Take a moment to think back to your childhood. How do you view it? For me, all my memories of my childhood seem to be under a sepia filter. Just warm colors, sun-soaked and nostalgic. It felt like life moved slower back then. All my worries seemed less grave, and my goals were within my reach. Life was simply about reading books, playing with friends, and being with family.
Now, it feels as if life is racing by. All my memories seem vividly colored, ultra-saturated, just too much to handle. It feels like each day I'm simultaneously doing too many things while accomplishing nothing at all. I feel as if life is moving on, and as I'm struggling, flailing my arms to try and move with it, I end up slipping and falling behind.
In a few weeks, I will be leaving home and returning back to ISU. I am excited to be back on campus, of course, but it means that these next few weeks I am going to be constantly busy. I'll be filling my days with seeing people from home, spending time with my family, and packing my life up once again. All this chaos and hustle-bustle makes me long for the good old days when life was easy going.
However, this chaotic frenzy which we are now living in is simply called life. The fact of the matter is that life is constantly moving, time never stops. So how do we adjust our lives so that we can find some calm within the storm?
Mindfulness.
No matter what you are doing, whether it be work, school, commute, or spending time with friends, remember that whatever you are doing is a part of your life's story. So be mindful of your thoughts, facial expressions, and actions whenever you are doing what you're doing. Remember that your demeanor has an impact on your surroundings and the people around you. If you are stuck in traffic, try to think of the situation as more time for you to listen to your favorite music/podcasts. If you have to do chores, like laundry or dishes, realize that your efforts are allowing you to live in a cleaner and more organized environment.
With mindfulness, the sensation of panic and stress that is caused by the pace at which life is going is diminished. You no longer feel constantly rushed or tense because you're "running out of time". Instead, you'll feel more gratitude, happiness, and peace.
This is not easy to achieve by any means, and it's unrealistic to expect yourself to be mindful all the time. However, if you find yourself getting overly stressed out as I felt recently due to the impending deadline of school starting again, just try and center your thoughts, and remind yourself that whatever is happening right now is happening for a reason, and it all contributes to your life's story.
