Rohan Gunatillake posted his 5-a-day, which includes a valuable plea for slowing down and appreciating the people around us:
1. Walk the walk. As someone who headed up his own wellbeing movement in the past, I had to put this one in. By reducing the speed of my pace of walking just a fraction, I find that it results in a radically greater appreciation of what is going on around me and my role in that. It’s one of the easiest ways to see the toxic results of rushing in our urban environment, both our own and those of others.
2. Underground love. This is a new one inspired by a retreat talk by Greg Kramer last summer. The Tube is always considered one of the most unfriendly places and if that is all you expect and all you look for then that’s all you will see. The trick here is to deliberately notice and as it were tune into the beautiful tiny exchanges that happen all the time on the Underground, be it a kiss between lovers, the offering of a seat, a simple smile, whatever. Be ready to be surprised!
3. People not tasks. When working at a very task & performance oriented consultancy for several years, I didn’t always like what I saw around me in the attitude of my colleagues. So I made (and still make) a point of making sure that even at my busiest time I make, even contrive, some time to meet with someone at work as a person rather than as a colleague and talk about something that makes us feel alive. It’s a great space maker.
4. See nature. I imagine this will be a common one in the mindapplesophere. Many of us live and work in really quite harsh built environments which can be quite draining. What I therefore try to do it tap into nature at some point in the day, in whatever way I can, be it a walk in the park, just seeing the park, noticing a bird or insect or even just the sky. Just like #3 is about finding space for the relational in the workplace, this is finding some for the natural.
5. Turn to the silence. No surprises here I imagine. Not everyone be moved to practice some sort of formal silence like meditation but I’d go so far it’s almost pathological how we avoid silence by cramming our minds with noise, in all its forms. So whatever it is for you, whether it’s refraining from turning on the radio the second you get home or just muting the TV when the ads come on, this one is golden.
Pic chosen by Rohan is Love couples near midnight at Leicester Square station
Thanks so much for your 5-a-day Rohan… really thought provoking!