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Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Slow Down – You Move Too Fast


If you’re of a certain age, or a Simon & Garfunkel fan, you know what comes next – “You got to make the morning last just kickin’ down the cobble stones, looking for love and feelin’ groovy.”


This song has been stuck in my head lately for a few reasons. First it was used by the leader of my business coaching group, Mapping and Mentoring with Marney, a few weeks ago as a prompt to tap into ways to “feel groovy” while growing our business – which resulted in a very energizing and inspiring mind-map for me.




Next, I had three turtles visit me in one day last week – my little niece’s stuffed turtle, a large snapping turtle on a country road and a smaller lake turtle on the side of the highway. I decided it would be fun to check out an animal symbolism website or two to see what the message might be.

You won’t be surprised that the turtle can be seen as a message to slow down the pace of your life (not the first time I’ve received thismessage - so apparently I need to hear it from time to time!) but there were other meanings I found interesting as well. More than one site said that turtles are reminders to :

Honor and protect your creative source within.
Practice patience (I can always use this reminder!)

And perhaps the timeliest message for me:

“The turtle buries its thoughts, like eggs, in the sand 
and allows the sun to hatch the little ones.
 This suggests that you develop your ideas 
before bringing them out into the light.”

I’ve been practicing giving myself permission to slow down my schedule and withdraw a bit from my in-person events, classes and workshops this summer so that I can focus on completing several new creative courses and e-books I’m excited to finish and share with the world.

My heemeesheemee turtle visits (heemeesheemee is my word for serendipitous) felt like a playful affirmation from the universe that slowing down, practicing patience and honoring and protecting the time I need for my inner creative source is definitely the right path for me at this time. Though I knew this in my heart, I’ve been struggling with the notion of pulling back on my offerings to give myself a creative sabbatical of sorts over the summer.

It may be pure coincidence that turtles kept popping up for me last weekend, but it’s so much more exciting and fun to see that bit of serendipity as a sign that I’m on the right path with my own Creative Oasis™!

photo credit Pegasus News
One splendid experience that came to from my new found intention to slow down was allowing myself to simply sit on a bench and look out over the lake after a morning walk for ten full minutes. I often see people just sitting and enjoying the view at the lake, but it seems I’m always in a hurry to get back home and get to work, so I usually just give them a longing glance and walk on by.


I can honestly say those ten minutes I gave myself to simply sit and enjoy the view and the breeze put me in a wonderful frame of mind for the entire day. This is so in-line with Kaizen-Muse® Creativity Coaching philosophy of giving ourselves permission to enjoy small amounts of time with our creativity, exercise, relaxation – whatever it is that we’re longing to do. We don’t have to have a full hour or more – ten minutes can do the trick nicely.

What’s one small way you might slow down this week? It could be as simple as taking one thing off of your to-do list or enjoying ten glorious minutes to just sit and daydream – inside or out.

I’d love to hear your favorite ways to slow down. Please feel free to share in the comments below. If you'd like to receive my Mid-Week Oasis Moments (bite size bonbons of creative inspiration sent weekly to your inbox sign up here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html. You'll also receive a free copy of my short e-book, "Permission to Be Creative 101."



Until next time, all the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,
Jill

Founder of Creative Oasis Coaching
Master Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach
Singer/Songwriter
Turtle Lover