I retired from teaching last
spring. My twenty years of teaching were rewarding, and I was
glad to serve my community and build a foundation for future
generations. But it was time for me to move on and to try
something new. In the process, I discovered that life in the slow lane
is great. The extra time and less stress I feel at the end of the day
is more than worth whatever I’ve given up for a different career and
lifestyle.
Do I still have bad
days? Of course. But I also have more times when I am glad I
spent the day or weekend as I intended. A huge weight has been
lifted from my shoulders. I am much happier as a whole while I
spend more time on the things I love. I literally have a spring
in my step most days, and people comment on how happy I look.
Are you wishing you could do the
same? Not everyone can retire or start a new career, but we can
all benefit from a little reflection of our lives. Here’s how I
went about my transition to life in the slow lane; maybe you can use
some of the same process in your own transition to more happiness in
your life.
As I was getting ready to retire
from teaching, I knew I wanted to change several things in my
life. The obvious one for me was how I spent my time. I
wanted more say in what I did every day and evening, and retiring from
teaching was my opportunity to shake things up. I dropped some
activities, and added a few new ones, as I changed my work.
Nowadays, I say no to people
more often. I dropped all my school obligations (with one exception
that I enjoy and dabble in, with much less time than I used to spend),
and I added more time for other pursuits where I want to devote my
time and energy. I make time to exercise and take care of myself—if
I don’t, I won’t be much good to anyone else. I spend more
time with family members and friends. Sometimes I call or e-mail
if I can’t see someone in person, just to stay in touch and let the
person know I’m thinking of her. I hope I’m building better
relationships over time.
I have set my priorities and try
to live accordingly. I consciously choose what I do with my free
time. I spend more time on the hobbies I enjoy, and try to slow
down and give myself permission to be less busy. I find I savor
the simple things in life as I experience them. I feel thankful for a
good cup of tea or a lovely sunrise without thinking of twenty other
things I should be doing at the same time. Slowing down, even for
a moment here and there, makes everything feel more complete. As
I go through this process, I notice that I have more time to "be
where I am when I’m there."
Years ago, my Psychology teacher
suggested this idea. He told us to "be where you are when you’re
there." He was saying that we need to experience the moment
we’re in, instead of worrying about the past or the future. It’s
kind of a Zen thing, I guess, but very relevant to everyone when you
think about it. Hashing over events from the past or worrying
about what might happen tomorrow doesn’t really get me
anywhere. I find I’m a lot happier when I try to enjoy or at
least notice where I am all the time, instead of thinking about other
things.
Now as I live life in the slow
lane, I notice more things. I really look at the clouds, the snow, and
the lovely trees. It doesn’t take a lot to stop for a moment in
the parking lot and look at the clouds, but it sure brightens my day
when I give myself permission to do so. I have also discovered
there are a lot more birds in our yard than I realized, and I try to
watch them for a minute or two every day. I didn’t know how
satisfying that could be. All the "stuff" in my past
life doesn’t seem as important anymore. As you examine your
life, maybe you’ll find similar things that will help you on your
way to happiness.
As you do your physical spring
cleaning, you can do a little metaphorical cleaning
too. Consider all your priorities (maybe even make a list if you’re
logical-sequential like me), and then think about all the ways
you spend your time. Do the lists match? If not, which
things can you give up or say no to? Examine your real
obligations and goals versus the things you’ve always
done. Over time, change your activities so you are living life
more deliberately, more consciously.
