You are missing out when you're busy. You may that it's actually the opposite that is true. That if you don't take every opportunity that comes your way you will miss out. What I found is that it's actually the other way around. At least when it comes to the important things.
Before embracing this slow paced life, I lived like many other young adults in their 20's and 30's at the time. I had completed college and got my career going. I had started a family. I had purchased my first house. I had a to do list that was a mile long. I was anxious and felt the need to be productive 100% of the time. When I had the chance to sit and relax (which was rare) I was too wound up to actually relax. Vacation time in your 20's as you are getting your career going is almost unheard of, at least where I was working. My mind was always turned on, running full speed. My body a close second. Looking back now I see all that I missed about that time in my life. There would be times when my husband would call me over to see what our little guy had done. In my state of "busy" I found this interruption....dare I say....annoying and frustrating because I was in the middle of something "important". Hard to admit now, but if I'm being honest that's the way it was, and the way I felt. Since that time I have noticed how incredibly fast time goes. Especially the time with your kids. You really don't fully understand it until you've lived it and your little baby is suddenly an older child.
Thankfully, now that we are further along in our "slow" journey, I am able to notice, watch, and appreciate all the little everyday things that I would've been too busy to see before. This is an amazing life gift. A time sensitive one. I will never ever get the time I lost being busy in my 20's back. Thankfully I was able to slow down and pay attention to what had been happening and how I had been feeling. I choose to embrace the slow paced life now because I don't want to miss out. By rushing around busying ourselves with what typically ends up being meaningless tasks you miss out on some of the most important moments with the people around you.
It's my goal to be living in the present. To be more patient. To not get so caught up in my productivity that it causes me to miss the moments of now.
Have you missed something important because you were too busy to squeeze it in?
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