“Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving until the right action arises by itself?” ~Lao Tzu

How much time do you spend listening deeply? Do you stop to listen to your inner wisdom? Or do you rush about your day, trying to check everything off your ‘to-do’ list, to ‘get things done’?

Certainly, productivity and achievement can be a beautiful expression of our inner wisdom.

However, what I’ve noticed over the last 10+ years of working with coaches, consultants, healers, CEOs, stay-at-home-moms, and people from all walks of life, is how often, instead of slowing down and listening deeply (which usually brings the answers most people are looking for to their ‘problems’)… They keep pushing.

They keep revving up their engine, trying to go faster, and often don’t realize that they’re stuck in first gear. And if you’re trying to go fast in first gear, it’s only a matter of time before you get tired, stressed, overwhelmed and burned out.

Listen, quieting your mind is like shifting gears in your car.

My clients don’t always believe me (until they experience it for themselves) that the key to create and manifest what you want, faster and with more ease, is to actually slow down.

When you slow down, you can see more – more opportunity, more resources, more possibilities.

It’s like when you’re in your car, speeding down the highway, you see SOME of the scenery, but most of it is a blur. You only see what’s in front of you, and occasionally, what’s behind you.

Now compare that to when you’re on a hike in nature, taking your time, and taking it all in. You’re able to see so much more of the scenery. You can get a 360 degree view of what’s around you. You can see the details that you would never have noticed if you were speeding down the highway.

What’s fascinating about all this is how often, when we slow down, are present, paying attention, and listening deeply…everything we’ve been looking for – an answer to a question, a solution to a problem, etc. – happens in this space.

So look, if you’re feeling like you’re falling behind in life, slow down.

If you're feeling like you're falling behind in life, slow down. Click To Tweet

If you’re feeling like no matter how much you’re pushing or revving up your engine, you’re still not getting where you want to go, slow down.

If you can’t see your next step clearly, slow down.

And if you skimmed this article, not taking it all in, then gosh darn it… slow down. 😉