To live a little more calmly in a stressful time and environment we now live in. It can become a reality if you live according to the slow living lifestyle. In slow living, you slow down the pace instead of stressing with the intention of doing what makes you feel good and spending time instead on things that are valuable to you. It's simply a matter of doing the right things at the right time.
Slow living is about being mindful and doing mindfulness exercises, choosing quality over quantity for more sustainability, creating deeper connections with people who are important instead of having several superficial contacts who don't really know you and who you don't really know either.
If you have ever gotten sick from stress, slow living is good for your well-being. It's not about doing things slowly, it's about prioritizing the right things for your health. This lifestyle is the opposite of the stressful life that many people live today.
I have been sick from stress several times and when I was mentally depressed after a serious illness I decided to try slow living and I am moving more and more towards that lifestyle, to totally implement it in my life because it makes me feel better on all levels. I focus more on my well-being now than I did before. I take time to do things with family which is the most important thing we have in life. The cleaning of our things is not the most important thing. The stress of all things led me to minimalism and the minimalist lifestyle led me to the slow living lifestyle and I never want to go back to a hectic lifestyle where the stress makes me sick again, never.
In the hectic life many people live today, it is part of making quick decisions. I think many can relate to the fact that quick decisions did not always produce the results we had hoped for. Sometimes quick decisions lead to us having to spend time solving problems that arose from the quick decision. For example, it can be something as simple as buying something on impulse at a reduced price which then turns out not to fit very well, either you have to spend time re-sewing the garment or you have to stand your ground and declutter the garment. It can also be more serious things like signing up for a subscription you are then stuck with because you locked yourself in for 24 months. Taking time to make decisions benefits you, your health and your wallet in the long run.
How often do you live in the moment? How often do you put your phone away and just be in the here and now in your own life? How many times do you take deep breaths everyday day? Taking time for yourself? The list could go on forever. If you want to try this lifestyle, I hope you will read on.
How you can practice slow living - Be present – live in the present moment by putting down the phone and just taking in all the impressions around you, in other words reduce screen time - Reduce the amount of things in your home to make life easier and to give you space to focus on the important things in life (read my declutter posts for more info on how to declutter) - Go out into nature, take deep breaths and listen to the birds, the wind, the sea or whatever you have close to you that is natural. Did you know that you can reduce stress by being in nature? Feel free to go outside for 10-15 minutes first thing in the morning - Spend time on the relationships that matter to you and remove the others - Have a purpose for work and leisure activities, for example that it gives you well-being - Do things that are in line with your values - Create a balance between work and private life and make room for relaxation - Your health and well-being are everything, so prioritize these - Meditate, breathe deeply, do yoga or Tai Chi - You don't always have to invent things outside the home, but sometimes you just need to sit down and read a good book, bake something good for coffee or just cook from scratch
Perhaps the most important thing of all – spend your time and energy on things that are important to you in life.
If you want to know more, you are most welcome to read my other blog posts on the subject. You will also find blog posts about declutter and minimalism on my website and if you prefer videos you can find me on Youtube - Mary's life home and away. If you have questions, I am here to answer them.
