On running late.
I was chatting with one of my classes the other week about running late. We decided that we are often running late because we are optimistic people who believe we have enough time to get just one more thing done.
When I was thinking a bit deeper about this, I realized I personally am often running later to things than I would like because I want to be as efficient and as productive as possible. I want to use every second well. I want to get that last job done like replying to one more message, sending one more email, hanging out one more load of washing, even if that inevitably means I am rushing to the next place.
This way of thinking is becoming all too common. I mean, there’s so much to do right? The to-do list feels never ending. So we multi-task. We read while eating breakfast, listen to music while driving, listen to a podcast while on a walk, scroll on our phone while watching a series, play music while working, watch a show while eating dinner. We might even bring our phones with us to the toliet!
We often feel overwhelming and overstimulated. And yes, the world is operating at a faster and faster pace. And I think this constant input adds to our overwhelm.
When is the last time you did something in silence? When is the last time you did just one thing at a time?
If it feels like you can’t hear yourself think or you are barely alone with your thoughts, maybe it’s because you aren’t giving yourself the chance. You aren’t giving yourself the space to sit with them.
Here we come each week to yoga class. A place where we can carve out time for ourselves. To be without distractions or demands on our attention. To sit in silence. To give our brains a much needed break.
