60 Weeks to 60 — Week 5: Slow Down

I am fast — I walk fast, talk fast, work fast. By most measures, I like the fact that I do things quickly, and consider it an asset. It allows me accomplish a tremendous amount in a short period of time. For example, my super powers include the ability to pull together a dinner party in less than 30 minutes.

But, I wonder what I am missing by moving so fast. What would happen if I slowed down… a lot?

This week’s challenge is to change my clock speed. My goal is to see what if feels like to slooooow down. This is not an easy week to take on this particular challenge. It is a jam-packed week, filled with events I’m hosting, classes I’m teaching, and travel to a conference where I’m speaking. It would be easy to slow down if was going on vacation to relax on the beach, sipping fancy cocktails. It will be a significant challenge to take a deep breath while maintaining an active schedule. I’m not sure I’m going to be successful, but it’s worth a try.

My plan is simple, but hard. I will start each day with 15 minutes of silence, taking some deep breaths. During that time I will consider my goals for the day, including my objectives of moving, talking, and working at a slower pace. In addition, in conversation, I will count to three before I say anything, focusing more on listening than on responding.

During the week, I will be focused on the following things:

• How easy/hard is it to slow down?
• How does it feel to slow down?
• How do others respond (or not) to my slower pace?
• Do I like moving more slowly, or do I prefer a faster pace?
• What are the surprises (positive and negative) of slowing down?

I welcome others to join me in this challenge, and invite you to share your experiences.