Slow down Therapy

 When we are on "overload"  mode, we make wrong decisions, we are snippy and rude and we don't enjoy things. We don't have time to appreciate the present nor the past. The world seems to be moving faster and faster with all the conveniences we have, and the new inventions that are supposed to make our lives better and give us more free time, seem to be doing the opposite. People are busier than ever. When people say they are "busy", what are they busy with? Our bodies and minds were not created to be on constant "overload".  Our daily lives seem to be bombarded with external stimuli and we seem to want to squeeze in "one more thing". The other day we watched a couple of programs on longevity. Researchers are trying to figure out why some people are living beyond 100 yrs?  One of  the programs was in Greece, mostly in the island of Icaaria...the other was in Loma Linda, California. Researcher believe that 30% is due to genetics, (up until their 90's, after that genetics is more important, percentages are reversed) and 70% on environment, diet, exercise, being mentally active, having healthy relationships, faith in a higher power,  and a positive attitude. One of the main things they kept bringing up was STRESS. These people don't have stress. Regardless of their circumstances they try not to worry about things they have no control over, and they don't fret over time. They slow down and they enjoy the now. They take time to rest, take short naps, and try to find an activity they enjoy. They are content. Most of the subjects they interviewed in the study were 103-113 yrs of age. One of the guys was 99, a heart surgeon who stopped working at 95! Their mental awereness and physical mobility was amazing. Very few depended on canes, or walkers and they were mentally very sharp. They had no disabilities nor illnesses. We watched Episode 1 and Episode 8, so there are many others in between from many different countries, and I can't wait to watch them all.

So how do we slow down? Remember one thing: You are not responsible for doing it all yourself, NOW! Allow yourself to be "lazy" and "unproductive". It is OK.

1. Set your own pace, and don't let others push you. Devide big jobs into little jobs. (If God took 6 days      to create the Universe, can you hope to do any better?) And it is OK to stand back and let others take      their turn as leaders. There will always be new opportunities for you to step out in front again. 

2. Find pleasure in the simple things around you. Listen to the wind, the birds singing, water flowing,        flowers growing, pet a fury friend. Nature is remarkable. Notice the sun and the moon as they rise          and set. Take a stroll so you can enjoy the environment, NOT to get somewhere. You may notice            things you never noticed before.

3. Take time to taste and enjoy your food, instead of always being in a hurry and eating on the go.  God       gives us food to delight as well as to nourish us.

4.  When you talk to someone, let the conversation flow, without worrying about what to say. Don't be          in a hurry, you miss out a lot.

5. Talk and play with children, because it will bring out the little person inside of you.

6. Take a day off alone. Create a place in your home, work or in your heart, where you can go for quiet      and recollection and turn down the noise, the lights, the invitations. Less can be more.

7.  Daily, count each of your blessings. They are different for everybody. Don't forget your good                   friends and family. Those are blessings, for sure.

8.  When you find yourself rushing or anxious, STOP. and ask yourself  why you are rushing ..the               reasons may surprise you.  

9. Work with your hands, it frees the mind....find a fun project to do, or work on a zigsaw puzzle 

10. Lastly, pick up a good book to read, or read the Bible. It will enrich your mind and give you some         good tips on how to live your life. Jesus never seemed to hurry and always took time to be alone, to       rest and meditate and he was a busy person!

Sometimes we overload ourselves without realizing why we are doing it.  The Covid 19 shutdowns last year,  I think in some ways, were a curse as well as a blessing for some. They taught us to "slow down". We had no choice in the matter. It forced us to re-look at life and the things we deem as being "important". May we all learn how to slow down for a better life.

God Bless..

    

What are our Idols?

 Do you ever stop to think about this question? I do....The Bible tells us not to worship idols, but to only worship God. In ancient times people worshipped man made statues, mythological gods, kings, the moon, the sun, the stars etc..etc....you get the idea. Today we don't worship those things (or many some do?), so what do we worship?  What DO we think, when we think of idols? The American Idol? Sports figures?  Famous actors and actresses? TV personalities? Our favorite TV shows? I don't have any idols in these categories. However, I believe that what we obsess about the most, IS our idol. So what are some of the things we obsess about ?

Well, let's see...Money, wealth, status, appearance, comfort, possessions, education, politics, career, kids, marriage, grandkids, leisure, hobbies, vacations, sports, relationships, watching too  much TV, too much time on the Internet, too much time spent on our cell phones, our health, our job, drugs, alcohol, food, gambling, pornography...and the list goes on and on. When any of these things become the most important, single focus of our lives, and when every decision we make revolves around them, it has become an idol we worship. God many times takes the back seat. We totally forget to fellowship with God, because we are too "BUSY"....We don't have time to schedule for church or any other "worship" because we are too "BUSY". Yes, we ARE busy, but we must stop and evaluate what we are busy with. We rationalize what we spend our time on.

It is not easy for us to give up the things we like and many of the above mentioned things can be good things that make our lives better or worth living. However, when they get out of balance they do become our idols. We recognize the bad habits as "idols" or obsessions, (overeating, drugs, alcohol, pornography, gambling) but we must be careful not to let some of the good things consume our lives either, making them our priority, because when we do that, it can hurt our families, relationships and our own well being..

So, what are your idols?