Stop Rushing and Start Living

Last day, my wife and I were waiting at a bus station. In front of us, the street was buzzing with activity. Pedestrians hurrying toward various destinations, street vendors calling out for their attention, and roaring vehicles passing at breakneck speeds. Everyone was busy.

Out of the blue, I remembered the time of COVID when the same streets were silent. No one was to be seen anywhere, except some police patrol troops watching hawk-eyed for anyone breaking the curfew. Everything was dystopian.

But we survived those times. With our resilience, we found cures for COVID-19 and brought back the world to near normal. Nevertheless, the time was at once one of fear of the future and reflection of our past. For me, it was a pitstop, a time away from the race to reflect on whether I should be racing in the first place.

Rush and time pressure

For all the critiquing of modern fast life, no one can ignore the fact that it has gifted us with a ‘scarcity of time’. No other creature on this beautiful earth can speak of one of the four dimensions like this; that they do not have enough of it.

If my grandfather, who lived in a mythical era when humans had lots of time, apparated for one day in the modern world, what would he feel? I bet he would be overwhelmed, if not scared. He won’t be able to follow the world—unhurried and peaceful in his time—sprinting and huffing and puffing today.

Where are we headed?

During COVID-19, I saw the world through my grandpa’s eyes. The vacant streets invoked a feeling that we could do without the rush, or even that we are rushing toward a mirage. All the noise, rush, stress, short temper, and high pulse rate arise from the hot expedition of El Dorado.

In the process, we are getting burned out too. After a lifetime of the expedition, we realize that all it gave us were diseases, mental and physical discomfort, and alienation from loved ones.
Is it really worth it?

The escape route

If life is not worth rushing, should we abandon our lives and live like a hermit? Not necessarily. We can instead adhere to certain safety measures to ensure that we are not drowned by the noise.

Disconnect

Disconnect from the fast life, even if for a few minutes. Go swing in the park, go out for a walk, and be with yourself.

Pace yourself

Take things slowly. Do not rush and try to do everything at once. Give yourself time to breathe.

Avoid distractions

Our phones and social media thieve away our time. Step away from the habit of checking your feed every 15 minutes.

Prioritize

We all face a dilemma of which to deal with first; urgent or important. Many things are urgent but not important. Many others are important but not urgent. Be wise and prioritize according to need.

Take it easy

Imagine if we could insulate ourselves thus from the rush. We could lead a happy life without getting swallowed up by the stress monster.

Let us pace ourselves, find a rhythm that we are comfortable with, and slow dance our way through life.

What a great celebration that would be!

Thank you for reading. Please post your comments below.