Stop. Pause. Do nothing.

The sign on the road warned, GO SLOW.?

At a weekend dance class, Vincent Yong reminded us that choices, inspiration and creativity flow from a place of awareness, experiencing and from being in alignment with our bodies.

Scrolling on Insta led me to Cory Muscara 's gentle nudge, ”If you want to build a great life, slow down.”?

Staring at my bookshelf as I sipped my coffee, I spotted my all-time favourite book, The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

Co-incidence? Or were these signs?

As the world grapples with FOMO, anxiety, self-doubt, burnout and more, yet at the same time, we have never had more evidence (whether based on science or simply intuition) that slowing down, pausing and being present in every moment improves creativity, innovation, mental health and more.

In the DEI world too, one of the practices that people are invited to explore, is tuning in without judgement to their own (often culturally conditioned) biases in a non-judgemental way. This can only arise from bringing present awareness to one’s thoughts and emotions. Yet we often hear from participants, "There simply isn't any time for this stuff!"

Surely, we are not unaware of the benefits of slowing down and being present. I have in fact said nothing that you have not heard before.?Yet...

We push through.

One meeting at a time.

One day at a time.

Before one year rolls into another.

Like you're running on a treadmill.

Going so fast, yet going nowhere.

The drive for it all, the mirage is that speed will get us ahead and keep us ahead of the game. Targets, productivity, revenue, profit, efficiency, KPIs, shareholders equity and a whole avalanche of corporate jargon that gives us the false comfort of getting ahead. And we do. ‘Cause, humans are simply amazing, we have it in us to cope, be resilient, evolve and prosper. Yet, can there be more (creativity and inclusion) coming from a place of less (doing)? What is the opportunity cost (the loss of other alternatives when one alternative is chosen)?of us continuing at this pace?

We need to ask ourselves, what we are standing to lose when we go so fast, that the only thing beaming with fulfilment is a year-end financial statement.?

Now you ask, “Do I just drop everything?”

If only.

Our lives are designed like a treadmill, if you don’t keep up, you simply fall off and no one wants that. Organizations are inherently designed to reward speed (and everyone is quick to add quality and cost!) We do not compromise on anything but we try to get the best at the most economical price and before anyone else does.

So, on one hand we know the value in slowness, but on the other hand we reward speed. This is the contradiction and paradox we live in.

Should our organisations and lives not be designed for the best life we could be living??Acknowledging that best can mean different things to everyone.

I leave you with this thought, as Aperian begins Refresh Fridays this month. A way for us to spend more time with family, take a walk, indulge in a hobby or do nothing, because we believe in

The.

Power.

Of.

An.

Intentional.

Pause.