Considering everything that’s going on in the world right now, it seems as if a lot of people are asking themselves, “What can we do?”
But instead of rushing into action or assuming the fix will be a simple one, what if we all just took some time to be thoughtful?
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At least, that’s the idea behind one of the most recent episodes of “The Best Advice Show,” a daily podcast that offers us a quick tip or a piece of advice on how to make our lives better.
This particular bit of advice, from Merrill Garbus, resonated especially considering current events.
“If you feel uncomfortable and (you feel) disgust right now -- if you feel lots of terrible feelings, that is an appropriate response," Garbus said on the podcast. "And just be aware of … (this urge involving) wanting to fix it right away. Like, ‘There must be a solution here. Let’s just fix it.’”
Instead, what if we “hastened slowly?”
Garbus was introduced to this concept during a workshop at a buddhist center in Oakland, California. The idea is, when there’s urgent work that needs to be done, in order to do that work, we must slow down.
[Listen to the full episode below].
Sometimes in an emergency situation, it’s natural for people to want to spring into action -- “tell me what to do, I’ll start immediately.” But when it comes to the deeper, lifetime work, that strategy only gets us so far, Garbus said.
The idea is, our actions should be deeply rooted for them to be the most effective. Those first reactions are often well-intentioned, but it’s important to go deeper. Without the slow work of deeply taking in the moment, taking time to let feelings filter down, let information filter in, and letting things percolate, the long-term work won’t be sustained.
“The Best Advice Show" podcast creator and host Zak Rosen wants to hear from you next.
To contribute some of your advice, drop Rosen a voicemail at 844-935-BEST. It can be a tip about almost anything -- incredibly simple or a bit deeper.
Leave your name and your tip, followed by your email address in case he has any follow-up questions. He’s not so much interested in platitudes and truisms, but instead, looking for the specific, odd, uplifting, effective, real advice from you about how you make it through your days.
“The Best Advice Show" is produced by Graham Media Group. Download it wherever you listen to or access podcasts.