Slowing down isn’t falling behind; it’s how I can be safe with ALS
I'm fighting the feeling of needing to rush things just to keep up with others
Living with ALS certainly comes with many frustrations. For me, the one that challenges me most is a symptom I can’t hide: slowness.
My body simply needs more time to move, eat, and speak than everyone else around me. In a world obsessed with speed — from 10-second commercials to impatient pacing in the grocery line — I often feel like a turtle living among an anxious colony of rabbits. But whenever I try to match their pace, my body rebels. Movements become even more clumsy, words get slurred beyond recognition, and worst of all, my throat forgets how to swallow.
If you live with ALS, you’ve probably had some of the same experiences. I’ve learned the cost of trying to hurry. Attempting to force speed is not just unproductive; it’s genuinely dangerous. That’s why I’ve adopted a new motto to keep me centered: Slowing down isn’t falling behind; it’s how I choose to be safe.
The ghost of former speed
Why do I feel this compulsion to rush? I blame it on a tangle of reasons. One is that I still carry the memory of my former self. My body used to move with ease and grace. I could perform yoga balances, master intricate tap dancing steps, and tackle household chores with energy to spare. Nowadays, that magical split-second between imagining an action and having my arm or leg respond has an uneven delay. The messages sent from my brain to my muscles are garbled and play havoc with the rhythm of my speech, my walking, and my life. It’s so difficult to let go of the quick, capable person I was.
Then there’s the relentless urgency that comes from the world itself. Everything, everywhere is hustle, hustle, hustle. This growing feeling of urgency pushes me, making me adapt and hurry along to simply get more done. I’ve even done an in-depth analysis of my daily schedule to identify the time wasters. Surprisingly, I found none. Everything I did was essential to my well-being. The only way to make more time was to do everything faster. Ha! What a cruel catch-22.
The power of strategic slowness
For me, the secret to living well with ALS isn’t more speed; it’s more intentional, strategic slowness. This is a practice of awareness, calm, and attentiveness. It’s a flexible state of mind, actively noticing new things around me, and taking time to react.
I recently learned this lesson the hard way from a ringing cellphone that interrupted my lunch. Startled, I felt an immediate need to grab the phone to answer it, while quickly gulping my food in my mouth. In the process of doing that, I began choking and spent the next few minutes sputtering and coughing into the receiver. Fortunately, it turned out to be a robocall, and they simply hung up.
My new “strategy of slow” means pausing to let the phone ring a few more times twice more before I pick it up. I’ll even let it go to a message while I finish chewing and swallowing, and am finally ready to speak clearly.
Slowing down isn’t a surrender; it’s an active choice to be safe. And I believe the extra time it takes to slow down is well spent. It’s a strategy that allows me to think more clearly and live safely.
Why not try it for yourself and start today? Simply allow yourself the extra time your body needs. It’s one more way we can learn to live well while we live with ALS.
Note: ALS News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of ALS News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to ALS.
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