Finding Inner Peace in a Busy World
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Stop.
For just a moment.
Advice of which I need to remind myself of often. Life moves fast. Days are packed. Hours are full. Work piles up.
Wake up. Go, go, go. Sleep. Repeat. Sometimes, the STOP button is missing (or at least the PAUSE button) in our lives.
A few days ago, I was feeling so overwhelmed with my "To Do" list that I emailed Steve at work and told him that I thought I had just experienced a little anxiety attack. Lucky for me, I have a husband who knows exactly what it takes to calm me down and walk me through the stress-out reasons until I feel like I have a grip on my peace of mind again. Whew!
While it can seem that "lists of priorities" only include what must get accomplished in a day and not that silly little thing called our "peace of mind," it becomes imperative to remember that the POM concept might just need to be #1 in order to ensure any efficiency in other areas.
Funny how different our society is nowadays as compared to just a few decades ago. While technological advances (emails, texts, phones glued to us at all times, the internet at our fingertips wherever we may be) make us more productive, perhaps we need to refocus the constant output of activity and reflect back INWARD more often.
Steve and I reveal our ages when we tell our kids stories of "the old days" when television only offered the "main network" channels and woah, when MTV came along, it was like this alternate universe way off on channel 23. Or that Atari was state-of-the-art and there really weren't Wii, PS3 and XBox options when you made birthday present pleas. We actually had to SIT at the phone in our rooms with the curly, coiled cord if we wanted to talk to our friends and COMPUTERS? Pshhhh...we typed our English papers on typewriters (with White Out in the wings).
Yes, life was different then. But it was also fantastic. I can only smile when reminiscing about warm summer nights as a teen with my bedroom window open, just listening to the quiet (yes, you can do that, right?) and the ripple of the water in my parents' swimming pool; or sitting on Steve's parents' patio listening to CDs (you thought I was going to say cassette tapes, huh?) and no computer to monitor multi-opened-tabs, email messages, friend requests and tweets.
It's not that I wish to return to the less sophisticated days without all of our modern conveniences, but I do wish to focus on that simplistic mind set again. I like being productive, I really do. It's essential to a degree, it keeps me on track and it sets an example for my children. But I also appreciate peace: peace of mind, peace and quiet, inner peace. That simple serenity that can come from stepping back from "it all" and enjoying an element that doesn't cost us a thing: tranquil silence. Time to ourselves. Time to think and just BE.
Breathe in. **I made this sign to hang on my computer monitor (hence the STOP LOOKING AT ME line) from time-to-time. Feel free to print it out yourself (click on image to go to larger screen) and cover your computer or TV.**
Breathe out.
Stop.
For just a moment.
Sign to Hang On Your Computer or TV From Time-To-Time - Click & Print
Friday, August 21, 2009 at 9:04AM
Reader Comments (10)
You just took me back to a time that I will always treasure -- when you were home and being such an amazing, beautiful daughter. I have thousands of memories from the day you were born until today when I read your post about the pressure you feel each day as you work so hard to live all the roles that you have. You have always been so good at truly living each experience in life. I hope you do take time to just relax and take care of yourself during part of each day. The peace of mind, peace and quiet, and inner peace that you write about are such an important part of life. Tranquil silence -- what a lovely way to spend part of each day! Love you!
What an excellent post. One that I really needed to read today too.
I am printing that sign out when I get home. I need it big time.
Thanks Jinxi.
Thank you so much for reminding me to slow down.
Wow! I was just remembering the other day how when I was younger, I used to walk along the avenue peacefully shopping because I didn't have a cell phone!! Now, I'm grocery shopping, picking up laundry, etc in between answering phone calls and text messages! Annoying sometimes? Absolutely! I always feel compelled to answer that annoying ring - squash the idea of ignoring it, at least until I get my 30lb bag of laundry in the truck... Oh no, not me! I'm one of those dimwits you see trying to juggle everything with the cell to her ear! lol But, anytime I leave the house and actually forget my lifeline, I turn around and go back to get it; no matter how late I'm running! Thanks Jinxi, for reminding us all to take a step back in time and enjoy the here and now, and the quiet! Have a wonderfully peaceful weekend! Blessed Be! xoxoxoxo
so true, boo!!!! and i miss atari like woah!! :(
Great Post! Atari rules.
my mom finally read this and used your sign as her wallpaper. Just another person you have connected with. Thank you Jinxi!!!
Thanks for the story Jinxi!
I think my favorite part, aside from the trip down memory lane, was the part where you emailed Steve and he talked you through your anxiety attack. You guys are so wonderful to one another. It makes me smile.
.........
I remember when I was a little chap, perhaps seven years old, and the Atari was still brand new on the market. I was in Skaggs Alpha Beta in Temple TX with my parents, standing at the electronics counter with my Dad looking through the glass at the amazing piece of technology within. I pointed at the Atari and all I said to Dad was, "That's really cool." For some reason still inexplicable to me, my Dad plunked down the astronomical sum of $100 for the Atari and we walked right out the door with it. Wow! ...It wasn't Xmas, it wasn't my birthday, it was just another day. It felt like a dream. I mean, $100! ...It must've seemed like $10,000 me at the time.
I am right in a period of breathe in and breathe out, trying to find inner peace and a better self...
Another fabulous post, Jinxi. I agree completely and I like the idea of the sign on your computer, too. Wise words, indeed!! And thanks for the link to the printable sign. :D
Thanks also for another amazing, inspiring and thoughtful post!!!
Oceans of love
Wen n Da XXXX