Putting On The Brakes In Life-- are you in the fast or slow lane? 

Yesterday I went to visit a good friend, in the city of Gilbert.  It's monsoon season in Phoenix now but as we sat at Chipotle, I wasn't expecting to look out the window and see torrential rain! Now, I love rain, but I am not fond of driving in it, especially when I can hardly see! I got on the freeway and drove slow, grasping the steering wheel and praying we would be safe.  Normally, I am not a slow driver, but in this case, driving slow was necessary for safety! 

Are you living life in the fast lane or the slow lane? Are you the type of person who feels you need to be constantly busy?  Many moms act as constant chauffeurs, shuffling their children from one activity to the next; barely getting time for themselves to catch a breath and relax.  As a society, we seem to practically worship busyness.  As school starts, the activities will begin to multiply.  Many families eat in the car because they feel they don't have time to cook between making sure their children do their homework, and getting them ready for sports practice.  

Now, don't get me wrong.  As parents, it is great to give our children a variety of experiences! Participating in sports or music lessons is wonderful-- but life is a dance between the fast and slow lane.  If we are always moving fast, this could actually cause our body to slow it's metabolism!  Our bodies are not designed to be in a constant state "fight or flight."  When we don't give our bodies the relaxation it needs, our stress hormone cortisol goes up.  Stress effects us all but it can manifest itself in different ways for different people.  It can cause us to gain weight in the middle, it can cause headaches, it can make us feel hungrier so we over eat, and it can even trigger autoimmune disorders. 

Neither do we want to be always in the slow lane.  These are the people who tend to procrastinate and never get anything done.  Some times this can be caused by feeling paralyzed about wanting to be perfect.  We fear failure so we don't even try.  These people need to really find what they are passionate about it and focus on getting out of their comfort zones. 

So we need to both let our passions drive us, as well as put on the brakes by slowing down.  What are some ways to slow down? Meditation, yoga, reading a book, taking a nap (just not at work! lol), or even playing a board game with your children (yes, this can be stressful but it's a good way to spend time with them and get some downtime for the whole family).  Also, don't forget to sit down at the dinner table with your family! 

Speaking of meditation, I will be participating in a 21 day, meditation challenge, led by Depaak Chopra.  It starts tomorrow! I have tried it in the past, and it seems to really relax me and reduce my stress. 

Here is the link to join! https://www.chopracentermeditation.com/Bestsellers/RegistrationPage.aspx?BookId=169

What are YOUR favorite ways to "slow down"?  Share in the comments below!

Kellie McGarry, Certified Health Coach

www.nourishedandnew.com

Email me to sign up for your FREE Breakthrough Session!

healthcoachkellie@gmail.com