Slowing Down, Noticing Our Defaults

Have you ever finished a task or arrived home from your commute, only to realize you don’t actually remember the experience of getting there? For many of us, life becomes a series of items to check off. We rush through our days on autopilot, focusing so much on what we are doing that we lose touch with how or why we are doing it. I sometimes fall into this pattern, too.

For years, I bike-commuted to work. My route was perfectly optimized—it was incredibly fast and efficient. But one afternoon, I hit a pothole and was forced to walk my bike the remaining two miles home. Because I was moving slower and took a slightly different path, I noticed a whole world just one block over from my usual route: a cozy donut shop, a coffee house, restaurants, and even a beautiful rose garden. I had ridden past them for years, completely unaware of their existence because I was so focused on speed.

We can’t always stop to smell the roses, and some days simply require us to be efficient. But when efficiency becomes our default, we unintentionally lock out the very things that bring us joy and comfort: small pleasures like a donut and coffee, warm connections like running into a friend, or in my case, literally stopping to smell the roses. 

Slowing down doesn't require a major life overhaul; it starts with tiny, intentional choices. We don't need a hidden rose garden on our street to practice this. It can be as simple as sitting at the counter to drink our coffee instead of taking it to go, or taking a new route home just to see something different.

When we give ourselves permission to slow down, we create space for unexpected conversations, fresh perspectives, and genuine relief. True well-being begins when we lift our eyes from the tasks directly in front of us and start welcoming the world around us.