Tired of rushing through daily tasks? Discover the mantra “Not Everything Is an Emergency” and learn how slowing down creates presence and peace.
Not Everything Is an Emergency: Slowing Down the Everyday
The other day I saw a short video that stopped me in my tracks.
A woman was brushing her teeth—furiously. Her shoulders were tight, her movements urgent, like she was fighting a fire in her own bathroom. The words on the screen read: “When you realize you treat everything like an emergency.”
Then she slowed down. And suddenly, it looked… peaceful.
I laughed at first. But then I felt it—a little nudge inside that said, Oh… I do that too.
Maybe you do as well.
The Mantra: Not Everything Is an Emergency
October invites us into a gentler rhythm. The light shifts, the days tilt, and nature itself whispers: slow down.
But too often, we move through the simplest tasks as if the clock is always chasing us. Brushing teeth. Folding laundry. Making coffee. All of it done in a rush, as if finishing were more important than being present.
What if not everything was urgent? What if not everything was an emergency?
The Practice: One Task, Done Slowly
Choose one routine thing this week—something ordinary, something you often hurry through.
- Washing dishes.
- Making tea.
- Folding towels.
And do it slowly. Notice the warmth of the water. The sound of the spoon. The scent of fresh laundry.
It may feel awkward at first, like swimming upstream. But presence is like a muscle—the more you practice, the stronger it grows.
Why It Matters
In just a few weeks, life will speed up with holidays, gatherings, and expectations. By practicing slowness now, we create a kind of anchor—something steady to return to when everything else is moving fast.
A Question for You
Where in your life are you brushing your teeth like it’s an emergency? And how might things shift if you slowed down?
-Laura