For the last ten years or so, I've been on a mission to get the most out of life. I still am on that mission. In an effort to reach that goal each day, it often meant cramming absolutely everything into one day, never saying no to an experience even if I wasn't interested, and running myself ragged each and every day. This was the norm for me, and it was so much, that it actually deferred me from getting the most out of life.

I'm a classic producer, and feel most fulfilled in life when I have something to show for my work at the end of a day. That's why I like to cook and exercise. I gain a great sense of accomplishment from churning out results. This is fantastic, unless it gets to the point that you are doing one hundred things a little bit instead of doing one thing at a time in depth.

In the past, I would get bored easily if I wasn't constantly stimulated at  pace I desired. Maybe I'm growing up, or maybe I'm just getting older, or maybe I'm simply evolving. Recently, I realized I was just exhausted from all the rushing around and not feeling the value in each moment. I wasn't, as the saying goes, stopping to smell the roses of my day. This rushing practice extended from not fully tasting the food I was eating because I was too busy inhaling it  to enjoying each moment of my workout and loving how my body felt while being challenged. Every activity was about finishing to get to the next thing. The 2006 Adam Sandler movie, Click, demonstrates this rushing frenzy beautifully.

This continued on and on into a progressively worse habit, and I almost stopped in my tracks as I realized that I wanted to slow down the rushing and feel more of each experience. I want to feel everything from my work day to my work out, and not just the moments of bliss, like eating chocolate or taking a vacation. I've found this to be one of the most rewarding choices of my life. I'm only a few months in, and I'm less stressed. I do things with more care and the results produce greater quality.

It's a relief to stop all the rushing and release the thrill of multitasking. My goal to get the most out of life hasn't changed. Only the way I approach that goal each day has changed. I do better work in my job. I enjoy richer workouts. I really taste my food more, and I've even learned to say no to things I have no interest in doing so I have more time for the things that are meaningful to me.

Overall, I'm happier and enjoying life more. When I'm happier, the people around me are happier because they are dealing with a more pleasant person. This has been such a tremendous discovery in my personal growth that I had to share it with you. I encourage you to release the rushing and slow down a little because you can!