you wonder if there’s something wrong with you. Hello? Come back please!

Slow down.

Your tendency when you feel anxious is to want to speed things up so you can get to that future moment you are worried about. And that is precisely when to slow down. Why? Because your real life is only lived in the moment you’re in. But how? Your heart and your mind are racing. How can you will yourself to be in the present moment? Here’s how.

Inspire.

In other words, breathe in. Inspiration comes from remembering to breathe. And while you’re at it, breathe through your nose. If you will do this, you will feel calmer and, in fact, physiologically, your body (including your brain) will thank you.

Expire.

Breathe out. And while you’re at it, if you’re in that meeting, use that out-breath to ask the blowhard across the table to get to the point!

Key point:

When you feel anxious and want to speed things up, take a breath and slow down, to refocus and find opportunities.

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I can help you slow down when you feel anxious, so you can refocus.