why urgency works & rushing doesn’t
What's fascinating about desert plants is their ability to conserve energy and grow ... until exactly the right moment--and then they go for it. Nature never rushes or forces things. But it also doesn’t just sit back and wish for things to happen.
The problem with rushing is the result of moving through life without awareness: mistakes, carelessness, not seeing things – leading to forgetfulness, misplacing things, and a general feeling of frantic-ness and lack of mental and physical ease. And ultimately not being at peace with the way things are.
Urgency, on the other hand, is paying attention and doing things with awareness of the present moment and of timing. There is a sense of working hard, but mindfully. You’re tuned in to what’s happening around you. You’re motivated by a purpose, you take initiative, you tap into all the resources available, and make something happen.
Life is short …. life is precious. We’re all doing a million things and wanting to make a difference in the world. To make sure that a sense of urgency doesn’t turn into rushing, I use these simple–but superpower–practices (try them out if you haven’t before, and if you have–it never hurts to hear this again. and again. and again.):
*** Be aware of your breathing — deep, shallow, fast, slow — doesn’t matter, just observe it
*** Be aware of your body — any tension anywhere? Notice how the minute you’re aware of any tension you let go of it.
*** Be aware of your senses — listen to the sounds around you, smell the air, feel what it feels like to be inside your body, and when you look – really look; when you eat or drink – really taste it
… and you can practice these all the time, no matter what you’re doing, adding a whole new level of spaciousness and depth to everything.
Lately I experience a tremendous sense of urgency–a desire to work as efficiently as possible to create positivity in the world. And when I find myself spinning with too much to do or that sense of rushing, I bring myself back … to the breath … how my body feels … what’s happening around me … and the lusciousness of the present moment.
