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Slowing Down

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When life kicks in and you start wondering where the day, week, month, or year went, it is time to slow down.

(C) DeAnn Malone 2019
In our fast-paced society, this can be a real challenge.  Last year, I bought a camera and started taking photography classes.  I hadn’t ever used anything but a point and click camera or a cell phone.  I was intimidated at first by all the setting and rules for when they use them.  Over the course of 11 classes in 13 months I have fallen in love with photography.  And not just because of the priceless memories I have in photos of nature and my son.  What I found was a way to slow down.

You have likely read all the studies on the benefits of meditation.  I tried it, I really did.  I WANT to master it.  But I really struggled.  Yoga has eluded me, too, so far.  I refuse to give up.  But in the meantime, I can go to the local gardens and spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to get a picture of a flower or a butterfly absolutely perfect.  I can block all the other rambling thoughts from my brain and focus on changing settings to try to convert the shot in my head into my camera.

What I learned is that slowing down brings so many positive benefits with it.  While I still want to be more intentional with meditation, I love the sense of calm I am able to get from a few minutes chasing a photo.

What do you do to slow your brain down?
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