At what point do we allow ourselves to dissolve into the current of our daily lives? For me, I was 28 when I realized I had stopped enjoying the simple things. I had allowed myself to be consumed by anxiety and stress. I was always in a hurry to get somewhere even when I had nowhere to go.  Why? For two years I’ve been pondering this question.

Somewhere along the line I ceased allowing time for myself. As a child and young adult I always made time to do those things I enjoyed. I also felt very connected to people, nature, and myself. As I got older things changed. Suddenly it was all about getting things done faster, better, and working longer.

The realization that I had lost myself came to me when I was diagnosed with unexplained infertility at the mere age of 29. In searching for answers a tiny thought crossed my mind. “What if I’m just too stressed out?”

I drove by a church late one September afternoon. On the sign out front was a simple message. “For fast relief, try slowing down.” I thought little of it as I drove by. But for some reason the phrase buried itself in my subconscious. Mind you I’m not a religious person. For me, spirituality is something unique and personal between the individual and the universe.

I’ve been meditating since I was 17 years old. At 28, my meditation practice did not seem to help me as much as it once did. Then a friend told me about yoga. I began my yoga practice two years ago. It’s funny because it is the only exercise I’ve ever been able to stick with. Soon after beginning yoga, my meditation practice dramatically changed. I would do yoga, then meditate. What I had lost in meditation over the years came back slowly, and that feeling of wholeness and connectivity was renewed.

So why is it that we allow ourselves to be swept away by life, while forgetting the simple pleasures of silence with the self, and our individual link to everything that is? I think, after two years, I am beginning to understand the answer. Our world of constant external stimulation draws our focus away from those things that truly matter. Through external stimuli we are conditioned to see only what we are fed from our televisions, radios, and computer screens. I think we sometimes forget about simple things like compassion, tolerance, and love. Both for others and ourselves. We push ourselves to act out our lives as external stimulus dictates. We forget who we truly are.

As I do my sun salutations in the morning, my body, mind, and spirit open me up to the simple pleasures of being alive. Of feeling like I am at one with nature and a part of the whole. Once again, that little phrase pops into my head. “For fast relief, try slowing down.” This time, however, it has meaning. If I’ve learned anything in the past two years it is this: Slowing down and taking the time to reconnect is sometimes all it takes to pull yourself out of the rat-race, and to live in the present moment, enjoying it, just because it simply is.

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