After several decades of life in the faster lane it feels good to try letting others pass. I did not decide to do or try this it just happened. Now it feels normal to not always push to be first. Instead of focusing on getting there the process or journey becomes part of the enjoyment if you are in the slower lane. At least that is how it seems to me. RVing, enjoying simpler things, pets, taking pictures, and reflecting on how all this fits together is part of giving up the rat race.
Life in the slower lane is not spending a lot of time with a “bucket list”. Sky diving is likely not going to add as much to your enjoyment of life as spending time trying to get to know someone or working a little on a hobby you love.
Try driving a little slower. You save gas, it is safer, you enjoy the trip more.
I remember my father saying one time, “I used to get headaches all the time, I have not had one since I retired”. I used to get headaches nearly every day. As I have reduced my stress, work, and moved to the slower lane, my headaches have become fewer as the process proceeds.
I volunteer at the Zoo. I help people find things and assist them if they need a cart to pick them up or fall. This is very relaxing. Sometimes hard work, but no pressure.
Since I try and relate things in this blog to RVs I want to include that RVing tends to be a very relaxing lifestyle. Not that there are not stress inducing events such as breakdowns or traffic jams, but if you are not in a hurry breakdowns just take some time to put things right. And for the most part you can avoid traffic jams. RVing also is quite cheap. Not needing a lot of money tends to reduce stress. Of course you can add stress to the RV lifestyle by trading motorhomes every year or so. That way they cost you a fortune and you never really learn about them and how they work before you have a new one with different idiosyncrasies.
My advice, next time you feel stress relax and slow down.
Bob Nuttmann 