No hurry, no worry, Part 1

A friend told me about her Sabbath practice of “no hurry, no worry,” so  I decided to give it a try. On Sundays, I attempt to live a full day without rushing and without fretting. By doing this, I have learned how much of my time is spent as a slave to these demons.

Spare tire with "no worries" text

Photo by David Neubert (Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic)

The problem with both hurry and worry is that they take us out of the moment. Rushing is about trying to get to some future moment. Worry is about being preoccupied with something that happened in the past or something we imagine in the future.

Contentment, on the other hand, is experienced in the present moment.

One of the things I’ve learned from this practice is how hurry and worry can be linked. For example, hurry is often the result of being afraid of something–like being late or missing a deadline. The behavior is motivated by fear—of doing something “wrong” or not being perfect, of disappointing someone or feeling bad about myself.

Heightening awareness of hurry and worry has the revolutionary potential to foster greater ease and relaxation in ordinary life. As my friend said, “After awhile, I realized that I didn’t need to do this only on Sundays.”

Our next post will offer suggestions for ways that you can explore the gentle benefits of “no hurry, no worry” in your own life.  In the meantime, what is your experience with hurry and worry?

To your ease!

Pat Daniel, Ph.D.

© Pat Daniel and wizardofease.com, 2011.
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