Slow Down – Life Is Precious

Wow has the year flown! It feels like school started a month ago but midterms already came and went. Time speeds up as I get older – I remember in 5th grade I would literally count the minutes till the end of each class (let’s just say 5th grade wasn’t the best!) Now life flies by – it’s incredible – I’m nearly through half of high school!! Well, 2023 is over… hope ya’ll had a great year! I think I can say I did – there’s always ups and downs, but overall, I believe I made progress toward some of my goals and learned some really important lessons. And even if things don’t go that great, the important thing is what we take away from those failures, right? Here are some tips and stories about finding joy and beauty in the little things and loving those around to to live a full, enriched life.

Here are a few practical and worthwhile concepts I discovered over the course of 2023::

#1 Life is fleeting; see the joy in the little things 

Life goes so fast – sooo slow down and enjoy the ride! We live in an age of rapidity. Everyone flies here and there, going about their business and everyday lives so quickly. We are always in such a rush to go, go, go, that we rarely stop to find the joy and beauty in the world around us. There is so much to see and appreciate if we only slowed down for a while! 

We need to take a break. We need to focus on finding the little things in life that can make us feel like we are alive, not simply breathing. With no joy there is no reason to live. Every man seeks for happiness and we are provided with so many opportunities to see reflections of that perfect happiness here, all around us. The softness of a baby, the simple beauty of a flower, the majesty of a waterfall, the touch of a loved one, a simple act of kindness. These surround us daily – if only we would stop and see them. 

Make life beautiful with the little things

I became aware of this when I was studying for exams. I was up for hours into the night, and during the day I was either studying or stressing. One night I stepped outside, the sun had set and just by sitting in the cool breeze of the evening, I felt so calmed. The beauty of the night was amazing – I just wasn’t taking the time to find the joy it brought because I was too busy worrying about school. I learned that taking a break and just enjoying the beauty of our world is so relieving. It leaves one with a sense of peace and restoration, ready to go back and conquer those daily tasks.

So slow down! There are lots of things we all need to do, but take the time to find joy in the small things around you and make life beautiful. Take advantage of them and love them. Life is so fast; we can’t afford to waste even the smallest bit of happiness.

#2  Baby steps!!

I hate big projects like presentations. It’s the thought of the huge amount of work and responsibility and the faraway deadline that worries me. I always hesitate to start because I fear making mistakes, encountering obstacles, or feeling lost without clear instructions.

This year I had a lot more presentations to deal with than last year so I learned (after plenty of stress) the easier method to tackle big daunting projects with. Although it was not fun, I learned how to cope with big things better, so I’m grateful now. 

Don’t Procrastinate Chip Away At Your Dreams

Take baby steps. You’ve probably heard it a million times but it works so well. In case you’re looking for a flick to watch and laugh and learn about how baby steps can impact your life. After applying this method to my presentation project it went so much better and with way less stress. Check out What About Bob – it’s a must!

Break down the project into bite size pieces. Separate it into weeks and make deadlines for yourself so you’re not cramming it all in the last week. Do some small thing each day whether it’s 15 min of research or finding pictures. Keep at it, and you’ll finish it before you realize it. It worked so well that even though I’m still not a fan of presentations, I’m no longer quite as intimidated by them.

This method works for nearly anything. You can use it for a school or work project, or for simply getting something done for yourself. The important thing is that you are committed to do the little bit you assign yourself each day. It only works if you stick to it. If not you’ll be stuck with that deadline and have to cram it all in right before… back to square 1. 

So break it down – it relieves the stress and lets you not freak out every time you remember “aghh gotta get to that!” Save yourself the headache!

#3 Take the time for your loved ones

Like I said, we’re always busy, always running around. But we need to remember to invest ourselves in our loved ones. It’s so easy to get caught up in what we do every day that it can take an effort to go out of our way for our family, but it is very important.

One day when I overheard some of my siblings talking about their lives at school and with their friends, I realized how rarely I took the time to listen to and talk to them. It struck me that I’ll be graduating soon, and that I want to be that sister that they need. I’ll be even more busy after graduation so I need to put as much time as I can into being a good sister and friend while I’m around.

If You Don’t Show Your Love; No One Will Know You Care

Look around you – how much attention do you give your family? Do you take the time to talk to and listen to them? To show them that you love them? Someday your parents will be gone – will you regret how little time you put into showing them that you are grateful for the thousands of sacrifices they have made for you? Maybe you’re a parent with a family of your own. It’s busy with kids, but maybe make an effort to go see your parents. Send your kids to help Grandpa with the lawn, or whatever. Every family is different, but we all owe an irreparable debt to our parents for all the sacrifices made while raising us. If possible visit your grandparents. Spend time with your siblings. Invest time and energy in your loved ones, your efforts will be repaid a hundredfold – with love – the most precious of riches.

CONCLUSION 

So anyway,  those are the 3 main ideas I came to see and appreciate this past year. I hope you can benefit from them, they proved worthwhile for me! So I hope everyone looks back on 2023 with fond memories, and gratitude for all the joys, beauty (and sufferings) they were given this year. Everything can be an opportunity for growth! And let’s look forward with excitement to all the possibilities that 2024 holds for us. Happy New Year!!!