We have become accustomed to living life in a perennially fast-forward mode - thanks to instant coffee, instant noodles and instant access to information through satellite TV, mobile phone, internet. (Amazon.com recently reported that their eBook sales exceeded the combined sales of hard cover and paperback editions.)
In this month’s guest post, KKP suggests that we should occasionally hit the ‘pause’ button to take stock of our own lives. He shares some ideas from the blog of Anastasiya Goers.
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Bring Sanity to Life by Slowing Down Your Pace
As part of the computing generation, we were working towards getting/giving all the answers within days in the 90’s……..This raced to getting/giving answers within a day……And, now we are working as if there is no tomorrow, and we have to have answers within the hour or minute.
Email, Forums, Blogs, eOpinions, Facebook, Twitter, Picture-books and then the myriad of portals that we log onto everyday, and do the clicks throughout the day or night.
As a result, today’s technology, the pressures of work, the fast-paced economy, and fear of the future are just a few of the things that are causing havoc to our mental, emotional, family and spiritual life.
The cost of a hurry-up lifestyle in our 24/7 society is loss of self-awareness, self-evaluation and linking-to-future. We move with the herds and get distracted by one of twenty things around us; home phones, mobile rings, email-notification, pop-ups, SMS texts, voice-mail-prompts, discussion about V2.x and then there’s shopping for the next version of ‘everything’ to keep up. We over-consume and never proper-digest anything, since we fail to see underneath the surface of everything that touches our lives.
Is it time to get off the roller coaster of this fast-paced-life? It’s up to each of us to become aware of where we are now, recognize our potential to change and create a life that brings more joy, real joy. Here are some tips to create more balance by implementing empowering choices highlighted by Anastasiya Goers (Balance In Me blog):
1. Take responsibility
No one is coming to rescue you. No one is coming to save you. Most of us, know exactly what we need to do to make our lives better. Make a commitment. Write down your plan for change.
2. Take a step in the right direction today
Today is the perfect day to begin. Apologize, attend an AA meeting, go for a 15 minute walk, or add vegetables to your diet. Begin small, you’ll gather momentum and eventually have a different perspective, a new mindset, and a better life.
3. Prioritize at work and home
There is no need to consistently work overtime when you focus on doing the most important tasks first. Learn to delegate. Teach your children to help with everyday chores. Learn how to work with coworkers and family members in an effective way.
4. Take a digital break
Begin your day with all technology turned off. Use the first hour for quiet time, prayer, meditation or stillness. Talk to family members face-to-face. Show interest in each other’s lives. Eat dinner together and end your day with more quiet time, minus digital distractions.
5. Create boundaries
When you have a ‘big’ yes, it’s easy to say no to the demands of others. Practice telling others, “No, that’s not going to work for me.” After you say it pause. Make a “not to do” list. This will leave space and time for your dreams.
6. Practice minimalism
Don’t buy into the next best thing. Create a budget. Eliminate stuff from your life. Stop recreational shopping. This will keep you from becoming a workaholic. It will also allow you to be debt free with less stress.
7. Have fun
When you do the work, you make space in your life for joy and happiness. The opposite of happy isn’t sad, it’s depression. Make each day an adventure. Never underestimate the power of creating good times for yourself.
8. Volunteer
Giving of yourself creates meaning in your life. My daughter spent two years in the program, Teach for America. My most meaningful giving experience was volunteering in Mississippi after hurricane Katrina. Life is richer when we give in both big and small ways.
9. Drop judgment
When you compare yourself to others, you discount who you are and what you do. You lose your joy. You don’t know what anything is for and you can’t see the big picture. Nobody can. Learn to live in the moment, change what you can and surrender the rest.
10. Create a bucket list and take action
List everything you want to do before you die. Then begin fulfilling your list. We are here to enjoy life. Begin now.
11. Live in the present
It’s easy to live in the pain of the past or the fear of the future. When this happens, stop, breathe, and ground yourself in the moment. Anxiety is nonexistent in this moment.
12. Live love
Learn to always come from a loving heart. Each morning have an intention of love. Think loving thoughts, speak loving words and take loving action. Mother Teresa said, “When we die the only thing we take with us is the love we gave away.”
Summary:
It’s easy to believe the sky is falling when you are neglecting your personal needs. Learn to put yourselves first. Nobody else will do it for us! Change happens really slowly as one ages, but that is when we need to make the changes and impact life for many decades to come. It takes time to recreate a new life, whether it is to change our weight, eat more healthy, introduce new elements in our life, and make that a lifelong habit. My personal life is transforming in a huge way from almost all angles, and I am making time for everything from health, eating habits, wealth management, sharing/caring, handling kids, improving friendships, being gentle, respecting things more, enjoying sunsets and moon-shines, and learning to go with the flow. Life was a big competition for me (being a Type A personality) and now I feel satisfied enough to enjoy the achievements and manage them to the best of my abilities. So far it has been a 2 year 4 month journey, and much more to come…
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KKP (Kiran Patel) is a long time investor in the US, investing in US, Indian and Chinese markets for the last 25 years. Investing is a passion, and most recently he has ventured into real estate in the US and also a bit in India. Running user groups, teaching kids at local high school, moderating a group in the US and running Investment Clubs are his current hobbies. He also works full time for a Fortune 100 corporation.
