Slow Down

How often do you slow down? Just take 30 minutes in your busy life to just stop and reflect. It can do you a world of good. Last sumester I was in the busiest part of my life up to that point. I was either in school, basketball, doing homework, eating, or sleeping. I rarely had free time, did not get enough sleep, or had little time to just slow down and reflect. In result I found myself doing things that I normally wouldn't do, things that I knew weren't me. I became a more hurried and distracted.

Life can be so much more enjoyable if we have quiet time, reflections, or just time to sit and relax without focusing on anything. I try to wake up every morning and have a quiet time with God. It starts out my day so much better and I find myself enjoying my day more. I find myself acting more in a Christ-like manner and focusing on what's important in life. It helps me look at the big picture and rid myself of all the selfish thoughts that pervade my thoughts to often.

Reflections are another great thing to help you become a better person and enjoy life more because of it. This is usually best doing at the end of the day when you can sit back and reflect on the day. Reflect on the events of the day and how you acted. Think on how you could have acted in a better manner or improved your day. Think on how you could have focused on others more yourself. This will go a long way in realizing the true picture of yourself and how you can go about changing yourself.

Relaxing is another great thing to do. Pretty much every second of the day thoughts are going through are mind and millions of things are being processed through your brain. Doesn't it sound appealing to have a time to just relax your mental capacities and NOT think for once? Researchers say that memorization is so much easier when the brain has time to stop processing, essentially resting the brain. Sleep is one way for this but relaxation is also a good thing to practice.

Ah yes I have forgotten that is another very important aspect to improving your life and yourself. I think I heard somewhere that the Average American sleep for day is 7 Hours. If your an adult I think you need 8 or 9 hours of sleep and teens and kids even more. Sleep is vital for life and without it we are literaly handicapped. When we don't get sleep we are more grumpy, less likely to make good decisions, and basically we are not all the way there when we are sleepy. We are not placing ourself in the best possible situation to be the best that we can be. Sleep will help us become more Godly, better people, who make better decisions and get in less trouble/accidents. More Car Wrecks today are caused by exhaustion than any other reason. GET YOUR SLEEP!

Another more subtle aspect in my life that I have found that makes me less stressed and more joyful is music. Yes music, I enjoy many types of music but what I listen to most is Christian Rock. Now I know most people think that Christian Rock is pretty soft stuff compared to most mainstream music but I found it was just to much. Now you have to understand where I was at last sumester. My life was pure hectic/crazy/blow-my-mind-ness and when I got home I would plop down, do my homework and listen to music. I found myself attracted to softer music more and more often. My life was crazy enough did it have to be so also in my own house? No! I said and commited to listening to soothing soft music that settled me down instead of keeping me in an agitated, stressful state that I had been from school. Music really does affect your disposition and I think it plays a key role in atitude, thoughts, and actions. If you listen to harder music you are more likely to be high-strung and violent, and disruptfull.

Well I believe I could come up with a few more paragraphs and maybe a few more blog posts but I need to demonstrate what I said earlier and get my sleep so I'm gonna head to that soft, warm, happy place :) (my brain thinks a lot faster and more thoughts at night, why I need my sleep??)