In a world that’s moving at a faster pace than ever, taking the time to slow down and take each day as it comes has never been more important. From next week’s grocery list, to making that important phone call, our minds are constantly switched on and thinking about what comes next. So, what’s the remedy to modern-day overstimulation?
“At its heart, slow living is a curious mix of being prepared and being prepared to let go. Caring more and caring less. Saying yes and saying no. Being present and walking away. Doing the important things and forgetting those that aren’t. Grounded and free. Heavy and light. Organised and flexible. Complex and simple.”
- Brooke McAlary
Slow living has its roots in 1986, with Carlo Petrini's protest against the opening of a McDonald's in Piazza di Spagna, Rome. A pasta feast was thrown to defy the commercialization of the historic Spanish Steps, and a manifesto written that went on to inspire the slow living moment: encouraging a balanced, meaningful lifestyle, through slowing things down and appreciating what we have. Long practised by ancient cultures, now, this philosophy is taking off mainstream.
The benefits of slow living are endless: Being present. Reducing stress. Preventing burnout. Practising gratitude. Boosting creativity. Improved relationships. And above all, living a more purposeful, fulfilling life. Sounds good, right? And with the return to schools and offices upon us, here are five ways you can practise slow living today and onwards, for a crucially content way of life:
1. Find inspiration
One of the best places to start (I’ll give you a hint: it’s not Instagram hashtags) are slow living magazines. ‘Kinfolk’, ‘Breathe’ and ‘Another Escape’ are popular reads, favoured for their authenticity over supersaturated, consumerist numbers.
2. Unplug
Take some time away from the devices cluttering your physical (and mental) space. Whether it’s leaving your phone behind when going for a walk, or taking the weekend off of emails - give yourself a break from the assault of notifications we’ve grown so accustomed to receiving.
3. Restaurant atmosphere
Slow down with dinner: light a candle and play some atmospheric jazz music while trying a new recipe, and get out those dishes you’ve been waiting for a good excuse to use. The time is now!
4. Do less
Learn to say “no” with grace. Instead of taking part in multiple random activities, give a couple of important things your full dedication in order to see authentic progress - from focussing on relationships with your favourite people, to practising some mindfulness within nature.
5. Find your purpose
A Harvard Medical School study published in 2019 showed that people with a life purpose don’t just enjoy slow living: they have a 20% tendency to live longer. Know your values and let them guide your decisions.
So: being “busy” does not equal being important. A full calendar does not equal productivity. And faster does not always equal better. Slow living is all about replacing chaos with contentment, and finding pleasure within simplicity - starting from now.
References:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/finding-purpose-in-life
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