Rushing Past the Process

When we wake up in the morning usually restless and irritated, we rush to get ready and get out the door. We rush to work or to class, our minds’ plagued with tasks and assignments to be completed that day. We focus on outcomes and future expectations with little appreciation for the present moment. In this technological age, faster is better. Faster internet access, faster communication, faster replies, stronger appliances, smarter phones, quicker transportation, better everything, and it all results in a race to the finish. We rush to a goal and miss the process.

Being able to make one cup of coffee in 20 seconds is a gift that I am endlessly grateful for, but I also realize that the persistent modern renovation of America is a blessing and a curse. We have become so obsessed with speed and efficiency that we act irrationally. We choose the McDonald’s drive-thru over healthier options simply because it’s faster. We hold important conversations through text message and lose our ability to communicate. We plan, we stress, we overload and we multitask. When we learn to slow down, respect the process and live in the present moment, we can achieve outcomes greater than we ever thought possible. When we stop rushing, it opens our eyes to the little pleasures we forgot to notice. Happiness and fulfillment are not tied to a goal, but instead, the hard work, dedication, struggle, lessons and process it took to achieve that goal. The only thing we are ever guaranteed in life is this very moment, so stop racing and enjoy it.