A Slow Moment

Well, if it's not going to be given to me then I'll take one for myself. I just decided to sit down for a bit, and oh my goodness when I stop moving I'm astounded by how tired I feel. I look back over the last few days though, and it makes sense. So I'm going to indulge myself and put my feet up and slow down for a bit.

It must be something in the air. Many people I know seem to be in the same boat, huge flurries of noise and activity and many saying the same thing: too much, too fast, too loud...I think we should all just stop, go sit by a lake and have a picnic and watch clouds for an afternoon or something. Life is too short not to slow down. So says me on the eve of a non-stop workathon during the weekend.

But enough of that. Let's talk some more about "what makes people good at what they do". As I mentioned, I have a list. Please feel free to add to it, or challenge it. These are listed in no particular order

1. The ability to get lost. In the activity or endeavor I mean. To get lost in it, so immersed that you can't be distracted from it. To lose yourself in the activity.
2. Love. The complete and total love of whatever it is you do that you're good it.
3. Familiarity. As in the tools, materials, and process are so familiar and comfortable to you that the use of them comes naturally. They are not seperate from you, but part of who you are.
4. Commitment. Paint or eat? Draw or mow the grass? Sculpt or vacuum? Write, or sleep? Build or rest? Take pictures or write bill checks? The commitment to make choices on how to spend your time, recognizing that balance is good, but to practice your "thing" with regularity is valuable and responsible.
5. Fearlessness. To do your thing without a lot of worry or self judgement or self criticism. To know that you can take a chance, succeed or fail, and continue to do your thing just because it's right for you.
6. Giving up/Giving in. To that what drives you, to your passion for the endeavor you're engaged in. The willingness to dive in over your head and figure out how to swim once you're in the flow.
7. Hunger. As in hungry enough to try again and again to reach whatever it is you're searching for in whatever it is your good at. The hunger to be better at it, to expand, improve, and refine.
8. An appreciation of nuance and subtlety. Finding joy in small incremental movements.
9. Gratitude. To know that doing what you're meant to do, and being good at it is a rare gift that you nuture and share.
10. Generosity. The willingness to share what you're good at with the world around you.

So that's just what was on my list for now. One of the things I'm good at is walking the dog, which I'm going to do in a moment. It's a beautiful warm evening, the birds are singing, everything is lush and green and the loggers are gone for the day. I'll walk, have a snack then probably lay down and be slow for a while. That's what I'll try to be good at this evening.

Hope everyone has a wonderful evening and night. And a bit of sweet slowness for yourself.