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This year I have been focusing on stress levels, mindfulness and finding ways to relieve and release stress. It’s been taking a toll on my physical health the last few years and I just can’t ignore it any more. I found this website Happy Grace and love their mission “To help you feel less stress and more joy” I can definitely get behind that! They’re actually based out of Tempe, AZ and their founder, Tanya Wheeless, wanted to pop in here to share some important reminders to all of us – reminders that I am taking FULLY to heart this week (follow my Insta stories to see what I mean).

How to slow down time & soak up the memories - a great reminder for moms on allforthememories.com written by Tanya Wheeless

How to Slow Down Time and Soak Up the Memories

My son finished elementary school this last month. Next year it’s on to middle school and this easy going, cool-cat of a mom isn’t feeling so easy-breezy. No, I’m terrified that time is slipping away.

When my son was younger, I was constantly looking forward to the next milestone. When will he sleep through the night? When will he take his first step? Oh, gosh, if he could just wipe his own butt (because seriously, that’s a game-changer).

And eventually all of these things came to pass.

I longed for the day when I could just sit and talk with my gal pals at the park while the kids played instead of having to be the playmate: pushing the swing, throwing the ball and scooping the sand.

And then one day, we got to the park, he ran to the toys and never looked back.

So here I was, sitting in the same school auditorium where he did that first morning meeting when we has five. The same room where we attended art shows, science fairs and back to school nights, only this time I was watching a video montage of my son and his friends sharing their favorite memories from elementary school.

It hit me like a ton of bricks and my breath caught as visions of driving, proms and high school graduation flashed before my eyes.

All that time wishing that time would hurry up and now all I want is to slow it down.

Sadly, time is out of our control. It will pass on at the same pace everyday one second at a time, but what we can control is how we perceive it.

What I know, and what I’ve had to remind myself, is that even though time moves at the same pace everyday, my perception of it can be different. We can make time slow down in our minds and memories if not on our watches.

The key is to be present.

Being present means putting down the phone.

Being present means dropping the worries of tomorrow and focusing your attention on the now – what is happening right now before your very eyes?

Being present means looking people in the eye when they talk to you and giving them your full undivided attention.

Being present means not over-scheduling, but rather leaving time on the family calendar open for a puzzle, a pizza or just reading on the couch together.

Being present means experiencing all of the sights, sounds, smells and textures of those small moments because those are the things you will remember. It’s not what was said or how you looked, but how you felt.

To counter the panic of my ever growing boy growing too fast, I booked a surprise mother-son trip to Disneyland. Just me, him and our park hopper passes. We had no agenda, no schedule and with the exception of about an hour each day, I put the phone away. We walked and talked. He even held my hand.

It’s a trip I will forever treasure, not because of this ride or that ride, but because for a few short days I managed to slow down Father Time.

How to slow down time & soak up the memories - a great reminder for moms on allforthememories.com written by Tanya Wheeless

Tanya Wheeless is a coach, speaker, avid traveler and the founder of Happy Grace, a company committed to helping busy women live with balance, joy and soul. She’s also a wife and mother to Jake, age 11, and the fur brothers, Flash and Bolt, both ten months. Say hello and check out her freebies at www.happygrace.com.

How to slow down time & soak up the memories - a great reminder for moms on allforthememories.com written by Tanya Wheeless

Author

Allison Waken is the founder, writer, photographer, and content creator of All for the Memories and All for the Boys.

1 Comment

  1. I loved this post. It brought me to tears because I have a two and a four year old and I am always in such a rush with them. Their infancy was a blur and I try to make it more of a point now to slow down and be present in the moment so I can remember them!