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BEEP BEEP – Breakfast – Gym – Work – Home – Gym – Cook – Dinner – E-Time – Sleep BEEP BEEP – Breakfast – Gym – Work – Home – Gym – Cook – Dinner – E-Time – Sleep BEEP BEEP – Breakfast – Gym – Work – Home – Gym – Cook – Dinner – E-Time – Sleep BEEP BEEP – Breakfast – Gym – Work – Home – Gym – Cook – Dinner – E-Time – Sleep Stop. How often do you breathe? I mean more than just turning air-oxygen into lung-oxygen. How often do you let yourself feel your heartbeat? When, if ever, do you take off your blinders and open yourself to what lives in your periphery? There’s an undeniable comfort in routine—operating on autopilot alleviates the anxiety of making decisions—but it’s also a ball-and-chain. Efficiency ends up trumping experimentation, and therefore preventing advancement. “Slow down to speed up” is key to mise-en-place (the culinary devotion to preparation). Take it from Bill Telepan, a pioneer of farm-to-table dining: “I always say, ‘Look, I'd rather you take an extra minute or two and slow up service to get it right.' Because the one minute behind you are now is going to become six minutes behind because we're going to have to redo the plate." So, as I mise-en-place my life, I consider: What changes have I made to slow down?
In addition to benefitting my mental health, intentionally taking my time has opened me to engagement with the world. Slowing down changes my focus from completion of a task to doing it well, which includes awareness of what and who is around me. I consciously look beyond the check-box on my to-do list. It takes practice and presence of mind, certainly, and it’s not automatic for me yet, but I'm already happier, more confident, and more effective. I remember what Mom drilled into us: “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.” Stands to reason that should apply to your life as well. bSleep Stretch:
-Begin laying flat on your back, limbs fully extended. Close your eyes and breathe. -Pull your right knee to your chest and slowly rock it left and right, loosening your right hip and right butt. -Rotate your right ankle three times in each direction. -Return to the beginning posture and repeat with the left leg. -Return to the beginning posture and pull both knees to your chest, rocking them left and right. Circle your knees away from each other three times, then towards each other three times. -Transition into Happy Baby and, if it feels good, rock back and forth (staying on your back, raise your legs straight in the air. Reach up and grasp your feet, like a baby in its crib). -Release your left foot and roll onto your left side, still holding your right foot. Flex and extend your leg, feeling the stretch in your right hamstring. -Repeat on the right side. -Gently rise into a seated position. Send your left hand up and over your head, stretching your left side. Stay here for a moment. -Let your arm swing down and, continuing the movement, bring your right hand up and over your head, stretching your right side. Stay here for a moment. -Releasing your neck, slowly roll your head three times each way. -Remaining seated, twist your shoulders to the left and breathe deeply. With each exhale, turn a little further into the stretch. -Repeat on the right side. -Finally, return to the beginning posture. With each breath, let your tension drain into the floor, or mat, or mattress. -Body and mind unfettered from the day’s accumulated tension and clutter, I’m ready for sleep.
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