#73 “Look at beautiful photography.”
#235 “Remember, life is funny.”
#551 “If you are always ahead of schedule, then there is no need to rush.”
#831 “Take control of the information overload. What do you really want to read, reply to, or watch on TV?”
#900 “Sit quietly with a blank canvas or notebook. Wait until you are moved to act, then paint or write, guided by your soul.”
What do the above quotes have in common? They are all pulled from Barbara Ann Kipfer’s latest list book, 1001 Ways to Slow Down. Let’s face it, we could all use a little more downtime. At least, I know I can. There are always things coming at me at 40,000 miles an hour (or so) from every direction. I figured, when offered the opportunity to review this book, that it would be a good book for me to look at. I could definitely use ideas for ways to slow down.
Oddly enough, just before reading this book, Wining Husband and I were having a conversation about how different life seems for us than it seemed looking at our parents growing up. Perhaps some of that was that we were kids, and our parents were parents, but it feels like life has sped up a whole lot since the 80s and 90s. There are more expectations and more obligations. There seems to be less leisure time – even for kids and teenagers. It’s like the bar was raised so that no matter how high you reach, it’s just out of reach. It’s like being on a hamster wheel.
Granted, some of this is brought on by ourselves. We have high expectations for ourselves. We choose to do a lot of things outside of the house to expose our kids to a lot of different experiences. We chose to have me work as well so we could afford to support a more flexible lifestyle. There is a lot of juggling involved, I’ve had to do my best at becoming a master of schedules, time management, and multi-tasking.
That’s why books like 1001 Ways to Slow Down are so important! When you’re constantly moving at the speed of light, you’re going to get burnout. And nobody likes burnout. It can wreak havoc on a life, career, and family. Kipfer’s book provides nice reminders and good tips for slowing down long enough to actually smell the roses we’ve planted in our yards.
#662 “Take your time. It is your time, and it is up to you what you do with it.”
#882 “Pausing means expanding into the moment instead of feeling cramped by it.”
#667 “Do not needlessly occupy your mind. Just be.”
About 1,001 Ways to Slow Down
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic (March 28, 2017)
This irresistible list book from National Geographic provides lighthearted quick hits of inspiration for those of us who feel overwhelmed—which is to say, all of us. Musings, activity suggestions, and illuminating quotes are paired with whimsical art on themes such as living in the moment, achieving balance, relieving stress, developing patience, and appreciating the world around us. “Slow living” sidebars, such as “Foods to Cook Slowly” and “Things to Do the Old-Fashioned Way,” are interspersed throughout the book.
Purchase Links
National Geographic | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
About Barbara Ann Kipfer
Dr. Barbara Ann Kipfer is the author of 14,000 Things to Be Happy About and the Page-a-Day calendars based on it. She has written more than 60 books, including 1,001 Ways to Live Wild, The Order of Things, Self-Meditation, Instant Karma, 8,789 Words of Wisdom, The Wish List, and 4,000 Questions for Getting to Know Anyone and Everyone, and she edited Roget’s International Thesaurus. She holds PhDs in linguistics, archaeology, and Buddhist studies. Dr. Kipfer is the Chief Lexicographer of Temnos and has worked for such companies as Answers.com, Ask Jeeves, and Dictionary.com.
Love these quotes! We have to be really intentional these days to slow down because the computer makes it so easy to keep researching and doing, doing, doing all the time. Slow down time has to be worked into our time management. 🙂 Thanks for the reminder…
So true. We could all use these reminders!! We are so go, go, go these days!
I’ve had that same thought before too – how much of the constant on-the-go and being busy is because I’m an adult now, and how much of it is a shift our life style nowadays? This looks like a good read Adding it to my reading list!
Thanks for being a part of the tour!