I’ve been told that the four most prescribed drugs in America today are to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, acid reflux disorder and depression. Perhaps this is a sign that the pace of our lives and frenetic lifestyle that many of us lead is putting enormous stress on our bodies.
All you have to do is stand at a three way intersection of a concourse in Chicago’s O’Hare airport to see this pace in action. Like salmon trying to swim upstream, hundreds of racing bodies swerve in and out of each other; different people going different directions with different agendas. The automated loudspeaker announcements are drowned out by the whistling sound of rolling luggage and countless speeding conversations on Bluetooth headsets.
It’s no wonder that mini-massage services, oxygen bars and other relaxation services continue to pop up all over our airports. In a world where there is always a next phone call to make, a meeting to plan for, a flight to catch and the technology to do all of those things at once, we’re all trying to figure out how to slow down. We’re trying to bring excellence to our work and commitments without driving ourselves crazy at the same time.
As I sat in a crowded terminal last week in O’Hare experiencing a one hour delay that only lengthened my “to do list,” I stopped. I put my legal pad down, turned my cell phone off and sat with my eyes closed for five wonderful minutes.
I thought about what I had to be grateful for in that moment and I took deep, full breaths. It was amazing what it felt like to switch to an alternate pace. When I opened my eyes, I saw the world through a slower (and clearer) lens.
And, I didn’t even make it to the oxygen bar.
Jason Barger is author of Step Back from the Baggage Claim: Change the World, Start at the Airport.
Jason Barger spent seven straight days flying 6,458 miles to seven different cities – without leaving the airports the entire time. He studied 10,000 minutes of observations at all four corners of the U.S. and reflected on how our airport experiences can teach us about our lives TODAY. The funny and inspiring stories remind us how to change our daily world in our personal lives, businesses, schools, and faith communities! Join the movement. All four editions of Step Back from the Baggage Claim are motivational books perfect for anyone looking to impact change in their life and work.
