Pause at the sign
The recurring tip I’ve heard over and over from my therapist, my professional coach, numerous podcast interviews, and others is to slow down. To breathe. Check in. Enjoy the moment.
I thought about that in Cortland after I left my aunt and uncle because I was stopped at the tracks as a train went by. Actually, this was the second train—I pulled up to the line of cars just as the first train finished, the gate arms went up and then immediately came down as a second train approached.
Slow down.
No, stop. Watch the cars roll by, look at the graffiti, notice the welcome sign in this ‘third largest town’ in Illinois. Hum a few lines of that Josh Ritter song Train Go By.
Later, I left the Whiskey Acres Distillery in a slight rush to get over to cousin Judy’s house, neglecting to look at the receipt for my purchase of a bottle of seven-year bourbon and a few branded items. If I’d slowed down I would have caught an error in the total (charged twice for one item). Similarly, in the morning when I’d rented a car from Sixt at O’Hare, a pause before signing would have given me a chance to tell the slick agent that I’d wanted a smaller, less expensive car so please go back and adjust the contract. (I would have saved maybe $25, enough for the hat and tin tacker at Whiskey Acres.)
Slow down.
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© Anton Zuiker