2024: The Year of Slow

Years ago, I decided to stop making New Year resolutions. As recommended by Danielle LaPorte in Firestarter Session and Desire Map, I choose words for the coming year.

Mostly, these words are feeling words. For example, one year, I chose the word expansive, and I spent the year examining if the things I spent my time on made me feel like I was growing mentally and energetically. I spent the year ridding my life of energy vampires in both human and task forms.

Another year, I chose joy. This was basically my year of saying yes to doing the things that I loved regardless of who was coming with me. I did a lot of things alone that year, but I was doing things that made me happy. So, it was a 50/50 year. I was happier with how I spent my time, but I have to admit I was lonelier.

This year, my word is a reminder: slow.

Slow

I've rushed through a lot of things in my life. That might surprise some people who took any of my yoga or fitness classes in the past. "There is no finish line" may as well have been tattooed on my forehead.

Despite knowing this to be true in my fitness life, I've not put that thought into practice elsewhere opting for minimum viable products in every other category of my life.

I'm not hating on the MVP. However, the whole purpose of the MVP is to show you that you can, in fact, do the thing you set out to do. Once you've experienced the quick finish of the minimum viable product, you have permission to slow down and enjoy the time, the creation, the overall experience of the task.

This year, I'm going to try to go slower. Have three-hour dinners with friends in restaurants, hike for pleasure and not miles, run for fun - not mile time.

I have some things I want to learn this year, and these are not the kinds of things I can rush through. I'm going to take my time and enjoy the process of learning and doing.

That's the goal anyway.