Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished

 "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished" Lao Tzu

This post has been sitting in my draft for months as I lost all motivation to continue my writing for a while. Even though I am a huge fan of nature and how peaceful it all is, this day did not feel entirely right. Now this could possibly have been my sudden hayfever allergy reaction, the super long walk that left all my muscles aching for a week or maybe the fact that my mind could not connect with nature like it normally does due to certain pressures and disturbances. 

won't go into detail as to what they are - *erhm* who *erhm* - but it made me come to the realization that time itself is not important. Nature does not have a watch, yet everything gets done. Trees grow at different paces, leaves fall whenever they are ready and flowers do not rush to bloom. Nature takes it time and get it all done eventually.

I often find myself just rushing around trying to get things done which results in my stress levels rushing through the roof! My to-do list often looks like Santa's naughty and nice list and my room looks like the inside of a dumpster! I run in and out of the house, throwing clothes in piles and beating myself up for not having enough time to get everything done! 

If you're anything like me then you will understand what it's like to have a million things running through your mind at once and not being able to focus on one things.

Yes, I often look like this waterfall... except not as mesmerizing or alive - I'm more a sloth looking human - so tired that you wonder if I'm even alive sometimes!

Through it all though, I have learnt one of the most important lessons ever and that is to 

BREATHE

Take a bit of time off to just stop, take a deep breath and be in the moment.
We often get so caught up in our deadlines, society's expectations and the pressure we put on ourselves that we forget to actually live in the moment.

Your schedule is not in control of you.

The situation does not control you.

You are in control of you. 

You need time out to breathe and re energize yourself to be in order to work properly.
How many of you like to see the 100% battery icon on your mobile phones? I know friends who refuse to leave the house unless their phones are on minimum 95% yet run on 4 hours of sleep and have not had some time off in days!

How is your phone more important than you? Why do you feel the need to rush around and not get the proper rest you should be getting? The human body should not be stressed all the time. It isn't healthy.

I know the feeling of needing to get things done and the pressure others can put you under because they think you are slacking off when really you are trying to juggle million things at once! Yet I've learnt that my happiness is more important.

We are part of nature and just like the rest of nature does, I will get things done at my own pace.

Breathe in and out. 

Meditate. 

Walk slow. 

Look up at the sky. 

Stop and smell the flowers. 

Be in the moment.