Slow Down from the Inside Out (+ 9 Ways to Begin)

Last week I found myself sitting in my car in a downtown parking garage feeling exhausted. All day I had been juggling traffic, conference calls, schedule changes and work requests from my team. Now, I couldn’t find a parking spot, I was late for a meeting and my phone messages were blowing up. I could feel my blood pressure rise, my body was tense and I was short of breath. I had let the outside world dictate my inner world and state of being; my pace was inhumane.

I paused, took a deep breath, exhaled and said a short prayer of gratitude for this awareness. It was time to slow down.

The idea of how to create a more sustainable pace in a 24/7 world comes up every time I speak to men and women around the US on finding balance. Most share they know they are addicted to feeling speeded up and have fallen prey to the seduction of busyness.

Do you sometimes feel as if you’re a robot rather than a homosapien?  Here are nine ways to practice mindfulness, reclaim your humanity and live from the inside out:

Slow down. We’ve normalized “busy-ness.” Our external world is speeding us up—if we let it. We’re not wired to go non-stop. Get in the practice of “pausing” throughout your day to take in your environment.

Make friends and social connections a priority (lunches, walks, coffee dates). In our house, we say, “People first, things second.” Our quality of life is dramatically enhanced by our friendships/circles.

Put technology in its place. Be careful of what you “normalize.” Remember you’re the master (not the slave here). Observe your habits. In our house, mornings are unplugged and in the evenings, we play quiet music that supports reading and relaxation. All phones go to “bed” at 8:30 p.m. for the night in another room.

Do nothing. Ever heard the advice, “Don’t just do something, sit there.” Stillness nourishes us to our core. Look out the window. Lie in a hammock. Sit on your front porch or a park bench. Stare into space.

Seek out quiet, dark places. No, not your closet, I’m talking about natural areas in your state or the US where there is limited or no access to technology (like Big Bend National Park); leave your phone at home. Our bodies need these experiences to re-calibrate.

Take off your shoes and walk outside. Get barefoot on the earth. Walk as much as you can (it’s so good for your body and brain!). Every day go outside and “commune with nature” for at least 10 minutes.

Give your brain a rest. Do less, think less, keep things simple. The fewer choices/decisions we have, the happier we are. “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”

Drink lots of good clean water and eat more fruits/vegetables. How much energy-infused food do you eat daily? My mom used to advocate for eating food that is alive, as opposed to processed, “dead” food.

Give/receive eight hugs a day. Hugs, back rubs, a.m. and p.m. snuggles, embraces with family at the beginning/end of each day—all these things elicit an incredibly positive biochemical response in the body.

These are all ways of being that are innate to the human experience. They’re hard-wired into who we are. On a cellular level, we know this stuff makes us feel good and helps us remember who we really are, but somehow we’ve lost our way.

We’re living in times that require us to reflect and question everything. Ultimately, I like to ask, “How bad do you want to feel good?” Consider baby steps. Even just adopting one or two of these ideas could make a big impact on how you feel this week. Let me now how it goes! 

Warmly ~ 

FOUR OPPORTUNITIES TO SLOW DOWN AND PRIORITIZE YOUR SELF-CARE:

• *IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN ME!* Spring Equinox Weekend (this Friday!) March 20-22nd for Awakening Your Wild Soul: Women’s Self-Renewal Retreat at 1440 Multiversity in the CA redwoods (photo above) ~ an embodied spirituality retreat filled with joyful song, pleasureful movement and deep rest surrounded by the 1,000 year-old trees; learn more/ register. 
• Can’t join me in-person? Download your self-guided retreat today! Ready to prioritize your self-care, relax your body and enjoy empowering mentoring from Renee 24/7 from the comfort of your home, car or office? Our highly popular self-paced online retreats are only $59. Download & enjoy today. Learn more. 
• Want support for facilitating women’s groups/retreats? Check out Secrets to Facilitating Life-Changing Women’s Groups/Retreats ~ an online, self-paced training & mentoring course. Only $195. Learn more/enroll here.
• Live in the Southeast or near North Carolina? Join me in the NC Blue Ridge Mountains for a Wild Souls Adventure: authentic movement classes, community song circles, full moon hikes, meditation/resiliency workshops, women’s circles & more or have me design a custom experience/ritual for your team/friends: learn more. Join us Sunday, March 29th for our next public Wild Souls Authentic Movement class in Brevard, NC; learn more here.