As I gazed out the window, small flecks of snow eased their way down to the sidewalk. Sitting in my favorite coffee shop sipping indulgently, I hit the pause button.
Too easily, I could drink my coffee and release my mind to race through a bevy of tasks, responsibilities, projects, goals, and concerns…and miss this moment!
Instead, I employed one my new mental cues.
Stop. Pace. Joy…in little things!
I don’t know about you, but slow down means that I only consider tapping the brakes before speeding through the yellow light of mental processes. Several times per day I first need the word stop to jolt me into the present. Then, I think pace.
Now, I realize that for many of you, pace is not a problem. You tend to live by a more deliberate pace already. But for those of us who are easily derailed by “squirrels!” and hop from project to project, we need a mental cue. So, the word pace reminds me to breathe, look, listen, focus, and pace myself.
So far, these cues are leading me to the instant joy of a subtle smile rooted in easily accessible peace. I receive joy…in little things. With no need to cast harsh judgement on others or fret about future situations that I am not currently in, I experience a better here and now.
Like sipping coffee with a goofy smile on my face while the snow falls.
Stop. Pace. Joy…in little things.
Worth Repeating
What we play is life.
-Louis Armstrong
