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Slowing Down - A Pathway to Inner Confidence

Guest post by: Jeannie Campanelli, Ed.D., CPCC

Article Overview: It is safe to assume that all of us know the feeling of our days flying by. For myself, I busily coach and in between sessions complete my list of daily To Do’s - both for my business and for my personal life. I enjoy feeling engaged and productive - it’s a natural part of my personality. When I’m in the creative flow and building a sense of momentum in moving forward, I feel good. At the close of an active day as I allow myself to truly stop and rest, I realize that it would have been okay for me to slow down in between my coaching. Yes, it was gratifying to get things done, and I can take my time - trusting that what truly needs to get done will get done eventually.

Slowing Down - A Pathway to Inner Confidence

On this path of learning and growth, we all have an edge (that tipping point when we know that stepping over to the other side will change the status quo). When we meet an edge, it is helpful to get clear on our vision of what's on the other side. In other words, an inquiry might be: What will stepping over this edge bring me that I essentially want more of? Is slowing down in the midst of these complex and stressful times an edge for you? What is your vision of what is available to you when you make the choice to slow down? What will your slowing down bring ‘more of'?

Experience tells me that slowing down connects us with the deepest part of ourselves - our core where inner confidence truly lives. Pausing to consciously breathe, we come into the moment. We stop and notice.

We have the opportunity to give our focus to any body tension - not with the goal of getting rid of it which is a form of resistance that doesn't work. Noticing and accepting the tension encourages our bodies to move toward its natural state, one of relaxation. As the body relaxes, the mind naturally moves toward quietness. We connect more deeply with our true selves, the place of "Who am I...really?"

For myself, I allow myself to yawn, breathing right down to my belly and releasing each one in a series of yawns with the sound, "Aaaaaah! - a healing act in itself that feels wonderful. I invite you to experiment with the power of this tool for yourself, too, and notice the impact on your inner confidence.

As we consciously slow down, we gift ourselves with simply waiting and relaxing instead of reacting to a situation with a sense of urgency. While relaxing, we can listen for what feels right as the next step for us to take - in other words, our intuitive voice gets to be heard. We then respond from a very different place than if we had hurried and accessed only our mind, which often operates from old conditioning and habits. We feel good about the choices we consciously make which adds to our sense of inner confidence.

While slowing down, the range of our feelings in a day are noticed and allowed to ‘be'. Being with ‘what is' gives me the opportunity to deepen my own journey toward self-love and self-acceptance - foundational components of inner confidence. Moments in the day are experienced in their fullness - whether they are pleasurable or uncomfortable - leading to grounded equanimity, the practice of holding all experiences without judgment.

Better digestion, deeper sleeps, a greater sense of flow, an increase in reflective time - slowing down brings all this and more. When we are connected to ourselves at a core level, we exude inner confidence.

In this place, we know that it is safe to slow down. We feel. We notice. We embrace any anxiety which our busyness attempts to hide. We pace our days - breathing, enjoying the beauty of nature around us, and feeling grateful for all the good in our lives. We nurture our trust in Life. There is an abundance of time when we truly live from Presence.

What does slowing down bring you? I ask that you add to this vision that I have shared - making it your very own. Sharing your vision with someone else who will witness you in a loving, nonjudgmental way is a powerful step in the process of stepping over our edges.

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Article Tags: body tension, choices, inner confidence, intuitive voice, midst, quietness, relaxation, resistance, sense of urgency, stressful times, tipping point, true selves, yawns



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