The Gift of Slowing Down: Why Now Is the Time

Originally Posted in March 2020 (COVID)

It’s amazing how the world slowed down when it had to; during 2020 and 2021 the world went a still. However, the bounce back has been worse than the previous state. The lack of civility and tension in the world is a direct reflection of our lack of reflection. I don’t know if it’s just me—or if others are feeling it too—but during COVID, it felt like a weight was lifted. Life was quieted. The pace had softened. And for the first time in a long time, we were been able to focus on just one thing, one issue, one day, and one moment at a time.

While I was driving back from Peoria to Little Rock, with no one on the road, nothing but my thoughts, and hours to think and reflect - I found myself asking: What does this moment in time really mean? What is this global pause trying to teach us?

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1. Stillness Forced Us to Reflect

Everything has slowed to a pace that invites deep thought. For some, that’s a gift. For others, it’s uncomfortable. Stillness can be confronting. It asks us to look inward, to sit with ourselves, and to face what we’ve been too busy to acknowledge.

2. Perspective Is Everything

This season has helped me weigh what truly matters. Why do we spend so much of our precious time caught in other people’s struggles, pulled into their chaos? Why do we allow ourselves to be consumed by things that don’t align with our purpose?

This pause has reminded me: Life is too short to live distracted.

3. Now Is the Time

Now is the time to do all the things we said we didn’t have time for. The things we didn’t make a priority. The things that set our souls on fire.

• Write the book.

• Start the blog.

• Call the old friend.

• Hug your loved ones.

• Let go of the grudge.

• Seek your faith.

• Live the life you were called to live.

Now is the time to choose progress over perfection; although we are beyond the “shut down,” we can still keep the principle of civility in place. To choose presence over pressure. To choose purpose over performance.

“If time were the currency by which we measure the success of our lives, would we spend it differently?”

Let this be your reminder: the world has slowed down enough to think, and the time is now to remind ourselves of this.