Life is not a race it’s more of a slow, hard, cold, wet walk with a bunch of people ahead of you.
There is a certain unspoken pressure on us as people that we are meant to be at certain life stages at certain times. And we are meant to be this kind of person with these kind of goals. It’s sad that society has done this to us and if we don’t meet these expectations then we see ourselves as failures. It’s sad really because we often compare our lives to others and forget we are all on our own journeys.
You are on your own path and it’s not a race. You don’t have to catch up to those that you think are ahead of you. Perhaps they aren’t even ahead of you, maybe we have made this narrative in our minds that they’re further along in their lives when they’re not.
You are at the right place in your life at the right time.
LIFE IS MORE OF A SLOW SPRINT
I like to think of life as more of a slow sprint/walk than a race. I am not very athletic or great at exercise. So the thought of my life being a fast paced race makes me feel out of breath. When you set your expectation of life being a race you’re setting yourself up for failure.
Running is hard. I trained to run a 10k for charity and it was probably the hardest 6 months of my life training for it. You get breathless, sweaty and you can really feel like giving up. We don’t want our lives to feel that way. We want to do it at our own pace, with smiles on our faces. So think of life as a relaxed meander in a park instead.
A SLOW SPRINT FULL OF HILLS
So not only is life a slow sprint/walk, its full of hills too. Some bigger than others, some smaller. These hills represent those hard times we go through, the challenges. The places where the ground gets a little more uneven and uncertain. Friend, we will face those times in our lives with guarantee. Life is hard, running a race in life is hard. Those hills will come. But what comes after hills? The valleys. The downward race, where things get easier.
Life will bring struggles but on the other side of that hill is a slope.
HILLS WITH SLIPPERY SLOPES
Not to bring a downer here, but sometimes once we have gone over that hill and finally see a downward slope, life has a way of saying nope not yet. That slope can be slippy and even harder to get down than going up the hill itself.
Have you ever had a moment where you thought life was going one way, and actually it turns out it was going in a completely different direction? I had this not so long ago. Everything lined up, and all signs were pointing towards it happening. It didn’t and I faced a slippery slope. The great thing with slopes is that you slide down them pretty fast and once you’re at the bottom you are given a new perspective.
A NEW PERSPECTIVE
After going through the walk of life where we endure hills and slopes and it really provides us with a new perspective. Going through the hard stuff and struggling in different areas in our lives is really humbling. It can be really life changing at times can’t it?
I wouldn’t change any of the hills and slopes I have faced in life. They were hard and tough and I wouldn’t want to go through them again but they changed me, for the better. Life isn’t a race, but a beautiful and hard walk that we only get to do once. Theres no re-do or start over.
How do you live your life? Are you running a race or are you doing life with a slow walk?
The main point here is the name of this post. Life is not a race, it’s a slow walk. A beautiful slow walk that is a privilege we get to do.
Olivia x
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Couldn’t agree more.
So glad you think so!
True! Let us enjoy every twist and turns of our sojourn. Life afterall is about the journey and all the relationships we built while we are in the road of life. It is not about the destination.
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I am a beginning blogger. Thank you !
So true
Thanks alot!
Exactly.
Right now there is no need to rush
None at all!
♡ Level Playing Field
…♡♡♡…
Yes!
I wanted to agree but as Asian we always taught that we need to make a lot of money, having successful life, being rich. I want to be successful but my definition of success is when I can turn around someone life better and being a lecturer or teacher. They said, you can’t you need money, life is for money, you must support big family, and money is the option. I really tired of it TBH..
I guess this is where cultures differ. Its never been my main focus in life and I’d much rather my success in life be from being content and happy than how much money I have in my bank. I can imagine its really hard to live up to that expectation!
A slow sprint full of hills! I really like that. Sometimes those hills provide the best growth opportunities. The older I get, the more I am grateful for the hills. They shaped me into the person I am today. Thanks Olivia!
Me too! They’re hard when you’re going through them but once you’re through the hardest part you can really look back and smile!
Great post and good reminder to take it day by day. I think it depends on the situation. Somedays I may want to “race” and somedays I may want to take it slower.
Its very true! But the race of life for me will always be at my own pace!
This is beautiful✨Just beautiful🧡
Thank you for sharing this.
Life is a slow walk and we are privileged enough to go on that walk🙌🏽 xx
Yesss we are! And lets never forget that we have that privilege! xx
Needed this! Beautiful post! I’m on a slow walk at the moment and trying to enjoy. Though it’s not the pace I’m used to but one I could get used to! Xx
I am right with you! xx
This is such a different post and very thought provoking! Life definitely isn’t a sprint, although some parts of it are faster than others. It takes patience, perseverance, support, and vision to get through it all.
You’re so right Shelly 🙌🏼
This was a very great post, Olivia! It’s a message I often have to remind myself.
Thanks so much!
You’re welcome!
Great post Olivia, made me take things slow-er today
Yes for sure 👏🏼
Great post Olivia!
Read somewhere that we react to life according to the metaphor we attach to it. The ones who think it’s a party live carefree, the ones who think it’s a race live to win,the ones who think it’s a journey just want to experience it to the fullest…and so on.
The problem with the race metaphor is that you rarely stop to just breathe when you’re so intent on winning in the shortest possible time and it can leave you so exhausted that you pass out before you even reach the finish line.
Yesss, running a race with no breaks or no places to catch your breath really can have an impact on you. Slow and steady wins the race as they say!
Love this “we react to life according to the metaphor we attach to it.” So true.
The first sentence hooked me in!
This is so true, life is a journey & everyone has a different path. no path is honestly the “right” one. you have to find what works for YOU. i also feel like if you are rushing to “get there” you aren’t fully living. i realized this after watching the Pixar movie, Soul. haha!
I need to watch this! I’ve heard so many great things about it!
What you said provoked another thought too. When do we ever actually get there? The goal always seems like its so far away and when we think we get to the end, its like the goal gets pushed further and further. I guess thats the human in us that is always wanting more. Something to think about!
Yep. Human beings want more!
Running a perceived race was not good for my mental health and it only caused me a few relationships here and there. So I learned how to walk at my own pace, focus on what I can do at the moment and enjoy every bit of it. Thanks for sharing this, Olivia! It is surely great to read and be reminded once in a while 🙂
Cheers,
Hanna / Heydays With Hanna
It really can be so bad for our MH. Its the comparison and the feeling like people are ahead of us. Its not good for any of us really!
Very true Olivia. I used to be a fast sprinter in life in the process missing out on so many beautiful or serene moments( maybe a few divine communion moments too). Presently I amble along slowly breathing in the pristine and the natural. Keep writing such exciting pieces.
You and me both friend. Glad we have both learnt to slow down!
So beautiful. We all need the reminder sometimes that we just need to take things slow and just go day by day❤
Thanks so much!
“Life is not a race, it’s a slow walk. A beautiful slow walk that is a privilege that we get to do.”– Beautiful !
Thank you 🙂
Well…it’s funny to me cause I’m walking then again I am running,some days differ.
You’re right!
🤔 a race or walk; sprint or marathon; we each decide what suits us. Don’t run so fast that you miss the divine connections and life along the way. Neither walk so slow that life passes you by and the journey never ends.
Love your post – allows some deep thinking.
You’re so right! Some days I want to run fast and get it over with and some days I prefer to take it slow!
I believe that’s what life is all about – a combination of both; including the rest in between, Olivia.
The race is definitely not to the swift except in the Olympics.😊
Lesson of a life time is to run your own race.
YES!
“You get breathless, sweaty and you can really feel like giving up. We don’t want our lives to feel that way. We want to do it at our own pace, with smiles on our faces.”
This is so right. It’s like there is this unspoken competition everywhere. We say we’re cool but hey, the chase is still there.
Thank you for these encouraging words.
There really is, life is a big competition for some people. Which is really sad.
Wow, what beautiful words. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you!
Nice
It’s a merathon 😂but I hate to run behind the success
Sooo true, This is really interesting. I enjoyed this post. Thank Olivia for sharing.
This motivated me! Thank you!
Nice written dear
Thanks!
Amazing message!!👏🏻
Thank you!
Good message 👏 👍
Life is
is a gift to me
I go with myself alone
in the walk
and across
whether it’s wet or cold
between the others
the pressure from outside
I can take it with me
recognize my senses
the goals of the mighty
can mean
Do not take possession of the interior
I have often failed because of myself
and been kicked out by others
the hate
even among the noble
I try to calm him down
knows no borders worldwide
there are the great ones
The people
that are not forgotten
i’m a simple one
nothing will matter of me
I didn’t run often
but more often
in my rubbish
fell into it
I imagine
no better life before
because I have others
to show no successes
I know the night mar
painful decades
I don’t want to miss her
was the author
painful to me
shown the way
I don’t know him
another
i don’t want to slide
i want to do the simple things
there is no end to it
that me the
lonliness
the abandonment
on my way
will catch up with me again
the dream conveys to me
where I stand inside
and what the left hand wants
the right hand
with human consciousness
the destiny of the soul
has to do every day
More like a race for me ’cause I feel like I have to prove something to others. 🥺