In the last article of the 0,00 KM, we talked about the deadliest addiction of our times, the increasing speed we are infusing into our lives.
Every day we are tempted to buy into a culture that sold us the idea that happiness is the next thing you will buy or get. Unfortunately, we go so fast that we can barely enjoy what we achieve, and at the same time, “happiness” keeps moving into another format and disappears.
What can you do to stop the rat race and slow down?
I think you need to start paying attention — one of the most valuable currencies in the world. And believe me or not, you will, either voluntarily or by force. Hopefully, not too late.
What do you need to do to start paying attention?
The first step is by practicing a scarce “superpower” — the capacity to Listen. The act of listening has a few different dimensions that are worth to be aware of;
- Listen to yourself (I do you feel? Anxious? Hopeful?)
- Listen to the environment around you (is it calm or stressful?)
- Listen to your body (Are your muscles tense or relaxed?)
- Listen to what nature says in different moments of the day (What is the morning telling you compared to the evening?)
- Listen to your mind (Worried about something? Missing a deadline?)
- Listen to the speed of your thoughts (running like a wild horse or harmoniously in flow?)
- Listen to what others are saying (register each word)
- Listen to what others are not saying (beyond sentences and corporal expressions, what are they saying?)
I can assure you that if we were indeed masters of listening, we would know better when to stop working, call more often the people we love, and say something kind to ourselves.
This simple approach can turn into one of your most exciting hobbies and activities. If you allocate the right amount of attention, almost spontaneously, you will start practicing such skill, and as you go, it might change your life for good and for better.
In the Walking Mentorship, our methodology challenges you in the first moment of the programs to Listen, and it is fascinating to see how people start walking and how they finish at the end of the program.
Throughout the different exercises, we cross different rhythms. Each person is more self-aware, and the need to adjust the speed of your pace to the flow of your thoughts becomes natural. We stop, we renovate our ideas, we walk a little more, we stop, we renew our plans and continue this virtuous cycle, just like our lives ask us to be.
The body and mind walk together, and one influences the other, emphasizing what is louder at the current moment. Curiously you can use both to slow down.
Do you want to give a try?
Look at our website, and for sure, you will find a program that fits your current moment in life. Either focusing on your Purpose Review, making time to be Offline, Take your kids on an unrepeatable journey, or spend exceptional time with your team. Until then,
Keep walking with me,
João Perre Viana
Founder of Walking Mentorship
