Happy New Year 2018! Slow Down!

 Focus on BEING! 


Carey Fisher said it well when she quipped, “These days even instant gratification is too slow.”


What is the answer we hear so much when we ask “how are you?”  “Busy” is the response.  Is it the new four letter word?   

We are all about getting things done. Often this results in our lives having disconnected relationships, reduced time for self-care, and careless eating.  “Busy” can crowd out any time we have to stop to consider if we are living on purpose and according to our highest values.

For 2018, here’s a challenge:  What if the focus this year is more on BEING than doing?  What if we all build in more SLOW DOWN TIME to our days?  The data are clear that slowing down actually results in better production on tasks, more fulfilled lives and better relationships.  So my challenge to you is to evaluate your life. Find where the hurry and the busy are crowding out the important, and then make changes.  How do you make those changes? It has to be intentional.   For example, if you are allowing busy to crowd out the eating well, then make a plan and create space on the calendar to make the time for cooking real food at home.  If doing this seems unattainable, then do it once a week until it becomes a habit.  A month later make the new habit for two nights a week!

Exercise often gets lost in our busy days as well.  What if you created a behavioral cue (a predictable time, place or activity), so that each time that cue happens it reminds you to exercise? What is something you do every day several times a day? Eat? Use the bathroom?  Walk down the hall to someone’s office? Come up with several and then make a commitment to do at least a small exercise each time you do that activity. What if every time before you eat a meal or after you use the bathroom you require yourself to do 30 jumping jacks, or jog in place for 2 minutes? Be creative and have fun.  If you already have the habit of going to the gym or running, you can use those behavioral cues for other new habits, such as a 3-minute breath meditation.

I once heard a speaker say “get in touch with your inner tortoise.” Enjoy the space, the chances for being grateful, and even being more productive and effective because you slowed down just a little.

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And for local folks....

We will have some fun classes in 2018! Looking forward to seeing you at some of those. For you out of town folks, we hope to record some of these and make them available to you as well!


Happy 2018! 

Robert Pendergrast, MD, MPH

Gail Pendergrast, MS,  CPC, Life and Health Coach, Trainer

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