Unhurried….
Last week, Cathy came with me to an appointment with my cardiologist. We arrived early—an unusual luxury in our often-rushed world—and found ourselves just sitting there, quietly waiting.
That’s when I felt it.
Peace.
Not the kind you earn after crossing off a to-do list. Not the fleeting kind that comes when you finally hit “send” on an email. This was something different.
A calm.
A stillness.
An unhurriedness that felt… sacred.
I turned to Cathy and said, “I wish I could bottle this feeling—this deep breath of space—and carry it with me every time I have to do something that feels like a chore or a deadline.”
Later That Week…
Cathy called and told me she was going to spend her afternoon entering expense reports—a task no one really jumps out of bed to do. But she had a plan:
“I’m going to make it better. I’ll put on a movie while I do it. Something I enjoy. That way, it won’t feel like such a chore.”
It struck me: she was doing exactly what we’d talked about. She wasn’t just getting through the task—she was reframing it, infusing it with intention and even joy.
What If the Chore Isn’t the Problem?
So much of our stress doesn’t come from what we’re doing, but from how we’re holding it.
Expense reports. Emails. Cleaning. Admin tasks. Even making a hard phone call.
We approach these with tension and resistance, counting down the minutes until they’re done. But what if they could become sacred spaces instead?
What if our mindset—not the task itself—is what needs to change?
That waiting room became a teacher. It reminded me:
Unhurriedness is a gift.
Peace can exist inside the ordinary.
And every “have to” can become a “get to” when we pause, breathe, and choose presence.
A Gentle Reframing
The next time you face something hanging over you—whether it’s taxes, tidying, or tackling an overdue report—ask yourself:
Can I start this task earlier, not just to check the box, but to do it with margin?
Can I pair it with something enjoyable—music, a candle, a good movie?
Can I turn it into a ritual instead of a burden?
Maybe the key isn’t finishing faster, but beginning more slowly—so peace has room to enter.
The Wisdom Ratio in Practice
Wisdom isn’t just about major life choices. It’s in the way we handle our afternoons.
And maybe, just maybe, the most spiritual thing we can do today…
is give ourselves permission to slow down,
be present,
and watch a movie while doing expense reports.
What about you?
When was the last time you felt unhurried? What’s one small task you could transform this week by reframing your approach?
Let me know. I’d love to hear what unhurried looks like in your world.
