Some things in life just cannot be rushed…
How blessed are we to have modern technology to make our lives easier? We can do things faster and communicate better so that, in our spare time, we can sit around and binge watch our favorite shows.
No, wait, that can’t be right…
I have to admit, it is really nice to have the convenience of technology in our everyday lives. While it feels like we’ve increased our efficiency, I wonder if we have actually gotten more time back and, if so, how are we spending that time? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for progress — self-driving cars, groceries delivered right to our doors, ordering whatever we want, whenever we want with the touch of a button- almost like magic.
It’s amazing that technology can accommodate those who need that extra help. But I wonder if I need that much convenience in my life. And am I willing to work more to afford that life of luxury and comfort? I’m grateful to even have this choice.
What I’m trying to say is that there are some things in life that just cannot be rushed and sometimes the technology that’s supposed to be helping our lives sometimes feels like it’s taking away something much more valuable from us.
This is why the slow living movement really opened my eyes. My idea of luxury isn’t to live a comfortable life where things are just done for me. I want to be fully present for every moment — even if it takes more time and effort.
I think life would be quite dull and meaningless if we outsourced everything and things were just done for us. This is why I’ve implemented some slow living habits that might be more inefficient but provide more value and meaning into my life.
I look forward to going to the farmer’s market or grocery store. It’s not about picking out the meals for the week or getting the best deals. If I’m at the farmers market, it’s about the experience of it all — seeing the artists and their craft, listening to all the interesting stories, being inspired by how passionate people are about their plants, even about banana bread. While it’s not the most efficient way of doing groceries, it’s all about the experience. That, to me, counts for something. Instead of rushing to the things I must do, like my daily chores and errands that I have to run, my routines.
I hope that I never forget to enjoy the experience because these simple moments in between the big ones are what make up the majority of our days.
I have to admit — I used to be the person who would speed up the audio on my audiobook. I thought that reading meant I had to read the book from front to back. I just ended up with a long list of books I would completely forget the moment I finished them. I think we all seek instant gratification and I’m also guilty of this. No matter how fast I want to jump to the conclusion, I learned that some things take time for us to fully understand, to grasp the meaning and for us to grow. Creating a piece of art, a sincere conversation with a friend, learning something new, healing from a past — these are things we simply cannot press fast-forward on.
Sometimes it’s not even about the ending but the process itself. I’ve decided it’s better to dive deep while I can and give myself all the time I need without even thinking about the finish line.
I completely understand that efficiency is crucial for busy people. But solely depending on it can take the meaning out of the things that we do. I used to enjoy looking for the right gift for the person that I loved and seeing their face light up with joy. But life got busy so it was much easier to just buy a gift than to make something or take the time to write a heartfelt letter . That’s when the idea of ordering something online and having it delivered right to their door sounded like a great idea — but it never had the same sentiment.
When did relationships get so transactional? Was I too busy for the people that I loved? If so, what was I valuing more?
Something that takes time, effort and heart cannot be replicated or substituted. I’ve decided I never want to be too busy to give a piece of myself to the people that I love. Even with all the technological advancements, the greatest gift that we can still give to each other is our time, attention and our love.
When living a fast-paced life, relaxing feels like coming to a sudden stop on a running treadmill. With that free time, we could be working on our next project, planning our next move, or catching up on whatever we’re falling behind on. But I’ve always wondered how long that would be sustainable. Probably until we hit a wall and feel burnt out. Taking the time to relax and rest cannot be rushed and it’s not a sign of weakness or laziness but vital for our well being.
We can schedule a spa day, listen to a meditation app, buy all the tools to help us relax, but if we can’t learn to slow down our minds and give ourselves some breathing space, there would be no point in just going through the motions.
My favorite way to relax is reading a book, taking the time to do my nightly skincare routine, watching a movie or video while I do things around the house or taking a random nap on a Sunday afternoon after a brisk hike or bike ride. It doesn’t take much but it’s more about giving myself the permission to relax and recharge.
Any machine can perform a task more accurately and efficiently than we can. But is perfectionism really the ultimate goal? If we don’t make any mistakes, how are we ever grow and mold into a better version of ourselves?
I’ve decided that I want my efforts to go into trying and becoming better along the way. I’ve always defined myself by my progress more than my accomplishments.
I feel like the less I depend on technology, the more I depend on myself. Before GPS, how did I ever travel? Before having recipes at my fingertips, how did I ever cook? Before I had my phone, how did I do anything? Sure, it’s nice to have the help sometimes but I’ve noticed that, while technology can add comfort and luxury into our lives, it cannot truly replace the fundamental things.
In society’s eyes, I may be inefficient or it may look like I’m not keeping up with the modern times. But I think there are things in life worth taking time for. There’s more to life than just being efficient and getting things done. There’s more to me than just being a productive machine.
It seems that my whole life I’ve been rushing from one task to the next but I’ve ended up exactly where I’m supposed to be — not a single day ahead or a single day behind. I no longer care about finishing 50 books by the end of the year or seeing how much I can check off my to-do list in a day. In the bigger picture, what value does that really bring into my life?
At the end of the day, I want to know that I still find purpose in the work that I do. I want to know that I helped someone or I felt inspired in some way. And if all else fails, I want to know that at least I had some fun along the way. These are the values I want to live my life by.
It may require me to take the longer path and that’s ok.
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