Life pulls us in different directions every day, pressuring us to make decisions, many of which may have significant consequences. Often the way forward is not as clear as we would like it to be. The problem is not the complexity of the situation, but the fact that most often we don’t give ourselves enough time.
The need to be efficient and quick often takes away the effectiveness and quality of our decisions. It is true that some situations need us to act swiftly, but to deprive ourselves of enough time is to deprive life of the best we can give.
Time allows deep-seated thoughts to surface to our conscious awareness. Some of them could well be breakthrough ideas. Acting in a hurry on just surface thoughts can have some impact, but often shallow and limited. When we give ourselves time, we give ourselves opportunities we may not even know existed.
Time allows us to evaluate a situation from all angles. Often we miss out on a subtle aspect, only to regret our haste. When we give ourselves time, we give ourselves a holistic view, protecting ourselves from something which may not have seemed obvious.
Time allows us to take a step back and change our paradigm. Often we get so fixed in our way of thinking that we lose perspective, even though we may have all the facts. Giving ourselves time gives us the opportunity of looking at things in a manner we may never have.
Time tests the strength of our thoughts. It is very easy to get enthused with the initial idea, and if we haven’t given it sufficient thought, we may soon find our interest sagging. Sometimes the cost and consequence of reversing a decision may be hard on us. Giving ourselves time gives us the clarity of whether an idea has really become our conviction.
In a fast-moving world that seems to be passing us by hurriedly, we often chose to be quick rather than correct. But when we learn to deliberately pause to deliberate on important issues on hand, we will surprisingly discover that making the right decision becomes effortlessly quick.
To enjoy a good meal, we need time to taste and digest it. Life too cannot to gulped to take in too much all at once, but needs to be sipped and enjoyed. And we can enjoy and do much more with our lives if we remember a simple fact – we need to give ourselves more time.
(Picture – Colorado Blue Spruce tree in Vancouver)
Super, thank you once again Vivek.
The need to slow down is well felt and much needed in the haste and waste of life.
Mindful walking and simple breathing with awareness enable us to regulate and savour the inflow and outflow calmly.