Imagine driving your car at the average pace on the 422 By-pass and then suddenly hitting the brakes. What would happen? If your car is equipped with the latest in safety features, it may quickly come to a stop but not without some tremendous shift in forces affecting the car, the road, and more importantly, you. Now imagine for a moment that that zooming car is you as you go through the speed of the day and then all of the sudden stopping as if hitting the brakes. You'd have one heck of a case of whiplash wouldn't you? Do you ever get the feeling that you have whiplash all the time? All the going and stopping and going and stopping. Does it ever end? Or is it that you're never really giving yourself a chance to slow down?

Life today seems to move at an alarming pace. Careers, family obligations, etc., all seem to sometimes just meld together and rarely if ever do you really take the time to take care of the one thing that matters most — you. Days, weeks seem to come and go in the blink of an eye, and if you're not careful when it does come time to stop, you're going to end up a wreck. There's no better way to simply slow down and de-stress by following some of these helpful hints. While you may scoff at some, perhaps it is you who really needs to slow down and enjoy life a little bit more before it passes you by. 

Turn off the phone.  Not all day, but certainly at times where a phone call really is not necessary - while eating a meal, going to the bathroom, working out at the gym, etc.  Use those times as mini escapes - opportunities to just focus on nothing but yourself.  It wasn't long ago that we lived and worked very efficiently without cell phones.  To the best of my knowledge, the only person who really needs to be accessible 24/7 is the President. If you're not dealing with something urgent, a call can wait.  Voice mail is a wonderful technology.

Ignore the computer.  Impossible you say? Consider that a recent survey showed that we now spend upwards of 30 percent of our day surfing the Internet and reading and replying to e-mails. That adds up to a lot of time sitting and a clock that keeps ticking away. The Internet and e-mails will still be there when you're ready to return to them.  Perhaps you use your computer time as wind down time; just use it wisely. 

Exercise.  No matter how hard you might try, there is just no getting away from all of the benefits that exercise can provide. If you exercise for any reason at all, do it for the time spent doing nothing but giving your body something to feel good about. Shift the focus off from just trying to lose weight to one of physical and mental health enrichment.  Let the cards fall where they may

Get outside. Sounds elementary but take some time to experience the natural quiet of the outdoors. The Delaware Valley has some of the nicest outdoor spaces, from Valley Forge Park to French Creek. It will make you appreciate what life was like here before there was urban sprawl and forget that buildings and highways surround you.

Go on a media fast. Many people feel the day isn't really started until they check the headlines in the newspaper or tune into the TV or radio news. Since there is seldom very little positive that is reported in the news, why drown yourself in negativity before you even have the chance to start off on the right foot?

Eat a meal in silence.  Most of us don't pay enough attention to the food we eat, hence the epidemic that our country is now experiencing. But aside from just watching portion sizes or making healthy choices, try cutting out the distractions and let yourself really see, taste, smell, and savor your food. Enjoying a delicious meal, particularly in the company of loved ones, can provide instant comfort and relaxation.

Go to your room and close the door.  Who knew that the dreaded command from mom as a child would be something so cherished and invigorating as an adult.  Use it as a haven of quiet time to read, nap, meditate, or just simply stretch out .Do what's needed to let go of your stress and recover your psychological balance.

Turn off the TV.  Most of us love our TV to relax, inform and entertain, but sometimes it can drain our energy or add to our tension. Due to technology, you can watch your programs whenever you want and not be held to a schedule. Plan a night or a few hours a week where the TV does not pull you in.  You just might find yourself becoming less dependent on it.

Take a vacation. While it may seem like a no-brainer to take a vacation, too many people go through life without ever taking a break. The body, the mind, the emotions - they all need a break.  Once granted that break, all three will absolutely return to normal speed.

Drive in silence. Driving can be stressful enough. Add cell phones, traffic jams, bad music/news on the radio, and your car becomes a tinderbox. Use the time spent driving as a chance to collect your thoughts, unwind a bit, and think about where you're going to spend that next vacation.

Just as it's not recommended slam on the brakes when approaching a stop, it's much better to sometimes slow things down a bit. There will always be something to do, somewhere to go, people to see, things to discuss. But if you don't slow down a bit from time to time, you're going to zip right on by and hopefully not crash too hard when it comes time to stop.