Cherish

Don’t you just wish you could pause time? Imagine all of the wonderful things you could do if you could just hit pause for some period. Think of all of the things you could catch up on. How about all of the stuff you can finally get around to doing that seem to have been on your list for ages? It would be great to finish all of the things you’ve been telling yourself you would do. What a feeling.

Today, it seems that we’re moving at exceptionally fast speeds. The distractions, along with the evolution of technology in the recent decade have given us an endless supply of things to focus on. It almost sucked the feeling of true boredom out of the room. Remember how bored you once got? Think about the days without your phone, or device. Days you couldn’t connect with someone instantly, or discover what’s going on in the world at a moments notice. We’re in a constant stream of activity, information, and elevated senses. It almost feels as if there’s no time to rest.

The reality of life is that we cannot pause time, so how do we create a feeling that we are at least slowing it down?

There are a plethora of direct actions you could do right now to begin creating the sense of slowness in your life. There are also a few things you can mentally consider to help buffer the actions you will ultimately take. Why target it this way? The mind likes to wander, think, and stay active. Cutting out a distraction will likely be replaced by another one you deem to be less of a distraction. The fact is, you’ll still substitute. This is a step in the right direction, but not one that likely lasts and provides you long term gain. Why? You aren’t telling yourself rational reasons as to why you have decided to take on this task.

Start with this thought. A deep one. The next time you’re with a loved one, imagine this is the last time you’ll see them. For real. Let the emotion sweep over you. Now, immediately this will take the shape of a somber feeling. That’s where you step in. Change your perspective. Don’t think of this as you’re losing someone, but instead think of the things the person across from you needs to know about you. Consider the things you’ve always wanted to ask or talk about with this person. Let your mind wander to these places. Examine the history you two have shared together, and evaluate how this makes you feel. Do you believe you’ve been a benefit for this person along the way? Has this particular person been one for you? Take your mind into these places.

Why are you doing this? You’re trying to train your brain to cherish the moment, and more importantly, slow it down and relish the time you have with the person across from you. Now, you’re likely to think twice about scurrying off to finish your work project. You’re probably going to forget about those text conversation you were having with other folks before you began this interaction. It’s safe to say social media and the associated platforms won’t seem so meaningful or important at this moment. Now, you have successfully accomplished two things. You have mentally slowed down the time, and you have replaced distractions with the best distraction of them all. Genuine, meaningful, communication with another individual.