James Clear wrote Atomic Habits, a worthwhile companion to Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit. He wrote this in a recent newsletter, “Slowing down enables you to act in a high quality way. Kind rather than curt. Polished rather than sloppy. It’s hard to be thoughtful when you’re in a rush.”
These thoughts when incorporated into our daily life change our effectiveness and maybe even our health.
Imagine acting with quality in every interaction and everything we do. Our work improves. Our relationships improve. Slowing down while eating quality foods impacts our health.
When we slow down, we will notice other people. Not being in a rush, we can take time to be kind rather than curt or brusque.
Imagine yourself turning in polished work at your job or nonprofit organization or your church. See the impact quality work has on others and on your own self-esteem.
Some people set a goal and find a guide to reading the Bible in a year. You must go through many pages every day. What if you took one gospel, say Mark, or maybe part of a gospel, say the Sermon on the Mount, and read through it slowly and thoughtfully over the course of the year? Or maybe a deep spiritual teacher like one book of Thomas Merton or Henri Nouwen or even an ancient like Augustine of Hippo?
I think before I have quoted a former Navy SEAL, Jocko Willink, who advised, “Slow is smooth; smooth is fast.”
You could do worse for yourself in 2022 than bring this into your life. I know from experience.
Faith Venture 
January 12, 2022 at 10:25 am |
What a great goal. As someone who struggles with having my self worth tied to my productivity but constantly trying to work against that pull, focusing on slowing down to actually be present and do all things well for God’s glory instead of getting a long checklist completed would certainly add a depth of meaning to it all!
January 12, 2022 at 10:43 am |
Thanks. I like the “being present” comment. Sometimes we’re there, but we’re not there 🙂