Smell the Roses

All the New Age management gurus have been advising people to slow down and smell the roses in order to manage the inevitable stress in their professional and personal lives. Shimla at this time of the year is just the right place to do that. The profusely blooming rose bushes are aflame with beautiful colours: pink, white, peach, red, and yellow. The entire landscape has changed thanks to these divine blooms. The butterflies and honeybees flit around these flowers collecting nectar… the nectar of life. That is what these flowers give us whether we admire them or not.

Why are we supposed to ‘slow down and smell the roses’? In this fast paced life, it seems like a sensible thing to do. But besides that you realize that all this hurry and worry of life is not worth it. The plight of an average corporate person has reached such ridiculous heights that even on the day a person dies; he has at least thirty emails in his inbox, an unfinished to-do list, and unreturned voice mails. We in Shimla are lucky to have escaped from most of this madness.

The fact remains, that we can never get it all done, no matter how many hours in a day we work, so we might as well just slow down. Some people are fearful of the very thought of slowing down. They say, “How can I slow down? There are bills to be paid, projects to be completed, kids to raise, and so much to do in life. If I slow down, I will be left behind. The others will overtake me as my productivity will go down. The inflation will not wait for me. I need to take care of my future”. Are these fears genuine? No.

It has been proven over the years that people who take short breaks to ‘smell the roses’, throughout the day get more work done than those people who are always worried about the deadlines. Focusing on ‘energy’ management is more productive than focusing on ‘time’ management. Which side of the fence are you on? Do you spend your day with a smile or a frown on your face? If it is a frown, go out, take a look at the roses and smell them.

Slowing down and enjoying is a matter of attitude and habit. It means to stop, breathe deeply, and enjoy all the special moments of your life. Once you do it you will realize that all the moments of your life are special in one way or the other. When we enjoy our life, we become grateful for even most basic things such as the ability to walk, to talk, to write, to eat, to share, to laugh, to smile, to pray, and to live.

Slowing down also means that even when the life throws challenges at us, even in the midst of tragedy, pressure and stress; we have the ability to recharge our batteries and come through the trying times as a winner. Small activities like a walk through Shimla’s lovely flora have the power to energize us. So if you want more strength, focus, energy, and skills, take this beautiful opportunity now.

When we slow down, we not only have more fun but more success as well. It is surprising that slowing down is the hardest thing to do for most people, but once they accomplish it they can never go back to a harried life.

So tell yourself each morning that today is the day when you will slow down. The blooming roses around you will keep reminding you to do that!!!