How To Slow Down & Stay Present—Even Under Major Stress

A friend of mine once told me that she purposefully arrives 10 minutes early to every appointment. “That way I’m never stressed,” she explained.

Her simple tip has stayed with me for years. I’m not saying that I’ve successfully adopted her easygoing style or disciplined manner of managing time, but at least I always consider arriving early.

Tibetan Buddhist meditation master Chogyam Trungpa taught that we generally experience less stress and fewer struggles in life when we move and speak slowly and mindfully. In other words, speeding through the day and multitasking along the way causes mishaps, oversights, stress, and suffering.
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Imagine yourself driving behind the proverbial little old lady who is driving 30 mph while you are trying to get to work. She's happily taking her time and probably feeling calm as she motors along. You, on the other hand, are a ball of stress with your fists clenched around the wheel and your shoulders tight and up by your ears. Who's suffering, you or the little old lady?

​Continue reading. Originally posted on Mind,Body,Green.