This book has touched the lives of over three million people, pondering the question “Is it the world that’s busy, or my mind?”. Within “The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to be calm in a busy world” Buddhist Monk, Haemin Sumin, reflects through this best selling guide to mindfulness. This isn’t the first time that mindfulness focused books have been considered as part of the personal development book club. Ruby Wax’s “A Mindfulness Guide for The Frazzled” was part of the 2017 book club, and combined the “how” with the “why”. Mindfulness has appeared more recently in Dr Emma Hepburn’s “A toolkit for modern life”. Both take a more scientific exploration of the impact of mindfulness. Sunim, as a Buddhist Monk, brings this concept back to the heart of where it began.
Covering a whole manner of topics from spirituality, rest, work, relationships, emotions, parenting and love, and interspersed with beautiful illustrations from Young-Cheol Lee, it encourages you to take stock of your life and consider what you can control to create a calmer existence. Over the course of 267 pages, it reminds us that “the world moves fast, but that doesn’t mean that we have to”.
In true Clara Cliff Notes fashion, here are the four things I think you need to know about The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down (How to be calm in a busy world) By Haemin Sunim.
- Slowing down is subjective.
Like your own definition of work-life balance, rest and success, slowing down is based on what is important and relevant to you. You can start to understand what this looks like, by considering what you feel is missing in your life. Simply what do you want to change? What do you think is missing? What do you want to pay attention to?
2. You can’t notice everything
Art is used throughout the book. A way to focus whilst linking to the themes of each chapter. Not only does it make you slow down, to appreciate the art, but it helps you release that you can’t possibly see everything in one go. By revisiting the illustrations across different days, varying light and within different time limits, you are able to see different things! Life is the same.
3. Calm can mean acceptance
What does it mean to be calm? The dictionary definition includes “an absence of strong feelings, not showing nervousness, or anger and to make someone tranquil or soothe”. When was the last time you felt that way? One of the key messages, reinforced through the affirmations and statements made throughout the book, is acceptance. One way to create calm is to recognise and accept the feeling about ourselves, and others, that we often fight to bury or ignore.
4. The power of words
The psychological technique of reframing frequently appears through the book within the affirmations, originally shared on Sunim’s social media channels. Some are instructional, others reflective, many are quotes from those the author finds inspirational. It helps you break out of your normal patterns of thinking and can serve as a reminder that the first step in slowing down is noticing what is happening right now.
So, what did I learn from The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down (How to be calm in a busy world)? The book’s philosophical theme grants us permission to slow down. It helps you appreciate the small things, and to acknowledge how we are all changed from the place we inhabit in space, time and culture.
Before I go, I want to share with you the quote (out of so, so many) that I will take away and remind myself every day!
“Dream big but start small. A small adjustment can have a big effect on your life.” Page 192
I would love to read what you have taken away from the book? Come and join me in Creating Careers to Enjoy, and share your thoughts. The next personal development book in the reading list is always announced in the group first!
If you enjoyed this review, you may also enjoy these articles:
Why we need to reframe self care
Clara Wilcox is a straight talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.
