small life, slow life

The biggest nesting doll can hold a lot of stuff, but the smallest one can fit almost anywhere. Which would you rather be?

Boring – waiting, agitated, empty, limited, disjointed, expectant, irritable, restless.

Small – fulfilled, accepting, patient, peaceful, boundless, self-approved, appreciative, generous.

“Small life, slow life” does not equate to “impoverished life, boring life.” Don’t worry; I didn’t used to know the difference either.

When I found out I’d be living in Japan in a tiny farming town, I was filled with all kinds of anxiety. What will I do the weekends? What if there’s no TV or internet? I’ve never lived in the country before – isn’t that going to be boring as hell?! 

You could take the girl out of Los Angeles, but not LA out of the girl.

Or so I thought.

It turns out that living a smaller, slower life is really living a fuller life. 

Here’s what it looks like:

You have the time and freedom to pursue your real interests (whether they be painting, singing, karate or blogging).

You’re rested, which means you’re less irritable. Which means you have less conflict in your life, because you’re not overwhelmed or overloaded.

You’re not chronically tired, so you can more easily sense when you’re ready to give, and when you need a break.

When you need a break, you say so. When you’re able to give, you do so – joyfully.

Weekends feel open to possibility instead of short respites from the daily grind. Instead of sleeping both days away, you make time to nurture your interests as well as seeing people you care about.

You get excited about the growth in your life.

You no longer measure your growth by the value/status of your material things. Instead, it’s based on how you feel.

You avoid doing things that make you feel worn out or resentful.

You choose things that are relaxing, relieving, and allow you to feel appreciated.

You stop binge-eating as a means of bringing comfort.

Cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol (other than the occasional glass of wine or beer) are no longer appealing as coping mechanisms.

You start to long for exercise – not to fit into your clothes better, but because it feels good.

You find yourself unexpectedly smiling.

It becomes easier to tell who’s on your team, and who are the nay-sayers who consistently expect you to be miserable with them. Happiness is a great judge of character.

When people ask how you are, you say “Good, thank you” – but you actually mean it.

Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand – relax. If you relax, it comes. If you relax, it is there. If you relax, you start vibrating with it.  – Osho