The Unexpected Joy of Taking Your Time

There is a strange pride that comes with being fast. Fast thinkers, fast workers, fast at replying to emails and returning missed calls. Somewhere along the way, speed became synonymous with competence, and taking your time was viewed as a lack of urgency. But lately, I’ve found myself slowing down on purpose and discovering that there is a kind of richness you miss when you are constantly rushing through life as if it is a race with invisible medals waiting at the finish line.

I take longer walks now, not because I’m trying to hit a step count, but because I want to notice the flowers blooming along the curb or the way the air smells right before it rains. I take my time when I read, not skimming through chapters, but letting the words stay with me for days, as if I’m collecting little gems in my pocket for later reflection. Even in conversations, I pause more, not rushing to fill silence, but allowing space for depth, for laughter, and for thought.

It turns out that slowness, when chosen, can feel like a quiet form of luxury. It gives room for better decisions, softer mornings, clearer thinking, and more deliberate joy. You do not miss your moment by slowing down. In many cases, you meet it more fully because you are present enough to recognize it when it arrives.

So if the pace of the world is wearing you thin, let this be your reminder that slowness is not failure. It is freedom. You are allowed to take your time, and in doing so, you may just find the joy you’ve been too busy to notice.