#144: What's Your Take On Speed Bumps?
I have an extremely old macbook, which still functions fine, but often freezes at the seemingly WORST moments. Like right as I'm starting to type rigorously on an essay, or just as I'm about to click 'send' for an email, or right as I'm finally making some progress on my study notes. My initial reaction every time it does this is exactly the following: large frustration resulting in the clicking of the mouse approximately 47 times, then quickly moving on to do something else like organizing my desk papers or washing the dishes I've been putting off, all in effort to MAXIMIZE productivity during this interrupted work time.
But lately, I've taken the 5 minutes it stops working to do one thing: breathe! Sometimes my ancient computer in its futile moments reminds me to just pause, take a break from what I'm doing, and even grab a long overdue snack. Usually, ten minutes later when I've returned to my screen, I feel a bit more rejuvenated and ready. Jaime's piece below made me take note of this personal experience and how it's sort of a funny blessing in disguise..
- Amanda
What's Your Take On Speed Bumps?
Jorgen's piece reminded me of a thought that’s been brewing since a couple of weeks ago.
I helped run a two week outdoor education program through Tinkergarten. To get to the location you had to drive to the way back of a park, which required going over about 12 speed bumps. The first time I pulled in I thought to myself “Wow, this is annoying and I will have to leave earlier tomorrow to get through this and into the woods on time.” (Mind you my 6 month baby was going with me and the drive was usually her nap time so I reeeeally had to mind the speed bumps).
The second time I went down speed bump lane I knew what was coming and knew there was no avoiding so I just took a deep breath and got on with it.
And then, around day three, half way through the course I realized I wasn’t thinking about the speed bumps at all. I was looking around at the gorgeous scenery. I waved to a few dog walkers. I couldn’t believe how peaceful the morning was.
By the end of week 1, I couldn’t wait to drive in and I smiled at every speed bump. The road in runs along a beautiful stream. There are bridges. Loads of dogs and happy walkers. It’s so so green. And the sounds are so soothing.
And it was soo nice going slow.
Like, I really really enjoyed it. I actually started trying to go as slow as I possibly could.
True story.
The same week I read someone’s blog that said something like - rest doesn’t just happen these days. You have to create it.
And, wow, that rang true for me. Being a new Mom, I often find myself racing through my to do list when my baby falls asleep, desperate to accomplish as much as I can before I’m interrupted again. And I rarely feel I’ve gotten much done at all. But still I repeat the same pattern the next day.
In contrast, life the following hours after the speed bumps felt engaging, productive, fulfilling and restful all at once.
And guess what. 1-2, even 3 speed bumps might not have worked. 12. You need 12 sometimes. To get yourself to aaaactually slow down. To really stop and look around and remember what it’s all for.
I got a massage this week. Yup. Hired a babysitter. And took an hour, if not more, to do nothing but rest. I made soooo many excuses why I didn’t have time for it and why I didn’t deserve it first, of course. But one day, 12 speed bumps later, I committed.
Well, I woke up from that 1 hour massage with literally 8 answers to question marks I’ve been mulling over for weeks. All that wasted exerted effort in times of go, go, go and the answers came to me when I was half asleep.
Well, I was in deep rest.
After the massage ended, I got my journal out and wrote down those 8 things. Those 8 solutions that all of a sudden seemed so obvious. I couldn’t believe it was that easy.
But then again I know from past experience that that’s how it works. When you get out of your own way, the infinite possibilities that you are blind to when you’re worrying or stressing or rushing suddenly appear because you’ve cleared the space.
I forget this often.
So I’ll have to remember where that park is with the speed bumps.