The Ultimate Guide to Slow-Living for Beginners
Do you feel like your life is flashing before your eyes? Are you always on the move and feel like everything would be okay if you could just slow down? Friends, I am here to tell you that there is a way to alleviate the chaotic feelings of life by adopting a slow-living mindset.
Slow living allows us to take in the world with a mindful purpose. When you stop rushing and take in the beauty of nature or that wonderful first taste of coffee in the morning, life becomes sweet and tantalizing. Slow living is more about appreciating the little things in your life as opposed to living an always-on life.
I won’t lie and tell you it’s easy, but taking baby steps is a good way to go. After a time, you will have a more enjoyable, less stressful existence. Follow this guide to learn how much slow-living can impact your life.
Understanding Slow Living
What is Slow Living?
The slow-living movement started gaining popularity during the 1980’s in Italy. Italians at the time expressed disdain for the rise of fast food and started promoting slow eating and taking time to enjoy your food. The principal caught on and has grown into every part of life.
Slow living is a basic premise, where you take the time to enjoy the world around you and be happy with what you have. This philosophy directly opposes the hustle culture that we’ve come to expect in our daily routines. This culture is true of kids as well. Kids continue to have busier and busier schedules, which stresses out not only them but parents as well.
Our homes are full of clutter, and we always want more than we have. But did you know that if you purposely take the time to savor what you already have and decide it is enough, your life will become more enjoyable? Following mindful practices like meditation, simplicity, and being more present allows you to unwind and let go of the stress that has you moving a hundred miles an hour.
The Benefits of Slow Living
We’ve touched on the benefits of living a less stressful life, but there is so much more to relieving stress. Reducing the stress in your life has an impact on your physical health as well as your mental health. Increased stress levels can lead to high blood pressure, which means an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. And alleviating stress can work wonders for your mental health. Chances are you will feel less tired and irritable, which means a feeling of peace in your mind. This peaceful feeling allows you to have a greater appreciation for life’s simple pleasures, which makes you and those around you happier.
Common Misconceptions
A common misconception about slow living is that the people who follow the practice are lazy and do nothing but sit around all day. This idea could not be further from the truth. According to Psychology Today, slow living is not about inactivity. It is more about enjoying the things that matter to us, such as our children and family or hobbies.
Slow living is all about living life with intention and making conscious choices. It is not simply moving at a snail’s pace. Making time for those things that make life worth living is the goal. We all know the old adage that when our lives are over, we aren’t appreciated for how much money we earn or time spent working, but for how much effort we give those who love us. This appreciation comes alive when we accept a slow-living lifestyle.
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Principles of Slow Living
Mindfulness and Presence
Choosing to live each day fully and appreciatively is the best kind of life. When you practice mindfulness, your life opens up to the delicate beauty in everything you do. Whether you enjoy a nice bath or reading in the park, those mindful choices bring you closer to the center of yourself.
There are many ways to choose mindfulness in a slow-living lifestyle. However, self-care and living in the moment are key components. This list of exercises can help you decide where to focus your efforts to live more slowly.
- Spend time in nature. Even if you live in the city, you can get out and get some fresh air. Try taking a stroll through the park or find a bench to sit on and people-watch.
- Turn off your devices. Take some time away from your phone or computer and play a board game. Read a book you’ve been waiting for. Sometimes, it is just nice to sit and daydream for a while.
- Stop multitasking. Studies have shown that multitasking is ruining our health by causing more stress. Slow down and take your time on just one task and follow it through to completion.
- Meditate. Take a little time each morning or evening and let everything go. Contemplate your life and how you want to live it. This moment of slow time is a key to slow-living success.
- Enjoy a home-cooked meal. Cook a homemade meal, sit down as a family, and savor it. Taste each bite. Don’t eat quickly so you can hurry on to the next thing. Enjoy being together as a family.
Simplification and Minimalism
The main tenets of slow living are minimalism and simplification. When you clear the clutter of your life, it is amazing what you will find underneath. We live in a culture where more is better, and compete to be the best. But, at the same time, science tells us to slow down. But how do we do that? Simplify and minimalize.
- Declutter your personal space. Do you have an overabundance of “stuff?” Does it make you happy? If the answer is no, then you need to clear it out. Keep only what brings you joy and happiness.
- Declutter your digital space. Did you know that most people have so many e-mails that it is overwhelming to even open your inbox? Is your desktop full of files that you can’t find the ones you need in a hurry? My friend Yulia has an excellent website highlighting how to get rid of all that digital clutter.
- Take control of your calendar. Schedule your meetings so that you have some decompression time. Always leave a bit of a buffer between tasks in case they run over or just so you can catch your breath before starting something new.
- Say no. It is a well-known secret that we (especially women) have a hard time saying no. We are caretakers by nature, and we often feel guilt for not helping at the school fundraiser or saying no to Aunt Betty’s request that we attend church with her on Sundays. Learning to take back your power and saying no helps us learn that we are allowed to think of ourselves.
- Work toward being debt-free. Debt is crushing the soul of too many of us. It feels like no matter how much we work, the debt never goes away. It’s time to take charge of your money and minimize spending. (I know it’s hard. I still can’t do it.)
Slowing Down and Prioritizing Rest
Getting plenty of rest is the best thing you can do for a fast-paced lifestyle. When you slow down and take the time for proper rest, it can make all the difference in your mood and physical health.
- Try taking a nap when possible. I know it isn’t likely in the middle of the workday, but trying to get just a twenty-minute nap will work wonders for your productivity.
- Go to bed earlier. Create a nighttime ritual that will help you get ready for sleep. Turn off your devices, take a warm bath or shower, read a little bit, then snuggle down to sleep.
- Take a break or two throughout the day. Getting away from your workstation or office a few times a day will replenish your mental capacity. Try to get outside during your breaks and commune with nature. Get a breath of invigorating air. Walking a short distance will get your muscles moving and also help with your mood.
Embracing Slow Living Practices
Mindful Eating and Cooking
Fast food has taken over our lives. It is just too easy to stop at the drive-thru or pick up a pizza on the way home from work. But we need a break from oversalted, greasy, and overpriced food. I know that only some have the luxury of getting back to basics and growing their food or hate the idea of having to cook when they get home. But taking the time to sit down to a real meal will help you start on your slow-living journey. And if you hate to cook, slow cookers are awesome!
When you do sit down to eat, take your time. Studies show that it takes your stomach about 20 minutes before it lets you know it’s full. Eating slower will keep you from overeating and feeling awful afterward. One way to slow down is to put your fork down between bites. This technique will make you mindful of every bite. Another tip is to take a drink of water after each bite. Also, take care to chew your food thoroughly, which will also cause you to eat slower.
Connecting with Nature
Connecting with nature is one of the best slow-living methods for a happier and less stressful life. Fresh air can clear your head and your lungs. Being outdoors can also provide Vitamin D, which is crucial for mood development and according to Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center, may prevent disease. Meditating in nature can help you find inner peace. Even in the city, with pollution on the rise, you can find a park or green space to commune with. If you are up for it, take off your shoes and feel the grass or dirt between your toes.
Ways to connect you to nature and live a slower life are easy to find, though not always obvious.
- Take a slow walk and pay attention to the world around you. Take in the beauty of flowers, trees, wildlife, etc.
- Sit on a bench and people-watch. Sometimes it’s fun to make up stories about the people you see.
- Find a blanket and some grass to sit and read for a while.
- If you have a water source close, concentrate on how the water moves and the sound of it lapping the shore.
- Take a hike in the woods and take pictures of what you see, or even better, sketch your surroundings.
Cultivating Meaningful Relationships
In our society today, it has become commonplace for adults and kids to work longer hours and participate in even more activities. All these things take up precious time that we could spend with each other. It is imperative, now more than ever, to slow down and nurture the relationships we have with our family, friends, and community. It is easy to get caught up in the more, more, more mentality, but our lives would be more meaningful if we took some deep breaths and let the business of our lives go.
Some ways you can slow down and nurture those relationships are:
- Sit down with your kids and read a book. For even better effect, create voices to go along with the characters.
- Go on a picnic, and make a point to lie back and watch the clouds roll by.
- Volunteer at a food bank as a family.
- Spend time at the local library. Story hour is fun for kids and adults alike.
- Take a walk and count the number of trees, cars, dogs, etc.
Overcoming Challenges and Implementing Slow Living
Overcoming Resistance and External Pressures
There are many challenges to committing to a slow-living lifestyle. It may sound like an ideal utopia that is unattainable. There is always the fear of missing out and pressures from employers and society to do more and stay busy. Unfortunately, we live in a world where we feel unproductive if we aren’t constantly doing something. Sitting down and relaxing is not something that comes naturally to us anymore, which is why slow-living is crucial to implement.
While these pressures are hard to overcome, there are things you can do to cross the line to relaxation.
- Start small and have a device-free family dinner every night. When you feel you’ve safely conquered a dinner, try going on a device-free day or week.
- Use your vacation days and paid time off for your mental health to rejuvenate your psyche and relax. Don’t succumb to the always busy state by doing chores or other relaxation busters.
- Make a firm commitment to leaving work at work and sticking to strict working hours.
Creating Your Slow Living Toolkit
There are tools and resources to help you adopt a slow-living lifestyle. You can find apps, books, and podcasts to learn more about the lifestyle and how to get started.
Personally, I find books to be my gateway to a slower lifestyle, but for those who are more attuned to other methods, you can find those too. Here are some of my favorites.
- An Intentional Life: A Guide To A Slower And More Peaceful Existence by Kathryn Bardsley
- Growing Slow: Lessons on Un-Hurrying Your Heart from an Accidental Farm Girl by Jennifer Dukes Lee (Available in paperback 3/19/24)
- Calm.com
- The Slow Home Podcast (Now defunct, but all nine seasons are available on the website.)
Wrapping Up
Now that you know the basics of slow living, I hope you put some of these suggestions into practice so you can start enjoying the smaller things in life. I encourage you to embrace a slow-living mindset and transform your life today. Don’t forget nature is your friend and partner in this movement. Eat intentionally and make time for family, friends, and community. Take the time to cultivate greater happiness, life fulfillment, and a peaceful, loving mind.
What is your first step in slow living? Leave me a comment and let me know.