I’ve noticed a new buzzword in the business and coaching world this past few weeks, you know the kind – one person is using it so it snowballs. ‘Accelerate’. ‘Accelerate in your life and business’ and immediately it doesn’t feel good to me.

Accelerate is to move faster, hurry up, get there faster and yes to gain momentum too, the latter of which is never a bad thing. But for me, starting a business has been very much a slowing down, an appreciating of the moment, the now and how I can do less and achieve more.

It’s the opposite of acceleration. My life as a criminal defence lawyer was one of acceleration. Exam after exam, being in the rat race, trying to be in three places at once, spinning numerous plates, having no time for self care and all in the name of this thing we call ‘success’! Climbing to the top of the corporate ladder in order to be successful….. Now I see people blindly creating or trying to create a 6 plus figures in order to be what they deem is successful, that is without taking a moment to think why or to enjoy the process which really is the whole point.

As the book ‘Hope for Flowers’ By Trina Paulus suggests, we can blindly follow the crowd and strive to climb to the top with little idea of what is actually up there or why we are actually doing it. Perhaps there is a rainbow or a pot of gold up there or maybe it’s right where you are, right now?

Making this mistake once of accelerating for success ensured I slowed the f*** down and check in with myself frequently in the success of my business. Checking in or as I call it ‘Tuning in’ is a daily practice : I have to slow down, stop and tune in with what success is to me and me only.

So I practice that everyday. Life is a practice. Business is a practice. Spirituality is a practice. That is why we call it a practice.

It’s not an acceleration and speeding up through my life and business so that it’s going so freaking fast, I can’t take a moment to appreciate it. Life is about those moments.

So acceleration doesn’t feel good to me.

Slowing down and appreciation does.

Practicing more. Making my own mistakes. Showing up a being a little better than yesterday does.

Being patient, being present and vulnerable feels good. Embracing adversity and always knowing it’s my biggest next lesson feels good. As without it, I can’t appreciate the good times, one cannot exist without the other.

And never idolise other people for what they have achieved and you have not. No-one is an expert in anything, they are maybe just a little more well practiced at this moment.