S.L.O.W.

When I’m working with clients, I like to give them something simple and practical they can take with them into their day, and specifically, into any difficult situation or situations that may be troubling them. Personally, I use an acronym that helps me stay present in such challenging situations; the acronym is “S.L.O.W.” 

The letters stand for, “Stop,” “Look” at the situation, “Observe” how I feel about it, and, “Welcome” what is.  The acronym is simply a device that helps me stay present and avoid getting lost in anxious worries about the future or guilty regrets over the past. If I can stay present, fully in the moment at hand in which the challenging situation presents itself, often, a shift in perspective, a new solution or a clearer choice will emerge.  Then, when I act from this place, instead of reacting from the others, I make better decisions, resolve conflicts more easily and feel at peace as I move through the day.