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Stopping At Yellow Lights

2014 April 14
by WWGD

WhatWouldGwynethDo

Life has slowed down a bit around here lately. Or should I say, I have slowed it down.

Not in terms of workload or responsibilities or to-do lists, necessarily. But the way I look at those things. And the world around them.

I have been consciously trying to take it easy. Slow down my breathing, listen to the birds outside my window, stare at the sky once in a while. I have been reading more, staring at a screen a little less. Taking my time with mundane tasks, lounging a little longer, feeling a little more. Spending time really talking to friends instead of just liking their photos and status updates. Letting my kids stop to examine every thing in the grocery store and not hurrying them through it. Cutting back on places to be and things to-do and letting my family do the same.

Stopping at yellow lights instead of rushing through them.

It occurred to me that it wasn’t always life rushing me through my days, it was me rushing me through my days.

I am embracing the idea of wasting time once in a while doing absolutely nothing of value. Sometimes it means laying in bed a little while longer or going to bed a little earlier. Sometimes it means taking the long way home from pick up to let my kids decompress a bit more after a busy day. Sometimes it means stepping away from my screen in the middle of the work day to eat a cookie in the sun. Sometimes it means skipping a scheduled meeting or workout and opting to just hang out and do nothing instead. Arriving somewhere early just to waste time waiting. Writing page after page of words that seem to say nothing.

Stopping at yellow lights.

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6 Responses
  1. April 14, 2014

    You have no idea how much I needed to read this today- truly- you have NO idea:) Thank you so much for writing this. Quite possibly the best blog post I’ve read all month- thank you!:)

    • WWGD permalink*
      April 15, 2014

      Aw, thank you Heather!

  2. April 14, 2014

    I love this. Don’t even know what to say other than YES. It’s such a relief (but also such a guilty moment) to realize that the only person rushing me is ME. xox

    • WWGD permalink*
      April 15, 2014

      Right?!? Mind-blowing. Ha. 😉

  3. April 15, 2014

    I can especially relate to the park about taking time during the workday to enjoy something small and pleasurable, like the cookie 🙂 . Thanks for the entry; it’s almost like a mantra for the day!

    • WWGD permalink*
      April 15, 2014

      Glad it resonated, thanks Liz!

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