Are you really behind? Finding your way back to yurumi

Are you really behind? Finding your way back to yurumi

By Kimine Mayuzumi The other night, before going to bed, I was reading You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hanh. He writes about the 24 brand-new hours we receive every day and the opportunity to begin again with a fresh mind, ready to embrace the present moment. It’s not a new idea. We’ve heard it talked about again and again. Yet, when we think about all the projects, responsibilities, roles, obligations, and deadlines waiting for…

How are you? And what happens in between?

How are you? And what happens in between?

By Kimine Mayuzumi “How are you?” “How are you doing?” When someone asks you these questions, what do you usually say? And when you ask someone else, do you really pause to notice what they say — or how they express how they are? Sometimes, “How are you?” is simply another way of saying hello. Someone asks you in the hallway, keeps walking, and neither of you expects a real answer. The question becomes a…

Pause, reflect, reset: A more intentional transition after the academic year

Pause, reflect, reset: A more intentional transition after the academic year

By Kimine Mayuzumi   There is nothing passive about stopping, and when you decide to go, it’s a different kind of going because you stopped.  — Jon Kabat-Zinn A few weeks ago, I led a session called Exhale – Reset through Reflection and Practice for a group of academics transitioning out of their academic year. I was reminded again how exhausting this season can be for many academics — trying to wrap things up while…

A decade of Being Lazy and Slowing Down: Stories and insights from higher education

A decade of Being Lazy and Slowing Down: Stories and insights from higher education

By Kimine Mayuzumi Ten years ago, I wrote a short post called “5 Ways to Slow Down NOW.” At the time, I didn’t know whether anyone would read it. I simply felt pulled to explore gentler ways of living and working — especially in environments organized around speed, output, and performance. I kept writing, not because I had a grand vision for what Being Lazy and Slowing Down (BLSD) would become, but because each piece…

Staying grounded while staying informed: Navigating chaos in higher education

Staying grounded while staying informed: Navigating chaos in higher education

By Kimine Mayuzumi At Being Lazy and Slowing Down, we often talk about creating space – for rest, for reflection, for remembering what matters. But what happens when the world feels anything but spacious? When news headlines feel like they’re closing in, and being informed feels necessary but overwhelming? This post grew out of a question someone asked during a recent webinar that I was delivering. It stopped me in my tracks… and felt important…