Wonder in the Everyday: Slowing Down When Life Speeds Up
December has a particular energy — a kind of steady acceleration that seems to build from the moment the calendar turns. More decisions, more emotions, more expectations. Even when we’ve planned well, tried hard, or told ourselves this time I’m ready, life has a way of showing us that readiness can be more complicated than it seems.
There are times when we work hard toward something, believing we’re fully prepared, only for things to go a little sideways. Plans fall through. Emotions rise up unexpectedly. The timing is off. Or we realise that the “ready” we felt was really just a version of readiness shaped by hope, pressure, or determination.
It can be disheartening. It can knock the wind out of us.
And yet, within these moments — the ones that feel like backward steps — there is often a quiet invitation to pause and notice what’s still here. What’s still working. What can still be salvaged or appreciated, even if the outcome isn’t what we imagined.
Finding the best in a difficult moment is never simple. It’s rarely immediate. But it is possible when we build small pockets of awareness into our days.
This is where wonder comes in.
✨ Wonder as an Anchor
Wonder isn’t a grand emotion reserved for mountaintops, breathtaking sunsets, or life-changing experiences. It can be much smaller, softer — and often more accessible.
Wonder simply asks us to look again, to see what’s already around us with fresh eyes.
It can show up in something as ordinary as:
The steam rising from a mug and curling into the cold air
A moment of shared laughter that releases tension you didn't realise you were holding
Clouds drifting across a winter sky in shapes that remind you of childhood
The quiet sound of your own footsteps on a frosty path
Someone holding a door open just when you were juggling too much
These tiny moments don’t fix everything, but they can steady us. They remind us we’re human, that we’re allowed to pause, and that the world continues to offer small gifts even when our plans falter.
🌿 Slowing Down Doesn’t Have to Mean Stopping
Many people imagine “slowing down” as withdrawing or doing less — but often it’s simply about noticing more.
Slowing down can mean:
Taking one deeper breath before replying
Allowing yourself five extra seconds before moving to the next task
Feeling your feet on the floor
Allowing a moment to be just a moment
When we give ourselves even a brief pause, our nervous system responds with gratitude. Our breath deepens. Shoulders drop. The internal buzzing softens. Our body unbraces.
These micro-moments of awareness don’t erase stress or disappointment, but they make it more manageable. They give us space to see clearly — including seeing ourselves with more compassion.
🌙 When Things Don’t Go to Plan
If you’re carrying a sense of “I thought I was ready” right now, you’re not alone. Growth, healing, and preparedness aren’t linear. Sometimes we only discover what we need after something goes wrong.
But there can still be wonder in these moments — in what we learn, what we let go of, or what we notice about ourselves.
Maybe the lesson is patience.
Maybe the gift is clarity.
Maybe it’s realising you deserve more support than you were allowing yourself.
Maybe it’s simply acknowledging, with kindness, “I’m still learning.”
✨ Reflection Prompt
Take a moment this week to explore this:
“What happens in my body when I intentionally slow down, even for 30 seconds?”
Notice without judgement. Let the experience unfold gently.
