Compression. Com-pres-sion. Noun. The action of compressing or being compressed. The act of pressing something into smaller space OR putting pressure on it from different sides until it gets smaller.

My sister, Jennifer, and I are going on an overseas trip in a couple of months. We will be visiting 5 different cities along our travels. We will be seeing no fewer than 5 museums, 4 monuments and 4 cathedrals. We will be traveling by plane, train, car(Uber), boat(river cruise) and gondola. Oh, and possibly bicycle. All in 14 days. We will be “compressing” a lot of fun into a very short amount of time. Another example of compression: I am using compression packing cubes for some of my clothes. Compression packing cubes allow you to compress make smaller) the amount of space your items take up in your suitcase. Pretty cool. Try ‘em out!

Now, let’s talk about the real point here: how we are compressing our lives…and not for the better. Oh, and I am pointing the finger right back at me here. Guilty as charged!

How many of you have a “typical” day that looks like this: get up, bleary-eyed, from the long day before. Grab some coffee, help get the kids up and fed. Lunches packed(is that still a thing?!), get everyone dressed and off to school and work. Try and juggle the 13 work projects you have going on-that someone else is putting pressure on you to complete because THEY are be compressed-then rush home to get the kids to practice or go to a kids game). Home after practice or game. Wait, did I have dinner, you ask yourself? Help with homework, then get collapse in bed. Sound familiar? Most of this was me. Type A personality. Trying to get EVERYTHING done. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it. All of it. I just think, in hindsight, it really wasn’t the best recipe.

The world we live in today is non-stop. Go go go. ALL information at your fingertips, and that information is located in your pocket…on your phone. How about this: SLOW DOWN. Settle for less. “De-compress”. Remember the phrase, “stop, and smell the roses?” Well, my friend, the roses are going to wilt before too long. So, I’m advocating that we all just slow down, just a bit. Chill out, just a bit. Put your phone on silent, just for a little bit. Take a walk. Take a nap. Just slow down and release some pressure from that compression chamber of life that you’re living in. Who knows, you just might like what you find. 😊

Be well,

Jeff