What makes music beautiful is the distance between one note and another. What makes speech eloquent is the appropriate pause between words. From time to time we should take a breath and notice the silence between sounds. When you have to make an important decision, don’t lose sleep over it. Just take the special medicine called “time” and wait. Your subconscious will search for the answer. Two days later, or three, the answer will dawn on you as you are waking up, taking a shower, or talking to a friend. Put faith in your subconscious mind and give yourself time.

If something goes wrong, we often turn inward and blame ourselves. But is it really our fault? For example, if I were James Taylor and someone were looking for Pavarotti, then naturally I wouldn’t be chosen. But this does not mean I lack musical talent. It means only that I am not the right match. So be more confident, and please stop beating yourself up.

Even if you are having just a bowl of cereal for dinner, eat it with the loving attitude of nourishing yourself. Isn’t it tiring to constantly have to care for your body? Pat yourself on the back for the hard work you are doing. Then go to bed one hour earlier as a gift to your body. Do you have something on your mind? Then take a walk in the sun. Under the warmth of the sun, your brain will release serotonin, which calms the mind. If you let your mind linger on the question without trying too hard to find the solution, an answer will emerge on its own.

Excerpt From: Haemin Sunim. “The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to Be Calm and Mindful in a Fast-Paced World”.