There’s an old quote by Lao Tzu that goes, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
Now, before you roll your eyes and say, “Yeah, well, Lao Tzu never had 87 unread emails and a toddler screaming because their sock feels wrong,” hear me out.
Nature is kind of the original slow-motion life coach. The Grand Canyon didn’t happen because the Colorado River had a five-year productivity plan and a bullet journal. No, it just kept flowing, day after day, for millions of years. Not a single river rock held a team meeting to optimize erosion strategy.
Trees? They grow a little bit every year, shed their leaves, take naps all winter, and somehow still manage to be majestic and wise-looking.
And don’t even get me started on turtles. They basically shuffle through life like they’ve got nowhere to be… and still beat the hare in every motivational children’s story ever written!
Meanwhile, most of us are out here running around like caffeinated meerkats, scheduling every second of our day, treating rest like it’s something we earn instead of something we need. We multitask our way through meals, vacations, and even family gatherings.
But here’s the thing: despite the constant rushing, the checklists, the 0500 wake-up calls, we still feel… behind.
So maybe Lao Tzu was onto something. Maybe we need to slow the heck down.
Let’s be inspired by the glacier. Yes, it moves at the speed of molasses in January, but it moves. And not only does it move, it carves valleys, shapes landscapes, and looks darn good doing it, too. Ice, ice baby! Sorry, sounds kinda like a bad dad joke. Lol!
Let’s learn from the daffodil, who doesn’t apologize for taking its sweet time all winter, then shows up in spring like, “TA-DA! I’m fabulous and yellow! You’re welcome!”
Let’s embrace the idea that steady progress beats frantic motion every time. That slowing down doesn’t mean giving up, it means giving yourself space—to breathe, to grow, and occasionally to eat snacks without checking your email.
The margins along your notebook are there for a reason. You don’t try to write outside the margins, so why are you trying to live your life outside of them?
So, take a walk. Sit under a tree. Watch a sunset without a camera—I know, as an amateur photographer, that’s a terrifying thought! But trust that just like the tide rolls in, the flowers bloom, and the moon shows up every night without Google Calendar… you’re allowed to live at a pace that doesn’t require battery recharging every four hours.
Remember, nature’s not in a hurry, and she still gets stuff done. And unlike us, she doesn’t need three cups of coffee to do it.
Slow down! You’re not late. And please remind me about my own advice when I start my stressed-out squirrel routine. 😂
Crock’s Thoughts 