Christa, Day 22 and 23: Taking It Slow

Holy two-in-one post, Batman! Why am I cramming two days into one, you ask? Mostly because I did a lot of things yesterday and felt like devoting more energy to those things, both work and play, instead of trying to cram more more more into the final day of my three-day weekend. Plus Day 22 and Day 23 have something in common, at least for me, in that I don't want to do either of them but know I should. Mostly because I don't want to die! Or kill anyone else.

That said, voluntary simplicity is about mindfulness. It's not about taking it slow just to be slow. It's about adopting a slower pace so it's possible to be in the moment. When you proceed mindfully, regardless of what you're doing, you do it better. You enjoy it more. Er, most of the time, anyway. So for today's post and yesterday's, too, I thought I'd share a little bit about why I don't want to do either and why I really ought to try to do both.

Eat slowly. If you cram your food down your throat, you are not only missing out on the great taste of the food, you are not eating healthy. Slow down to lose weight, improve digestion, and enjoy life more. Read more.

Here's a funny little fact about me: If science invented perfectly balanced nourishment in pill form that provided everything the body needed along with a feeling of satiation, I would be all over it. What most of my foodie friends are thinking right now is that I am totally déclassé, which I probably am in this particular sphere of life. Why do I long for Jetson-style food pills? Because eating requires cooking and clean up that must be done multiple times each day. My least favorite chores are those that must be done every day, multiple times per day. Dishes? Yuck. Food prep? Boring. Batch cooking seems like a waste of a whole weekend day. Food? Best prepared and served at a restaurant or someone else's house. Eating? Time that could be better spent doing other things.

Those are my opinions. The reality, of course, is that I am responsible for feeding not only myself, but also my family. So as much as I would like to escape this chore, being a good parent means there's no escape. Which means I may as well try to be mindful of why and when and how I address this responsibility, including the eating part. I'll admit that I do feel better when I eat slowly - less gassy, for sure. And I eat less when I eat slowly. The fact is, I like the idea of the Slow Food movement. I'm not big on fast food or cheap convenience food as an alternative to more involved cooking. I just despair at the time gastronomic mindfulness takes up - time that I'd rather be devoting to my Day 1 list!

But for a few days, at least, I will give eating slowly a try. Maybe it will grow on me, like the idea of decluttering sentimental objects or streamlining my household chores. *crosses fingers*

Drive slowly. Most people rush through traffic, honking and getting angry and frustrated and stressed out. And endangering themselves and others in the meantime. Driving slower is not only safer, but it is better on your fuel bill, and can be incredibly peaceful. Give it a try. Read more.

Like Julia, I like to drive fast. I like the feeling of zipping around. I don't feel unsafe driving fast, but also I am not driving at 100 mph in a school zone or anything so dangerous as that. But I know I miss the finer details of my environment by driving fast. How often have I marveled at something as a passenger that I've passed hundreds of times as a driver but never noticed? And I have a child riding in the back during most of my driving minutes, so I need to be mindful to be as safe as possible. Day 23 is a good reminder to slow the heck down, on the road and elsewhere. Baby On Board, and all that jazz. Everyone is someone's baby, after all.