10 Comments
Nov 21, 2023Liked by Mike Murawski

I enjoyed this, thank you. How do you think we can tell if we're going too fast? I hear what you're saying as something that we need to help our employees with (I work in human resources). But I sometimes wonder if we're all going too fast or we're just told we are for various reasons. I'm sure there are some that are going too fast, but I think there is a growing group of us that aren't or don't feel like we are, but maybe we actually are. I'm not sure.

Expand full comment
Nov 9, 2022Liked by Mike Murawski

Wondering what it means that I'm listening to "slow the f*ck down" at 1.5x speed. 🤔 Thank you for this post, Mike!

Expand full comment
Nov 6, 2022Liked by Mike Murawski

I'll comment. I've been awaiting having the time and space to respond to this one since I saw it in my inbox!

Your questions. My "need for speed" comes from a feeling that I am going to miss out on relationships and connection if I slow down. I don't know when it first came from. I do know that I've watched it become tied to the trail running community in an interesting way (comes to mind of course), noticing that different relationships form based on literally what speed people run. And wanting to increase my own speed to get more trail time with certain folks has been an interesting metaphor for life. And watching some folks decrease their speed to get more trail time with me. And watching myself decrease my speed to get more trail time with certain folks at times. And the injuries, where decreasing speed means stopping altogether. So that's an interesting thing to explore.

I know for me, it's also difficult to rest and feel the "need for speed" because of chronically feeling "I don't have enough". It feels like so much work to continually find healthcare, schedule appointments, find work, navigate systems, find a new car, fix the car, earn finances to provide for life, and so on. Whew. How to slow down when the to-do list is literally overwhelming? Recently I've come to the downer conclusion that I must cut out some of the things I love and bring me joy, in order to have more time and space to take care of necessities. And have been working on coming to peace with that, amidst my fears of losing relationship and connection. And am sure will find new ways of receiving love and joy, because they're everywhere, really, and that's that internalized scarcity capitalism mindset - do, do, do, achieve, achieve, achieve, or you will not have what you need. Oh, but what if I do? I think of some quotes from Pema Chodron I read recently, about what you need already being right where you are (she said it better). I am also reminded of the words of a therapist I had quite a long time ago, who offered a question to ask when in the midst of something, "How can I bring more ease into this?"

The question about the worst and best things that might happen. For me, the worst thing that might happen if slowing down is the loss of community, of relationships, of connection, of fun, perhaps of play. The best thing that might happen is the gaining of deepened connection (with self and perhaps different or fewer others), more of a feeling of peace, personal growth. Maybe I will discover something more unchangeable.

LOVE the Thich Nhat Hanh quote you chose. Really stopped in my tracks when I read it. Of course since I study trauma, I think of a lot in terms of that, so "fight flight freeze" also came to mind, and all of the trauma responses we've internalized in our culture. Thank you for sharing all these thoughts and all your words, Mike!

Also, totally resonant with the concussion piece. I know we spoke about that before. And the recurring physical injuries, really speaking to me too about a message... "your identity is deeper than this." Could talk about this whole concept from this post for a very long time. Thank you!

Expand full comment
Nov 1, 2022Liked by Mike Murawski

I suffered from a long-lasting concussion right before I began my candidacy exam for my dissertation. So much of what you've written about resonates with me and the way that I work now. Glad to hear about what you've gleaned from your experience and how you've put it into action!

Expand full comment