I caught myself daydreaming the other day. A mundane occurrence, you might think, but have you ever noticed how when life gets busy, daydreaming goes out the window? That time to let your mind wander is squished and squeezed ‘til it is no more. It’s a shame.
Having the time, and the mental capacity to entertain ideas, and follow streams of thought is crucial to creativity. We all know eureka ideas strike in the bath, not at the laptop.
But how to slow down when life is often so demanding?
My mini moment of mindfulness was, admittedly, very mundane. As I frothed the milk for my mid-morning cappuccino, concentrating carefully, I zoned into the spinning of the milk and zoned out of everything else. These few moments led me to feel incredibly thankful for said mid-morning coffee. And the coffee machine that does all the hard work.
There are everyday moments in which slowing down feels easier than others. That first step into a hot shower, for instance. Lighting a candle. Pouring a glass of wine...
My daily walk across the field to feed the pigs and collect the eggs from the chickens can become a task to complete as quickly as possible, especially if the weather is inclement. But, it is also a perfect opportunity to connect with the moment. To notice the birdsong in the air. The flowers that bloom in the hedgerow. The aeroplane lines that zig zag across the sky.
In slowing down, I notice things more. Moments are richer. Daydreams are bigger.
I wonder what benefit I might find if I took the time to slow down, even a little bit more?