The Power of Intentionally Slowing Down

The first half of 2026 has been filled with shaking and great awakening. I must say, experiencing all this makes me realize that I know nothing, that I am vulnerable, and that I am purely human. But there is nothing really wrong with it, only making me stronger and a better person. I questioned myself, but questioning more just makes me wonder. I am indeed human, hungry for truth.

I always rush things. I mean, yes, I want things to be done as fast as I can. I want to achieve a lot. The hunger to know more boils down inside my core, the search for knowledge, which resulted in earning multiple degrees, and now contemplating getting another master’s degree, because I believe I can do something for myself, but also for humanity.

But rushing into major life decisions needs careful review. I learned the need to adopt Socratic Humility by acknowledging what I do not know, the need to apply Edward De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats when facing difficult decisions, and even to play Devil’s Advocate to question the decision and see the other side of the coin. It is not about being impulsive, but rather being prepared and contemplating the “what-ifs” and “what-nots.”

I am impatient. That is because of my work and profession: the level of pressure I face when meeting KPIs and goals and when making decisions, always looking at risk-based analyses, but major life decisions are different. It is not about business, not about my career or profession; it is about myself and how I should ensure that, when I am at a crossroads, I accept the effects of my decisions.

Becoming slow is not a weakness. I learned it the hard way, but being slow means I am looking for all aspects of life’s decisions to unfold right in my very eyes, seemingly not rushed, not forced, but letting nature take its course, genuinely and authentically.

I was trained to be agile, vigilant, and bullish about meeting goals, ambitions, and Key Performance Indicators, but I was not told to slow down because it might affect my core. I was wronged and deserted by this belief. I was only looking at the surface, not at the root level, looking only at the output, not at the process. By slowing down, I learned to be open to possibilities and embrace the results, whether they are for me or not.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that I advocate for laziness or procrastination, such as slowing down beyond the deadline. Taking it slow means taking time to examine everything. More time, more than enough to examine the variables and factors that may affect the outcome.

Beyond the shaking and turbulence I experience, like riding a plane through a storm, being patient and taking time to be intentionally slow is priceless. In fact, I learned that pilots slow down the engines when encountering turbulence midair to prevent structural damage and better control the plane. I don’t freeze when shaking occurs;  I just let my energy flow calmly.  Like a patient soul wandering in the middle of the storm, I enjoyed the ride and the stillness of my core. Being calm and slow is powerful. It makes me secure.

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