I tend to talk fast, walk fast, move between five different things all the time. I am working hard at slowing down, being more intentional and letting things go. My current mantra is “pause”. One little word – alongside it’s friend “breathe” – can make such a difference in life.
Pause before you say something you will regret
are you sure that is the right thing to say? can you see the other person’s point of view? does your opinion even matter in this case? are you just cranky? are you hungry, tired or any other feeling that is affecting your words and thoughts?
Pause before you intervene in your kids’ battles
it feels easier to just put a stop to it and get quiet restored, but they need to learn to work it out, don’t you hate that naggy voice?, wait and see how it plays out, know the whole story at the very least, keep your voice calm, listen more than you speak
Pause before you say no
have you really considered the request? why are you saying no? Is it a reflex reaction? do you hear your parents in your head? are you under pressure? are you saying no to yourself because you feel guilty? are you saying no to others because you feel scared? take time to think it through, see if you can step out of your comfort zone.
Pause before you say yes
do you really want to do this? do you feel pressured? do you have time or energy to give? does this feel right to you?
Hit the pause button.
Do you have a mantra or way to slow down?
Find your simple,
Deb
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Mine is usually “count to 10″ and I literally count to 10 (in my head, sometimes out loud). That 10 seconds gives me time to think about what my reaction is and why I am reacting like that. I recently read a good one too “5 years from now will this matter?” works good for me when I get upset about something silly but have that knee-jerk reaction. The last couple of years I’ve really learned to count to 10 and not react right away. Still need practice sometimes though as I can be too quick to say yes or no to something.
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Twitter: findyoursimple
October 11, 2012 at 9:04 pm
counting to 10 is a great strategy! xx
Debra Dane recently posted..Filling in the cracks
Mine is breathe & I take a big belly breath. I’m working on not intervening in kid things all the time, & not automatically saying no too. It’s hard to break those habitual reactions isn’t it!
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Twitter: findyoursimple
October 11, 2012 at 9:05 pm
Isn’t it amazing the power of just a word – breathe (&”just breathe” ) help me pause but also the act of taking that breathe really does slow everything down – heart rate, tension…
Debra Dane recently posted..All suffering and difficulty is valid
Do Less Better.
I tell myself this all the time.
It works to make me slow down and take my time.
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Twitter: findyoursimple
October 11, 2012 at 9:06 pm
That is a great one and sums up my approach lately as I have set myself only a few tasks each day so i am not overwhelmed, i can think clearer and anything extra is simply a bonus! Love it – thanks for sharing xx
Debra Dane recently posted..A story to tell – Interview with Jane from Life on Planet Baby
Love this post…comes at a good time for me as I’m trying to “micromanage” less…I actually don’t have a mantra to trigger a slowdown, but now you have me thinking! Thank you!
Twitter: kal20m
October 12, 2012 at 7:58 am
Thanks for once again hitting the nail on the head – I need to learn to do this more often. I have got better than I used to be but of late have found I have been falling back into bad habits – thanks for the reminder !
Have a great day !
Me
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October 12, 2012 at 3:06 pm
I’d add to point one. Pause even longer before you write it down. Emails, facebook messages, texts – even seemingly innocent things can be read differently!
PAUSE. Love it.
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