1. Pause for a Moment
2. Remember what Matters to You
3. Notice what's right Here
4. Slow down to see clearly what You Value
5. Amplify Gratitude
Notice what’s right here
I also discovered that when I started slowing down and allowing myself to embrace all my emotions, it wasn’t just fear, anger, or sadness that arose. I started opening up my heart in new ways to love, connection, and all the beauty that surrounded me.
Slowing down also helped in the early part of the pandemic, I was in isolation alone at home. After I got over Covid, I began experiencing constant physical pain, fatigue, and brain fog, I was unable to work. I didn’t have energy to do anything else, either. I could not read, watch TV, exercise, or do other normal activities.
Sitting in isolation with zero distraction was unnerving because then I had no choice other than to really be with everything that was unfolding. I found myself reflecting on my life, pondering not what I had accomplished but who I had been along the way. Had I been kind to my family and friends? Had I taken full responsibility for my mistakes? Had I expressed myself fully and let the world see who I really am?
One day, I finally found the courage and admitted to a friend that I had never been more scared in my life. I had been resisting my fear. My fear of dying. My fear of losing loved ones to this illness. But finally, when I was able to let go and just be with that fear, suddenly it wasn’t as terrifying anymore.
My friend couldn’t take away my pain, but she created a safe space for me to share what I was feeling. Sometimes, all we need in difficult times is to be witnessed and heard.
For me, I rediscovered things I had taken for granted. When I left my apartment after 40 days in lockdown, the first thing I noticed were the beautiful gardens in full blossom in the neighborhood. And the feeling of a breath of fresh air, with tender green leaves again. After over a month indoors, I looked at things afresh, as if I was a kid experiencing these things for the first time.
What would life feel like if we always approached the world with childlike wonder? What if we soaked in the magic of each moment like it was our first and last one on earth? Instead of taking these simple pleasures for granted, what if we were truly present in our lives?
This might sound sappy, but learning to savour and appreciate good experiences in life is one of the most important keys to wellness. And it gives us more energy and strength to face difficult experiences.
But busyness has become a normal way of life that we often wear as a badge of honor. We are so busy running on autopilot, often in triggered states, that we can easily miss what’s right in front of us. We miss the magic that exists simply in taking a walk outside or sharing a meal with loved ones.
Slowing down helped me pause, notice and be grateful. I am now so much more aware of what’s right in front of me at most times.