Is a slow lifestyle what you really desire? Slow living is a lifestyle and mindset that encourages a slower approach to everyday life. A more leisurely approach if you will. It may not be for everyone, but in a time where things are always on go, go, go it’s hard not to desire a bit of a slower pace.
Your very routine and the way you go about your day to day is what will help you achieve the slow lifestyle you’re desiring.
What does it mean to live a slow lifestyle?
A slow lifestyle is intentional and operates with functional boundaries put in place. These don’t have to be crazy boundaries, but reevaluating all of the things you say yes to and feeling more confident in your no’s can lead to a slow lifestyle.
Living a slow lifestyle looks like savoring the moments you have present before you; making a conscious decision to connect and practice gratitude.
Why is it trending and how does one prioritize it?
A lot of things trend at a certain time and for whatever reason, things that involve our mental health and mental state often end up more popular than not. That speaks to the fact that we are in desperate need of what we’re seeking, in this case a more slow lifestyle. It doesn’t surprise me that people are feeling burnt out, feeling overworked, overwhelmed and like the life cycle of hustle here and hustle there doesn’t stop.
It could be seen as a privilege to be able to prioritize a slow lifestyle; for some that option may come more freely than it does for others, but instead of looking at things as a one size fits all, it is helpful to look at things from a point of view of, what can I take from this and how can I apply it.
Prioritizing it looks like taking the first step in making a small change. One of the first things I did in my own life was set timers for social media, set wind down timers and notifications. I don’t turn on any notifications for any of the apps I use, I’m forced to go in and check on my own which I enjoy because it means I’m not being constantly bombarded with pings or things that aren’t important. Any time I make for checking socials and the like, I’m actively putting time into that.
How to Begin Living a Slow Lifestyle
The first thing you need to get clear on is what areas of your life do you desire a slower experience. Living a slow lifestyle doesn’t mean every single moment of your life needs to be tuned and changed, maybe your mornings or evenings are the most hectic, maybe it’s your commute to work and the endless traffic. Getting clear on where and what is the first step.
- Where do I desire a more slow experience in my life?
- What benefits about that area of my life would slowing down help me with?
- What makes me feel the most rushed, flustered, anxious, overwhelmed and why?
- Is there something I can outsource to help me slow down in this or these areas?
- Where do I need this most, what is my starting point?
How is your morning routine? Evening routines? Where do you feel the most burnt out? Where do you feel the most at peace and could use more of that? What’s your relationship with technology like? A lot of us have a lot of screen time due to our jobs, creative endeavors and personal lives, but sometimes that is where it all lies.
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How God’s Word Encourages a Slow Lifestyle
So we know that work has it’s place right, doing and putting in work has its place, but one thing I love about the word of God is nothing is new. It’s just new to us.
The very fact that we go through seasons, a time of seed, water, and harvest, ups and downs, trials and tribulations, periods of waiting, goes to show that a slow lifestyle was always in some ways what we were to experience. We as humans speed things up, use technology to speed things up and then forget that we can only go as far as the 24 hours ahead of us.
We all have a part to play in the fabric of our lives that God intended for us to live, but we rush around in life and rush around trying to make him hurry up too. Imagine that. Below are several scriptures to remind you that it’s okay to slow down, it’s okay to do things at a slower pace, it’s okay to not rush. You’re not behind, you’re on your own timeline and in order for you to sustain the race that you are running, sometimes you need to live a slow lifestyle.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 15-17
- Isaiah 28:10
- Ecclesiastes 8:6
- Deuteronomy 1:18
- 1 Peter 5:6
- Galatians 6:9
- 2 Peter 3:9
You’re still you, you just also know that there are some areas that need a slower approach. Slow down a little.
Do you embrace a slow lifestyle or are you always headed to the next thing?
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