Something I’ve noticed since learning to slow down is that it’s not as easy as it sounds.
We hear it all the time — “just take it easy” or “slow down a bit.” But when you’ve spent years moving at a fast pace, slowing down doesn’t come naturally. In fact, it can feel uncomfortable at first.
My circumstances were a little different than most. We owned a ranch for most of our adult lives, and we were busy 24/7/365, with very few vacations. A vacation was usually going to an event of some sort, where someone else was doing your job back home.
When we retired, we were suddenly in a motorhome, seeing the country. We still got up early and traveled. We did this for five years, then decided it was time to slow down and only travel in the summertime.
That sudden change is what created issues, health-wise.
I had been placed in a high-stress position, and it nearly stopped me for good. I had a small heart attack and was grounded for a while.
When we finally settled for the winter months to stay out of the snow and cold, we went to Yuma, Arizona.
I slowed down, all right.
But I slowed down too much.
I found myself doing almost nothing for too long. That created another problem. My back and legs lost muscle tone, and walking became difficult. My thinking started going in the wrong direction. I was giving up… becoming lazy… and turning into something I never wanted to be.
A couch potato.
But thanks to my wife, things began to change.
I started moving again, even if it was just a little. I would take on one small project a day, then rest. If I felt up to it, maybe I’d do a little more. Over time, that started to add up.
Another thing I noticed was how much better I felt physically. Less rushing meant less tension, and less tension meant less stress on the body.
Slowing down, I’ve learned, isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about making small, steady adjustments that build over time.
It’s still something I’m working on. But each day, I see a little more clearly that a steady pace often leads to better results than a rushed one.
Sometimes the best progress we make is the kind that doesn’t feel rushed at all.
