Do you think the time is running out and you have a lot to do in life?
The current lifestyle that most are engrossed in is the habit of racing against time. It’s a life wrapped around the needle of the watch. Time and actions are as if in a race with each other. Pause to think, is life all about ticking the boxes or something more?
What is ‘more’ that one calls life? The experience of life makes life a living experience rather than always in a state of mechanical action.
“We often get caught up in fear when we realise that we do not have enough time and we have so much to do in life. This feeling makes one start living in an auto mode-the experience of everyday activities and beauty in simple things gets lost in being caught in a race. I always wonder where does a person want to reach? Typically seen, as an individual keeps going closer to his goals, he accelerates, shifts his target ahead. It moves his definition of achievement and success to the next level increasing restlessness and anxiety.
It is essential to pause, give a pat on your back of what you have achieved and enjoy being in the state of fulfilment. The mark of success is an illusion that keeps moving ahead as the person’s aspirations, says Sujata Malik, a spiritual mentor for over two decades. She works with various healing modalities, handholding corporates and individuals.
Are we patient enough in our everyday lives?
One day when you look back, you will understand that everything happens for a reason, and whatever is meant for you will be yours at the right place and the right time. Sometimes the best thing that you can do is not to think or wonder, nor crib. Have faith and let life take its course.
In the fastest lane
Ever noticed someone rushing to get ahead of traffic? To get ahead, the driver zigzags from one lane to another. Each time, an accident is ready to happen. The angry driver is stuck next to you at the next traffic signal — waiting for the green light, not having gotten ahead. You can see the blood boiling and hear the horn honking because the person in front of the demanding driver could have made the light. You see the intense slamming of the steering wheel and fierce yelling through the front windshield. Unfortunately, the sight is common while we are on the road. Why so much rush & anxiety? As the Chinese proverb goes, “One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life.”
Practising patience as a virtue – TIPS
Breathe and not obsess. Everything will work out for you at the divine timing. Practice patience by pausing every hour. Take three breaths of grace. Focus on your breathing as you inhale and exhale.
The second important technique I believe in is taking three breaths of grace before picking up your phone calls or rushing to answer someone in an argument. Pause and stillness are virtues that make our internal core strong. These are simple practices of mindfulness, explains Sujata Malik.
“One thing at a time. As proven by a series of experiments and psychologists, multitasking increases stress, and burnouts happen faster. The quality of work suffers. These days, it is a common sight to see adults multitasking-eating food, attending to phone calls, and watching television. Important to understand is that children absorb from what they see their parents do. One thing at a time is the wisdom to fully experience food taste or enjoy watching your favourite series altogether.
When one practices any form of spiritual practice regularly like meditation Reiki or sitting in silence regularly, stillness increases within, and the time in hand expands. The energy levels increase to finish the tasks at hand faster and better without getting phased out,” adds the spiritual mentor.
The practice can help strengthen patience before challenging situations arise or when we’re amid the emotional hijack. It’s easy to remember:
1. Take a deliberate pause.
2. Take at least three mindful breaths.
3. Get attention back to your bodily sensation and observe your judgements in that situation. Feel your emotions and watch your trail of thoughts. If that’s not giving you a pleasant feeling, it’s time to pause, reflect and transform your energy.
It’s a toxic culture of instant gratification that has made life complicated. Life is not about the past, present or future, life flows, and our mind compartmentalises it, and we individuals move like a pendulum in the three tenses. Life happens; let it happen with trust and faith and not resist.