SLOW....DOWN....

Slow down 
Man in the mirror slow down
You're running too fast to see what life's all about 
This world ain't a fire for you to put out
The best times are here and now 
Slow down

~Kenny Chesney

This past Saturday, my husband and I had an easy morning and then took the day slowly.

That is basically where our life is at right now... slowed down, and I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT!

This is a health blog, so if you are here, you are probably look for some info on how to be healthy, right?
Well, here it is:
SLOW DOWN

That's it. Just slow down! I can not tell you how important this is to us right now.

Throughout my life, I have been thinking about the next step, and while it is not a bad idea to plan for your future, the past has taught me that often times, the future doesn't usually turn out how you planned it would anyway.

So what does that mean? Well, for me, it means that I need to stop thinking about what I want to do next and enjoy where I am at right now, because I have noticed that when I think back on my life, I never really too the opportunity to enjoy the phase that I was in. I was always pushing for bigger and better, but that trained me in such a way that when bigger and better came to me, I didn't take the time to savor my success. I was instantly ready for the next bigger, better thing and that made me a really unhappy person. 

I was going WAY TOO FAST to really enjoy what life is all about. 

I may not have reached the best part of my life yet, but I have had some pretty great times. My only regret is that I didn't take the time to enjoy them to the fullest while they lasted. 

I am only 23 years old, though, and there is time to change. I am counting my blessings that Andrew and I have the jobs that we do. We knew what we wanted in life, and we have created a space for ourselves where we can choose how fast or slow our days go by. I know that is not a blessing that a lot of people have, especially when you are working for an employer and have to bend to their rules and expectations, but it doesn't mean you can't control other aspects of your life.

 Think about when you are in the car driving to or from work. Look at how rude people can be and how hurried everyone seems. I challenge you to create time for yourself to slow down and enjoy some quiet time to yourself. Turn off the radio and just enjoy the view you have. When you get home, don't turn on the TV. It is a time killer! Seriously! So many lives are wasted away in front of the TV.

If you want to enjoy life, spend the time you would normally spend in front of the boob-tube working on some type of hobby you enjoy, or playing with your family/friends.

I guarantee you will start to forget about TV and realize that you aren't missing anything by turning it off! 

Just slow down and soak in the beauty of life that is all around you!

Don't rush through your life. It is not healthy. It causes stress and fatigue, and death bed regrets. No one ever says on their death bed, "I wish I'd hurried more." or "I wish I could have worked more hours." or "My life was too long, I am just ready to get through this next phase."

So back to our Saturday, Andrew and I were talking about how nice it was to drive through town with no where to be at any particular time. We ran some errands at our leisure then checked out a new part of town. I learned somethings about my husband that I didn't know before, but most of all, I just enjoyed feeling alive, and happy. It was a great day, and we decided that we were going to work on creating that slow feeling for everyday. 

Slow down.

This life's not a fire you need to put out.

The best times are here and now.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I can hear some kiddos and my husband laughing down the hallway... I'm going to go spend some time with them!
Enjoy your life!

Drew and I taking some time to enjoy our lives together in St. George in January. I am so grateful for those memories!