Take the Scenic Route
For just over a year now, I’ve been quietly showing up in your INBOX every other Friday with ideas on how you can slow down your life to, well, pause more and rush less. This newsletter strives to share practical insights to help you insert “pauses” into your life, so you can recognize and celebrate the defining moments—while they’re unfolding.
We’ve talked about: The joy of journaling; living in the moment; lawn chair living; writing a resume of your life; the nature of enduring friendship; how revisiting the past enriches the present; unplugging from the world and plugging into yourself; how to develop the discipline of doing nothing; how movies help us live more reflective lives; chasing dreams and letting them go; savoring life; how to be remembered; maintaining perspective in an imperfect world; noticing everyday miracles, and much more.
Today, I’d like to suggest another way you can pause more and rush less: Take the scenic route home—or anywhere you’re going.
We all get trapped in the rut of routine. We often drive the same way to work—and the same way home. Last summer, when I was driving home from a trip, I intentionally got off on a different exit and turned down a side street. I didn’t notice the name of the street so I wasn’t quite sure where I was, or if this route would get me home. But I did know I was headed in the right direction. Then a funny thing happened. The more I drove, the more I enjoyed the view, and the more I enjoyed the view, the less I was in a hurry to arrive home.
“I’m slowing down the tune.
I never liked it fast.
You want to get there soon.
I want to get there last.”
The scenery was different, more rural. I relished the narrow road. The slower pace. The woods and lush foliage. Beautiful homes. I noticed the hue of the sky, and the sweet scent of summer in the air. Since I didn’t know what street I was on, I didn’t know where it would lead. And, I observed something else. I was having fun. I felt a thrill in being lost because I had no time constraints. I had a GPS in my car and a “grid” in my head, but I elected to see where this road would take me, and what familiar road would eventually intersect it. Suddenly, a ride home became a journey and the unfamiliar environment fueled a sense of anticipation. I felt energized with the notion of discovery and exploration.
By simply abandoning my “ritual route” and taking an unforeseen scenic route, I was invigorated, and I restored something that had been missing from my life—a renewed sense of adventure.
When you take the scenic route, you may be surprised at what you'll find--and more importantly, how it will make you feel.
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