Slowing down is the best feeling in the world—once you get used to it. As I talked about in my Outer Banks post, slow living and relaxing can be uncomfortable, especially if you feel as though you don’t deserve it. This can be from a number of things, but for most of us, it’s due to our unhealthy relationships with productivity.
There’s this pressure to get everything done before we can enjoy our day, and even then we’re not present because we’re thinking about our to-do list for tomorrow. Slow living is the answer to this. It’s a lifestyle centered around mindfulness, intentionality, and savoring life’s simple pleasures.
how to practice slow living
Slow living is such a beautiful practice, one that I enjoy practicing in my daily life. While I still have a ways to go when it comes to really adopting the lifestyle, here are some of my tips for slowing down.
connect with nature
Nature is the centerpiece of slow living. It’s peaceful, and grounding, and reminds us of our roots. The more we can get outside, the better.
One of my favorite ways to slow down with nature is by watching the sunrise or sunset. It’s such a beautiful way to start and end the day. There’s also something so calming about watching the sun melt into the horizon—there’s nothing like it.
Another way I love to connect with nature is through walking. I love a good hike through the woods or a walk on the beach. Wherever I am in the world, I know I can find a park or trail to reconvene with the outdoors.
There’s this quote that is often on my tea sachets and it goes like this:
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished”
Nature is a great teacher. It reminds us to slow down, to trust that everything will be done in time. Everything that truly matters will be accomplished—and everything else will fall away.
be intentional with screen time
Our digital products can be incredible tools used for creativity and connection, but without intentionality, they begin to use us instead of the other way around.
The first rule I like to set for myself is to refrain from using screens during the first and last hours of my day. This gives me the space to intentionally follow my morning and nighttime routines. It allows me to enter and exit the waking world with peace.
In general, I like to keep my screen time to a minimum, however, when I do use it, I’m sure to be very mindful of my consumption. One way I like to do this is by opting for long-form media.
Long-form media, to me, consists of anything that takes time and attention to consume, as opposed to mindlessly scrolling through social media. Some examples of long-form media are books, films, live performances (can be recordings online), and YouTube when used with the intention of education and self-improvement.
Overall, limiting screen time intake can be difficult at first, but it is so rewarding. Begin to focus on real-life experiences, and even if you’re “bored”, train yourself to enjoy the feeling. The world is far too large and vast to be bored. There’s always something to do—even if it’s staring up at the clouds.
choose physical over digital
When possible, opt for the physical version of something over its digital counterpart. This helps to slow down and ground yourself in the tangible world.
Some examples of this include writing handwritten letters to friends, journaling in a cute journal you picked out, and drawing little doodles in a sketchbook.
There are many more examples out there, but when you can, choose what you can feel. Life is meant to be felt—it’s when we feel most alive.
create routines and rituals
My routines and rituals are everything to me. They’re what bring me the most happiness and peace in my daily life. I have some sort of ritual around nearly everything I do.
Some routines you can create for yourself include:
- morning routine: stretching, meditating, enjoying a leisurely breakfast
- mealtimes: cooking mindfully, setting the table, savoring each bite, gratitude for every ingredient that made it into the meal
- time: sunday reset, new and full moon, monthly goal planning, seasonal rituals
- slow living rituals: making and sipping tea, journaling, cloud gazing
- nighttime: skincare routine, moon and star gazing, reading a book
I also have a whole board on Pinterest dedicated to self-care rituals if you’d like to check it out!
have cozy hobbies
Hobbies! Hobbies are everything. Without hobbies, this world would be so dull. When it comes to slowing down, it can be fun to take part in cozy hobbies.
Some examples of cozy hobbies include knitting, scrapbooking, reading, and baking. Anything where you can use your hands will help you to slow down and become grounded in the present moment.
Here’s a wrote a whole post on all of my favorite cozy hobbies!
practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is essential to slow living. Besides, if our minds are racing how can we slow down and find peace?
There are many ways to practice mindfulness. My favorite ways are by meditating, creating art, walking in nature, and breathwork. Some apps I find really helpful to use for breath work and meditating are Breathwrk, Wim Hof Method Breathing, and Insight Timer.
Here are my favorite ways to practice mindfulness (that aren’t meditation).
work-life balance
Having a work-life balance is essential to living a slow life of peace and happiness. This looks like setting boundaries with yourself and your time—planning breaks and downtime throughout your day—no matter where you are.
I’ve worked in retail and at an elementary school and in both jobs I created my own pockets of peace. I used a bit of an unconventional place, but it worked. There’s one place you can always find solace in no matter where you are—the bathroom.
It’s the one place where no one can follow you in and you can have a moment alone. I used to pull up my meditation app (Insight Timer) and meditate for as long as I could before my absence would be noticed.
I also used to take lunch breaks alone when I could, which may be a little anti-social, but it was a lifesaver for me. It was just was I needed to come back to myself before returning to work. Prioritize your peace—nothing is worth losing it for.
slow living every day
With some intentionality and a little tweaking to your daily habits, you can easily begin to live a slower life. I love how these habits have transformed my life and I hope they’ll do the same for you. Good luck, I wish you happy days ♡
