Need a reminder? - Slow Down, Enjoy the Journey, Life is Short, Love Every Second

Hello friends!

I'm back again with a life update, new realisations, and exciting times to come.

Some of you may know that I recently started back at uni after taking a year and a half off study. I'm not going to lie, the start has been a bit rocky, and I forgot what it actually meant to sit your butt down and study! But the feeling of learning, of broadening your horizons, of gaining new knowledge and awareness of what's happening in the world has been an exhilarating journey.

There's so much to learn! There's so many ways to serve! I am forever grateful to have this opportunity.

However, a good old friend started creeping back into my life. My old amigo. You may know him too, he seems to be a popular pal! He sits at the back of your brain, reminding you of "all the things you need to do".  His little nagging voice that whispers "hey hey, amiga, remember the tasks you said you had? Don't you fall behiiind... Do you want to fail? Do you really care? Do you? Do you?". So I decided to ask why he came back. I could see him bothering most of the people around me, rushing from one space to another with a face of worry. His voice becomes overwhelming, unbearable, and makes us lose focus on what's actually important. 

Fortunately, a group of friends and I got together to talk about challenges we're going through, and how we can help each other to overcome them. A wise friend of mine, Sophie, said something to me that really stuck... her message was: 

"Life tends to move at the pace you are moving - We have the power to chose how fast we want it to move".

What she meant was: if you feel rushed, if you feel anxious and overwhelmed... things around you are going to start mirroring that. Distractions, emails, texts, calls, all asking for your attention. Things flying at you left right and centre. The nagging friend returns. 

So I chose to experiment something. I chose to

slooow dooown. 

I chose to be present. To really enjoy every fleeting moment. I took my time that night. Spending a peaceful afternoon in the garden, cooking a delicious meal. Slowing down. A feeling of pure calmness. 

We live in a space and society where we have information bombarding us all the time. We have notifications, emails, updates from work, texts demanding our immediate attention. Spending more time in the hectic city atmosphere, I had lost my concept of patience. I wanted things NOW. I wanted a reply to an email NOW. I wanted that instant connection with a person NOW. I wanted to know it all NOW. 

Then, as I was gardening that afternoon, another little voice, a calm and beautiful one whispered "Good things take time".  I thought of a tree. An elegant tree doesn't grow overnight. It doesn't bear the fruits over a week. It takes YEARS before the beauty comes. During those years the tree needs to be nurtured. The gardener is taught patience, persistence, and trust that it will work out. To really bear the juiciest fruit, the gardener feeds it with quality nutrients. He create the best quality food, trims its hedges, patiently nurtures it and makes sure the beautiful tree stays on track. Only then, will the harvest come.

This can be reflected in everything we do. When cooking a meal, if you are focused, if you take your time, if you are patient, the beauty of the meal will be 100 times better than if you quickly rushed around and made the fastest option. 

Relationships... We tend to think that a text once in a while will keep our friend happy. But then you start to realise how hollow it is, how weak. You notice the friendship crumbling beneath your feet. To form good friendships takes time. It takes persistent effort to visit the person, to help them when they're in need, to listen, be present, and plant the seed of love.

Have you ever started one thing, then let it half done and jumped on to another? Rushing through task after task? I have. But when I die, it won't matter how many things I did if they were never finished .. Simply because I lacked the patience to do a good job, and gave up when it was taking too long. What will matter is the effort put into things, the dedication, the quality. Is it better to grow one beautiful tree that bears fruits for lifetimes after you're gone, than one hundred trees which all die after a few years because you couldn't care for all? It's better to have one indestructible friendship, than a million hanging from a small threads (or a text).

This morning I decided to take a step back, and ask myself: What brings me joy? 

(Also wise words from my friend Sophie! She's a clever one.)

A few things I came up with were...

- Being with my family 

- Baking for children and seeing the joy on their faces

- Photography

- Being in nature etc.

- Writing

So I decided to go for a run instead of going to my uni lecture, and honestly it was the most beautiful decision I could've made. The lecture can always be rewatched, but when can you experience the absolute beauty of a crisp morning breeze, and sun gleaming over the ocean? These moments are fleeting. We need to step back and enjoy the true beauty of life. 

So I encourage you... please... if you are feeling stressed, if you are feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and listen to the wise words of my friend, ask yourself - "What brings me joy?"

Then take the time out to do these things! You won't regret it. It will actually give you the energy to put your best work into things that maybe aren't as enjoyable - and you'll have fun anyway!

I will leave you here for now, and hope that there is someone out there who may have needed a reminder to stop and enjoy the beauty of life. We are so fortunate, especially in a beautiful country like New Zealand. So let's hear the song of the birds and laugh our asses off.

Best wishes to you all <3 

There's a beautiful poem I read a long time ago which I wanted to share: