How many people today fly about at six hundred miles an hour to fit everything into their life? In all this whizzing about how much gets left out, left behind and forgotten?
How many people today fly about at six hundred miles an hour to fit everything into their life? In all this whizzing about how much gets left out, left behind and forgotten?
I notice with the horses that when I am in a rush they become far more reactive and spooky. They pick up on the messages from my nervous system telling them there is potential danger reflected in my haste. When horses are relaxed they graze or stand and digest. If they move, it is with a calm, steady pace that doesn’t expend excess energy. When there is something they may need to be afraid of they become alert and move quickly.
When I am slower and calm, they respond in the same way and are calm. We have time to think about what we are doing and are more mindful in our actions.
This made me wonder about how my rushing around was affecting my own nervous system. If the horses reacted as if they needed to be watchful, then was my speed telling my nervous system that there may be danger present? Did the rushing create more fear and therefore more rushing into an unhelpful spiral of overwhelm?
If our nervous system perceives danger in the environment, our bodies are designed to do their best to ensure survival. Thinking takes a relatively long time, so the brain has a brilliant system for shutting down the brain areas concerned with thinking and it operates from a deeper, more emotional level with high speed processing below our conscious awareness. This is brilliant if our life is endangered. However if we are under pressure to get a project finished or are running late for an engagement, feeling stressed and overwhelmed, this survival mechanism can get in the way. The nervous system perceives a threat and reduces access to thinking.
When this happens we may or may not be aware that we are not able to think as clearly in the moment. Mistakes can creep in and things can get forgotten, increasing the sense of being out of control.
Breaking the cycle requires that we pause for a moment, take a few calmer, deeper breaths and slow down. Our nervous system can then down regulate from danger and return to calm. Our brains can think again. Learning to be at peace with ‘what is’ in the moment gives space to create choice and change. It is a mindful state to be in, with focus on the present moment and awareness of the larger environment.
Taking a moment regularly during the day to take just one breath that goes right to the bottom of your belly can help. Allow your lungs to expand fully and empty fully. Become aware of how this feels in your body. Savour the space this creates - don’t rush.
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, pause and breathe. Look around you and notice what is in your immediate environment. If you are sitting, feel the chair supporting you, if you are standing feel your feet connected firmly to the ground. Listen to the sounds you can hear nearby and further away. Bring yourself back to the present moment and allow yourself to slow down.