Pace Yourself

Life comes at you with rapid speed.  And it is constantly changing not allowing you the freedom easily to reflect on the decision-making process. But many of us know quick decisions are often the worst ones we make.  Impulsivity can lead to rapid fire choices with dire consequences.  Society is full of them, people that pay for not taking a few extra moments of time to think before reacting.

 Right now, Twitter is a buzz with the case of the officer in South Carolina who got trigger happy.  He took a man’s life, callously and quickly.  He was trying to arrest a man and it seems apparent, because the man attempted to run and was black, the officer pulled his gun and shot him multiple times in the back, killing him.  Right there, in the field, the man lie dying from an impulsive act with no forethought for a man’s life.  Now that officer will pay with his.

 Impulse buying is another one of those knee-jerk decisions. If it is in the store, chances are it will be there the next day or something similar. But, so many shoppers simply can’t pass it up.  In 2014, there were over 43% of American households carrying credit card debt. The average debt was $7,200.According to a report on CBSNews.com; credit card debt will hit $60 billion this year. So, the good news, I suppose is, if you are spontaneously buying things, you are not alone!

 People who suffer from ADHD, both children and adults, have issues with impulsive actions. Perhaps it is from the overall anxiety levels they experience but it is much harder for them to hold back their enthusiasm.  Children tend to be disruptive in class with sudden outbursts without thinking of others or get into trouble for talking. The adults with ADHA are impulsive as well with their emotions and with creating relationships and can cross boundary lines easier and sometimes prematurely.  These individuals don’t always realize they needed to exercise better control and pull back the reins so to speak.

 When you look at a portrait that is truly beautiful, you know the masterpiece was created over some period of time, not on a dime.  When someone whispers and sings a love song to you, that song was written by someone who took a few moments to think up a melody, a lyric and put it all together. Smelling the sounds of nature is experiencing the growth cycle of our ecosystem. Season by season, the plant system rejuvenates itself so that we might experience it again and again. 

 Most things in life that are treasured are like that, experiences and items that took more than a second in time.  In a fast paced world, it is so easy to get carried with the current!  And then, when you do, the world doesn't ever really let you know you are losing your life to quantity of decisions and not quality. The officer Michael Thomas Slager may not see the light of day again except behind prison bars in South Carolina. He may not ever hold his upcoming baby as his wife is 8 months pregnant. Was it worth it? In shooting a man in cold blood with no provocation taking no time to think, he stole 4 children’s father, Walter Scott from the earth. What was he thinking?  Was he thinking? There are no do-overs.  If your impulsive actions are hurtful to others, stop. 

Don’t get caught up in the pace. Your life is worth more.