The Importance of Pace

There are days when we feel overwhelmed. Maybe we have a lot on our plate that day and between our work or home obligations, our to-do list is full. When this is a 'sometime' occurrence, our adrenalin and cortisol kicks in to give us that extra energy boost and we land into bed at the end of the day feeling tired but accomplished. When this is an everyday occurrence however, we are setting ourselves up for chronic stress and eventual burn-out. It is true that our circumstances can contribute to our daily tasks; being a single parent, having a busy household, working an extra job, caring for a loved one. We can't deny those circumstances, but rather need to move with them. We do this by dedicating ourselves to the intention of pace. We are going to have a lot of obligations whether we do them feeling frazzled and rushed, or whether we pace ourselves, concentrating on one task at a time. We can do this by:

• reminding ourselves (with a deep breath first) "one thing at a time."

• putting on uplifting music while driving, preparing meals. This will boost mood during the mundane tasks that need to get done.

• turning off email and text notifications during times when deeper concentration is needed.

• self-care 'bits' throughout the day. It is possible to take 10 minutes in the morning to pray, 15 minutes at lunch to sit outside, a 10 minute meditation at night before heading to bed.

• write in a daily gratitude journal. Focusing on your blessings is good for the soul.

Our daily pace is an important part of emotional wellness. When we dedicate ourselves to pace not perfection, steady not overwhelm, we are moving with not against. Life can be busy, our circumstances can be stressful, we can still set the pace.

"Adjust your pace, not your purpose." - Sophia Joan

Photo by César Couto on Unsplash