“How is it already Christmas again?”
“Where did this year go?”
“It feels like just yesterday…”
As I am growing older, I have noticed an incredibly discomforting thing…time seems to speed up as I get older! Semesters fly by, weeks and months go by before I even realize it, and it feels like birthdays roll around well before a year has passed between them.
The science behind our perception of time has been studied for centuries, and many conclusions are founded upon one seemingly simple fact:
Time seems to speed up as we age, because our experiences are no longer novel.
Think about it! As children, we encounter countless new experiences each day– learning to tie our shoes, working new math problems, creating new games and stories as our minds wander. Everything is new! But as we age, we embrace routine, accomplish similar tasks each day at work, and replace novelty with monotony.
This fall, I will be moving back to Ocala, Florida, my hometown of 18 years, to study for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. As eager as I am to be in the same city as my family and dear friends again, I cannot help but long for the adventure I experienced of moving to Colorado (someplace totally novel) last summer. But who is to say we cannot find novelty within the familiar? I am determined to keep my time in Ocala from flying by.
This blog will be a place for me to reflect on the lessons I learn during my adventures in slowing time. I am eager to meet new people, explore new places, experiment with new recipes, take an interesting art class, learn life lessons from my Yaya, step out of my comfort zone, and make the most of time I have!
My mantra is this: I only have a limited amount of time on this earth. Here’s to slowing it down, living it up, and embracing the novel. I hope you join me.
From my heart to yours,
Kaitlin
Adventures in Slowing Time 