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It's time to start savouring, and I'm not talking just about food.
Time is a funny thing, isn't it? Sometimes it flies by and other times it can't go quick enough (and that's usually when you would prefer it to speed by).
What's the deal?
To keep it sweet and simple, basically time speeds up or down depending on the situation. The more information our minds take in, the slower time will pass.
So it then makes sense that as we get older, time does fly by faster than when we were kids, as we aren't having to process as much information. Most things around us are "old news" and our minds don't need to take in as much.
Savour the moment.
I'll get into some quick ideas below, but first I want to give a spotlight moment to one of my favourite verbs - s a v o u r.
"Be it tart or sweet, always savour the moment. You'll not taste one just like it again." - Erica Alex
Yes, the simple art of relishing in the moment. Feeling delight and pleasure for the experience that is happening right now.
This, my friend, is one of the keys to true happiness.
How to do it? Well, you need to become present in the moment. An active mindfulness.
Want to make it even better? Then share the experience with another person. Take time to feel gratitude for what is occurring or just occurred. Take a photo or an audio recording. Whatever tickles your fancy to take that beautiful moment with you. Savour it.
What else?
As promised, here's a list of some other things you can do to help slow time down and stop it from passing by too quickly (at least the bits that you don't want to)!
New experience. Challenge yourself to try something new. As soon as you are learning and taking in new information, time will come back to pace with you.
Anchor activity. At least once a week, make plans for something a bit more special to help you anchor that week into your memory. Ever notice how when you are trying to remember something that happened awhile ago, that you refer to events that were a bit more out of the ordinary? ah-ha!
Mindfulness. Practice meditation or yoga or whatever form of mindfulness that works for you.
Get in the zone. When we get into the zone, or flow state as many call it, time nearly stands still for us! What is something you do that gets you into this state? For me, it's exercising (Pilates, running, yoga). For others, it might be a creative activity or reading a book. Find your thing and relish in it.
Gratitude. Take a moment to appreciate things around you. This is a wonderful activity to do daily and has heaps of benefits (positive psychology)! But even if you don't do it daily, take a time out every so often to think about what you are grateful for and why. It will ground you in those moments.
Remove distractions. One of my top tips that can literally be life changing, is to not have your mobile with you, particularly when you are doing something important or meaningful. Want to really enjoy time with your friend you haven't seen in awhile? Put the phone away. Want to enjoy that movie you've been dying to see? Put the phone away.
Focus on one thing at a time. Stop trying to multi-task (or as my friend Nat always calls it, switch task). Not only are you not getting sh*t done, but you are also not staying in the moment. And guess what happens when you aren't present? Time flies by!
Learn something new. Take an online course, have your kids teach you how to play the newest game, challenge yourself to get back into those old roller skates. You get the picture.
Eat ice cream. Okay, maybe not ice cream, if that's not your thing. But for me, eating something I enjoy as much as ice cream (the vegan kind is my jam), is a moment that time slows down. I enjoy the taste, the sensation in my mouth, the art of eating it not too fast, but also not too slow so that it melts too much. Simple pleasures.
There's your list! So now find some things to try out this week and see how much you can truly savour the moments. I assure you it will bring a smile to your beautiful face.
What tips do you have for slowing down time?