SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY CHRISTMAS
By Jenny Grainger
“SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY CHRISTMAS” say the traffic alert signs over the main motorways around Dublin at the moment. Obviously the traffic authorities are using this as a road safety warning but, when I saw it, I was immediately struck by the other implications behind it.
With only 10 days until Christmas, the shops are full of frantic consumers bustling and stressing themselves out and spending trying to make everything perfect for the festive period, I just want to shout at them –
“SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY CHRISTMAS”.
Even the butcher who we ordered our turkey from was too stressed and rushed to wish us a Happy Christmas. I had to hold myself back from saying to him -
“SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY CHRISTMAS”.
A woman passed me while out walking in the peace and beauty of Killiney Hill and she was moaning about the fact that she was having to walk so slowly because of the dangerous ice on the path. I smiled at her but in my mind I was thinking -
“SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY CHRISTMAS”.
And it’s not just at Christmas time that we need to slow down and enjoy ourselves. It is all the time, every day. The developed world has speeded up beyond belief over recent years. We expect our food to be prepared instantaneously, we expect our information to be received instantaneously, we expect to be able to communicate across the globe instantaneously, for our desires to manifest instantaneously and we get stressed and frustrated when anything gets in the way of that happening. Our lives are all about doing, achieving, acquiring. We are so busy getting to where we want to go that we have forgotten to
"SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY THE JOURNEY”.
This obsession with busy-ness and doing has turned us into a race of what Dr Wayne Dyer calls “human doings” instead of “human beings”. We have been brain-washed into believing that the most successful people in our society are the ones who achieve the most, who acquire the most, who own the most. I was on that hamster wheel too, for many years. Having been raised by wonderful parents who worked extremely hard all their lives to give their children a fantastic head-start, I believed that when I had the immaculate home, the ideal job, the impeccably raised children, the exceptional body, the over-achieving husband, the savings in the bank and was the perfect home-maker and hostess (not necessarily in that order), then I would be happy and successful and respected.
What they failed to tell me was that if I didn’t love, respect and approve of myself then it didn’t really matter a damn what anyone else thought of me….I would still be miserable. If I didn’t follow my bliss and do the things that made my heart sing……I would still be miserable. If I didn’t live my life according to my core values…..I would still be miserable. If I didn’t work out what I, me, myself wanted from life……I would still be miserable. But above all, I would always be miserable if I didn’t learn how to
“SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY LIFE”.
Eventually, after 35 years and several major ‘hints’ from life, I worked it out for myself and I started to consciously SLOW DOWN. I left my busy and largely unfulfilling career in TV production and took a chance on re-training to become a Life Coach and to work for myself. I let go of my compulsion to have the perfect house which was scrubbed from top to bottom on a daily basis. I bought a dog and started to go walking every day. I realised that when I managed my energy better, I liked myself more. I started to practise yoga and to write a journal. I gradually got into the habit of meditating every day – first for 10 minutes and then slowly building up to 1 hour a day. Believe me when I say that this was a serious challenge for me. Even sitting doing nothing for 10 minutes was difficult, never mind trying to calm my usual frenetic mind. Eventually, the penny dropped with me that the aim is not necessarily to clear your mind of thought altogether but rather just to be still and to observe your mind in all its glorious busy-ness without getting attached to the millions of thoughts that fly through it. Or just sitting and appreciating the amazing gift of breathe as it flows in and out of the body, without you having to do a thing.
“SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY BEING ALIVE.”
The final piece of the jigsaw slotted into place about 2 years ago when I realised that I could use this daily meditation to focus my mind on all the things that I DID want in my life. That I could use it as my day dreaming time or as Abraham-Hicks calls it, my “Creative Workshop”. First, I get myself comfortable and focus in on my breath as it flows in and out of my body. Then, I shower myself with appreciative thoughts. I acknowledge myself positively for all the things I am doing ‘right’. This goes something like “Jenny, I love you for being such a kind and thoughtful mother. You are a wonderful, supportive partner and friend. Well done for going out and exercising your body today even though you would might have preferred to flop in front of the TV and eat chocolate. Thank you for all the clients you helped today with your coaching…..” etc etc….you get the idea. By the way, this was REALLY difficult to start off with and felt awkward and forced. I believe that this is because we are so used to giving ourselves a really hard time and being so negative with ourselves. This is such an important part of the process of slowing down that I am running a full day workshop called LOVE YOUR SELF, LOVE YOUR LIFE on Saturday 11 February as part of our Winter Programme 2012.
“SLOW DOWN AND APPRECIATE YOUR SELF”.
Then, I mentally touch on all the things, people, experiences that I am grateful for at that moment. This can anything from my daughter making me a cup of tea to my feet which allow me to get from place to place, or from my car to the love of my best friend. Sometimes, I simply give myself a ‘gratitude shower’ as I mentally touch on each part of my body, external and internal, and say thanks to them for working so well and making life so much easier for me.
“SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY IT ALL.”
Having done that, I am usually feeling pretty good about myself, my body and my life and I am able to focus my thoughts on all the amazing things that I am attracting into my life. I call to mind images of what I would like to experience in the future and I connect my positive feelings to my thoughts about these things during my ‘slow down time’.
“SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY THE PROCESS.”
This Christmas we are opening the doors of Chantry Hill to invite you into the warm, nurturing, peaceful environment we have created here so that you can take some time out and slow down this Christmas. On the morning of Saturday 17th and the evenings of 21st and 28th December, Eoin will be leading 1 1/2 hour long meditation sessions which we are calling PEACE AT CHRISTMAS. Each session costs only £10 and can be booked by clicking here.
“SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY CHRISTMAS.”
And then, on Friday 30 December , you are invited to join me at the Grand Canal Hotel, Dublin for a full day workshop called CREATE YOUR IDEAL YEAR. During that day you will be encouraged to slow down, get focused, nurture yourself and start 2012 in a wonderfully positive and uplifting way. There is only 1 place left so click here to book and avoid disappointment. Or, you might decide to come along and join us for an inspirational morning in Belfast dedicated to the wellbeing of women in mind, body and spirit on Saturday 7 January for my annual FRESH START FOR YOU IN 2012 event. Full info and bookings can be found by clicking here.
Whatever you decide to do this Christmas and however you decide to spend it, I do hope that you are able to
"SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY THE MOMENT."
Happy Christmas and very best wishes for a truly wonder-filled year in 2012.
