Stop, Look and Listen

Stop, what’s that sound?

Do you remember Pre Covid parties with a DJ that played the Buffalo Springfield song over and over again? Have you sung along to the chorus, “I think it’s time we stop / Children, what’s that sound? / Everybody look what’s going down?”.  To me, this song is a reminder to slow down and take care of yourself, your mind,and your body.  

An invitation to tune in

Primarily, the point is two fold. First, amidst the challenges and opportunities offered by things opening and speeding up, we need to “stop” frequently to check inside and see how we are doing.  Second, the song states, “Everybody look what’s going down”.  This refers perhaps to the Vietnam War era and worldwide poverty at the time.  More importantly for the purposes of observing our inner life, the statement reminds me that the changes going on inside our world can mirror the conflict in the external one. By taking a few extra moments to connect, you can  gravitate towards greater health, mindfulness, and improve the stressful situations that surround you.

How to step back into your own inner world

How can you step back into your own inner world after slowing down? The orientation response, or the skill of looking around and tuning in and attending to those around us, is important for our sense of connectivity and groundedness. For starters, this can be done through morning journaling sessions, 5 minutes meditations or visualizations, or simple breathing exercises. I model these moments for pause with my clients in session through somatic and mindset work.

More tools for support

Are you looking for more or new tools? There are plethora of online resources now available for support. As Deepak Chopra once mentioned on Clubhouse, technology can fuel mental health capabilities and access to tools online.  For example, biofeedback is a new method that can offer data on how your body can make changes to respond to stress or improve health and wellbeing .

Remember there are always ways to slow down and take a beat, no matter how busy you are.