By Leo Babauta

I’ve been closely observing myself and dozens of others for years now, like a Jane Goodall of human behavior … and what I notice is that we spend most of our waking hours running.

We run so much, we could call ourselves ultramarathoners!

Look closely at yourself today, and see if you can notice this.

Things we run from:

  • Discomfort (running to comforts like social media, phones, TV, games, food)

  • Uncertainty and fear (procrastinating or avoiding, perfectionism and control)

  • Boredom, silence, stillness

And we’re doing it all day long. No judgment — this is what it’s like to a human.

This running from discomfort, uncertainty, fear, boredom, silence, and stillness … this is what results in:

  • Procrastination and avoidance, emails sitting in the inbox for awhile, projects that get stalled, workouts that get pushed to the next day

  • Habit change efforts that get derailed

  • Eating foods that aren’t on our plans

  • Overwork and exhaustion, no setting of boundaries

  • Avoiding difficult conversations, relationship problems

  • Addictions, being consumed by social media or news, not being able to get away from the phone or technology, sleep issues

  • Not being able to take responsibility for our emotions, not processing those emotions, and a host of problems that result from that

I would submit that the main problems we’re facing in our society (and as individuals) stem from this running.

So how do we stop running? Well, that’s an unrealistic goal — but let’s look at how to slow down the running.

How to Slow Down When All You Want to Do is Run

The first thing, of course, is to notice the running in the first place. We don’t tend to notice, nor do we want to notice. But if you can see all the ways in which you run — let’s say procrastination, social media, junk food and avoiding difficult convos — then you can notice when you’re doing it.

If you notice you’re running … pause. Slow down for just a moment. You can still go to your comforts, but slow down and breathe for just a few seconds.

In that pause, can you notice what you’re feeling? What do you want to run from? Can you be present with this for even 5 seconds? Notice how it feels in your body.

Over time, if you do this pause and be present with your emotions practice, you’ll develop a greater capacity to do it. You’ll be able to do it for 10 seconds, 20, a minute, and then more. I also encourage you to view it with friendliness, as if it’s not an enemy or a kind of suffering but a tender part of your heart.

Try it. See what it’s like to not run. That gives you choice. And then a whole new world can open up.