Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow – that is patience.

The human lifespan is short. That’s why we’re told to constantly cram as much as we can into each day. We do things that we like think are important, but aren’t really, like ‘having’ to catch that show or ‘having’ to go to the party.

We stuff our schedules with driving instead of walking, microwaving instead of cooking, and never really taking the time to have a moment of silence.

Of course, I’m not saying we should all turn into tortoises. There is a time and a place for everything, but for a lot of people, actually taking time to slow down has been completely forgotten.

Doing things slowly once in a while isn’t being lazy or unproductive. On the contrary, it’s doing things properly and with purpose.

When we slow down, we can take a step back and observe our actions.

We can think before we speak.

We can look at where we are going, instead of charging forward in any direction.

We can actually enjoy living.

simple act

Do one thing today as slowly as you can for a few moments. Notice all of the thoughts that go through you head as you move with focus and intention.

Simple Philosophies is a series of short posts about small things we can do to live a happier life. Please let me know what you think in the comments!