Sometimes I feel like I’m living life in the fast lane and can’t find my exit. How can I slow down?
A close friend recently told me that she felt as though she had zoomed through life. She completed all the things she had been told to do and achieved the educational milestones that were laid out before her. But something was missing. She expressed remorse that her time was gone and that while she had done everything “right,” there were personal milestones that she never got to enjoy. She feared that those exits were now behind her. Instead of life passing her by, she had passed by life.
In his article “For Everyone Who Feels Like They’re Falling Behind in Life,” Brother Jordan Stanford illustrates the importance of redefining how we measure our progress in life. Stuck in the traffic of life, Brother Stanford could not seem to take his desired exit to achieve his goals. He mentions that his limited point of view hindered his ability to see his progress and made him feel like he could never catch up. But developing a broader perspective helped him recognize the good that has taken place through his actions.
Photo by Amelia Anderson
Much of what we are told in this day and age is to complete things quickly, orderly, and efficiently. We are told not to dawdle or linger and to achieve our goals and keep progressing. Goals and milestones are helpful and good, but we sometimes get so caught up trying to complete them that we get lost on the highway of life and can feel like we missed something.
When I feel this way, I try to pump the brakes. Pull over. Close my eyes. Take a deep breath. The milestones and goals we think we missed are not lost opportunities. There is always another exit and another road to follow. Life isn’t a race; we’re not behind or ahead of anyone. We can enjoy every inch and mile that we travel. It will take practice, but each of us can learn to increase our self-compassion and develop a clearer understanding of our lives—even if life moves like a highway.
Read Brother Jordan Stanford’s article “For Everyone Who Feels Like They’re Falling Behind In Life” to discover how he slowed down and found his own exit.
Source: Liahona
—Amelia Anderson, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY RYAN MCGUIRE
Find more insights
Take a look at Leah Barton’s article “3 Things To Remember When You Feel Like You’re Falling Short” for more tips on finding your exit.
Learn more from Elise Green’s Latter-day Saint Insights article “Trust in God’s Plan for You” on how to see the bigger picture of life.