There’s this idea that the faster you go, the better things will be. And in some circumstances that’s definitely true, of course, but it’s often taken as a rule of thumb. Shipping is now overnight. Seasonal food is available all year round. Even movies are available at home the instant that they’re finished in the cinema. We’re out of practice when it comes to waiting for things, for letting things take time. But is starting slow better than starting fast? I think it is, and I’m going to tell you why.
I’m Savannah Alalia, and welcome to the latest episode of High Functioning Human Podcast where you learn to connect yourself as a high-functioning human.
So why is starting slow better than starting fast? Well, as you know, a lot of things in nature take time. They happen in cycles or durations that take time that they take. For example, if you’re having a baby, it will take you nine months to grow. But to get your apples from a tree, it could take five years for your tree to fruit. Take an avocado tree, for example, for your avocado toast, and that could take you 10 years to fruit. Everything has its own timescale and all of them are worth waiting for, especially the avocado toast.
This idea that once you’ve started something, you have to rush off like a rocket ship may come from a disconnect with nature. Easy access to all things at all times has shifted the idea of value, and it means that you may be less likely to lay foundations. But me and Mother Nature agree that the slower you go, the better those foundations will be. Your pace is so important because it’s about a lot more than just your speed. Your pace represents what’s going on on the inside when you’re moving fast on the outside.
For example, a tree with sturdy roots will survive a storm, but it takes two to three years for a baby tree, or a sapling, to establish those sturdy roots. And until that point, the baby tree actually needs protection. Like a tree, when your body is really present, rooted and grounded, it can maintain its energy better as it goes into action.
This is why if you own a body, self care should be at the top of your priority list. The pace that you prioritise will support different aspects of your life. The pace at which you exercise or do fascia work is a big one here. Like with the face and the techniques that you see me share on my socials. So many people will write comments like “I went at the lines for two hours and now I’m sore,” because they’ve tried to force something. And I mean, of course I applaud the enthusiasm, but this is a prime example of too much, too fast, too soon.
If you slow down enough, you begin to connect to where something is stuck, how it’s stuck, and it will actually release more quickly once it’s engaged. We have this idea that energy enthusiasm needs to be translated directly into equal action in order to be valid. But if you let your energy build slowly, you’ll be able to listen to your body as you start to take action. And learning to listen to and trust your body is perhaps the single most important skill in life.
Your body is already finely tuned, and when you force your body to work at 100%, you are putting yourself into fight or flight mode through stress. And you push yourself out of rest and digest into a situation where you can only function on a surface level. When you do that, you reduce your capacity and information from your deeper levels gets lost.
Think of your body as your personal planet Earth. When you’re moving too fast, it can feel like a blurry blue dot without any detail. And when you do things too fast, you can cause the wrong type of pain, for example. And I’ll be speaking more about pain in some upcoming episodes, so make sure you’re on the mailing list if you’re interested in these.
When you slow things down, on the other hand, your nervous system goes into “Oh, you’re listening to me.” And then there’s this action that has more direction and is more effective for you in the long run. This slowing down is why I’ve structured my Your Face Symmetry programs into three levels. You have to start that conversation with yourself at a basic level, at a foundational level, and then build upon that. You need the foundations in place to be able to effectively open your fascia further. This is because in order to do things slowly, you have to be really, really present. You have to be deliberate. So that’s then more effective when you’re doing things over a longer period of time in your daily life.
Of course, when you’re talking about pace, it’s all relative. What’s fast to an ant is going to be slow to an antelope. You need to figure out what slow and what fast are for you. And this slow and fast, this capability might change over the course of your day or your month or the season that you’re in and the year that you’re in. And just like that tree that we spoke about earlier, there will be times when you flower and grow and times when you’re putting down more roots.
The important thing is that you embrace your own pace and you give everything the time it deserves.
Remember, trust your instincts and follow your intuition because the world needs your voice and the magic it brings to us all.
Of course, I highly recommend you jump on my mailing list to stay reminded and connected because I will only speak about a few special things in email.
I look forward to chatting with you next time on the High Functioning Human Podcast. Take care and talk soon.
As always, I remain a cheerleader for your inner self-worth,
