Busy people tend to reflect during down time, and if you're way too busy, that down time rarely comes. It was during our annual family vacations that I'd reflect on all the important areas of my life-and all the details I'd neglected throughout the year. Work had a way of creeping in and expanding into every free space in my schedule and in my mind.
On holidays, I'd finally have time to relax, reflect and meditate, and from that perspective, I'd envision how I would change my life-how, upon my return home, I'd devote the time and energy appropriate to the most valued areas of my life.
After a few years, it became obvious this wasn't working. Once back home, I'd return to the routine of work and allow it to take over the rest of my life.
To reflect on your life is like looking at the map. You have to take the time to determine where you are and how far you may be from your goal.
If you, instead, keep speeding ahead on the same road and along the inevitable detours, you may find yourself far from where you'd like to be and sometimes moving away from your desired destination.
To meditate is to look at your compass, find your bearings and determine if you are in the right place. Waiting for a convenient time to meditate is like waiting for a rest stop or a flat tire before you take out your compass.
You may find yourself far from where you ought to be, doing things you didn't mean to do, saying things you didn't intend and acting out of sync with your true self.
When our agendas are full and our days are packed with back-to-back activity, we can feel as if we don't have time to think, let alone breathe. During those times in our lives when we are getting by on little sleep because we have so much to do and no time to lose, we need to pause more than ever.
These are the times we desperately need to take our time outs, coffee breaks, meditative moments and reflection retreats. We need to schedule them into our days just as we should regular meals, daily exercise and adequate sleep.
To do any less makes us mentally inefficient, emotionally stressed and physically exhausted. Without daily rest and reflection, sooner or later we may find ourselves desperately going nowhere or in a place far from where we would want to be.
Without reflection from the perspective of our whole lives, we may simply be reacting to the demands of each day. The alternative is to be mindfully active. To be fully engaged and present, we need time each day to relax, recharge and reflect.
Dr. Davidicus Wong is a physician and writer. You can find his posts at davidicuswong.wordpress.com and listen to his Positive Potential Medicine podcasts at wgrnradio.com.
