Moving at the Speed of George

"Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow."

(Plato)

We have a dear friend we affectionately call “Molasses” as nobody in our inner circle has his snail pace, although I’ve been told that I’m a close 2^nd.  Yes, I do take my time, rarely rush and move at my own speed; something that has contributed to low stress and inner peace.

I was this way from a young age and I know it was helped by my only child status. Time was my friend and I enjoyed being in the moment. In addition, I don’t remember any days being rushed in childhood. My parents were exemplary in this regard as I learned from their actions. My mood or childish behaviour never dictated a rushed experience for them. It was clear from the start, who was the parent and who was the child.

It’s sometimes disheartening to witness people rushing through life and I’ve often wondered why they feel the need to do so. I’ve found that very few things are worth a frantic pace. Yes, if my kid is on fire, I will rush yet rarely do in everyday situations with them. I maintain my calm and stay composed, which has been a positive.

I understand that some are raised by impatient parents, which can mean the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I’m no authority on parenthood, although logic leads me to believe that impatience and/or rushing with your children won’t be a good thing for them in the formative years and beyond.

In my opinion, self control and patience are critical to success, balance and low levels of stress and that doesn’t bode well for those whose parents are constantly moving at the speed of sound.

Does my wife put a spring in my step now and then? Indeed she does. That’s okay though as it’s often needed and she is highly efficient in most of her ways, despite getting the rushing bug from time to time. We have helped each other immensely as her efficiency has rubbed off on me and I hope my patience has been a positive for her.

If you’re a rushaholic, I implore you to take the time to learn how to change, particularly if you have young children. A whole new world will open up if you are willing to take the bold step. Maybe you only need a slight improvement in patience? If so, slow down and work on being more consistent.

The key is to find the comfort and speed that works for how you want to live your life. Dictate your own pace.

Happy Gswede Sunday!

Relaxing after my favorite run - A 5k in 30 minutes