“I wish I could just slow down and do what makes me happy for the rest of my days. Is that too much to ask?”
I found myself saying these words to myself and my husband almost daily. My heart was weary, my mind blank, and my creativity cut dry. It was time for a change.
My days consisted of all work and no play. I lived for an elusive future where everything felt good, there was no rush, and I didn’t have to worry about money. A future founded on hope and patience, both of which I was running out of in the present.
In my frantic search for solutions, I discovered the concept of slow living. The perfect antidote to constantly chasing dreams that teaches you to enjoy your life in the now.
“What an impossible notion”, I thought. “What about my goals and ambitions? Won’t I be bored if I don’t have anything to aspire to?”
The truth is, I was more bored living a life I didn’t love; a life where more, higher, better, and faster were the defining flagpoles of success. Milestones I could never reach. There was always more, higher, better, and faster to do. A neverending race where I was always lagging behind, no matter what I did.
The good news is – I got out of the loop, and you can too! This is why I created this slow living guide: to help you start your slow living journey, rediscover your long-lost desires, and come back to yourself.
Slow Living Guide: What Is Slow Living?
There’s no one universal slow living definition and as you start living more simply, you’ll create your own. Over the years, I’ve come to understand what slow living means for me:
“Slow living is about focusing on the little things and moments in your day and life. It’s less about the pace of life and more about how you feel about your life. Slow living is an intentional, conscious, meaningful, and intuitive way of life that aligns with your inner values.”
I’ve never been a fast-paced type of person. My childhood was simple, spent in my grandma’s garden or her home in the mountains. I loved reading books from a very young age and spent most of my days playing with my friends or dolls.
My simple life continued throughout high school and college. I always preferred a quiet evening with my coffee and books to big loud noisy parties. Still, as an adult, there’s nothing I love more than a slow morning or afternoon where I can pause and enjoy every moment. I guess my own little inner world has always been more exciting to me than the external world and its shiny objects.
This philosophy and way of existing was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to create a slow living guide and website to reflect my values and help others live a happier, more fulfilled life. That is how Autumn and Bliss was born as an art of slow living blog.
How To Start Your Slow Living Journey
If you don’t know where or how to start slowing down, journaling can help you gain clarity about the life you desire to build for yourself. Here are some gentle questions to ask yourself:
- What would a slow living day look like for me?
- How can I make my day less busy right now?
- What are the main sources of stress in my life?
- What simple steps can I take to eliminate the stress?
- How do I want to feel every day?
- What are some ways I can live slowly in my city?
- What are the things and experiences I want more of?
- What depletes my energy? What boosts my energy?
- What are some obstacles I need to overcome in my life?
- What steps would I take to overcome these obstacles?
- What are my favorite ways to relax and recharge?
- How can I cultivate slow living long-term?
The answers to these questions will give you a roadmap for making slow living sustainable for you.
Why Does Slow Living Matter in Today’s Fast-Paced World?
Living a simpler, happier life matters because we’re tired of the hustle. We’re overwhelmed by technology and information. We’re disconnected from nature and our innermost desires. We’re not living consciously but merely surviving. In these times of uncertainty, finding your slow is more important than ever.
Slow living can help you find the path back to your heart. To the things you loved to do as a kid. To the big dreams you abandoned on the way to finding a stable job to keep you afloat until you can afford to live your dreams.
Slow living is a state of mind, whether you live in a city or the countryside. It’s about doing the things that make your heart flutter with joy. It’s in the quiet mornings as you drink your coffee. It’s in the 10 pages of a cozy book you read today. It’s in the cuddles with your loved ones, the attention from your pets, the sun on your skin, the little blessings you can’t quite explain.
Is Slow Living In A Big City Possible?
I was born and raised in a small town but spent most of my adult life in the capital city of my country. So if you’ve been wondering if it’s possible to cultivate a slow life in a big city, I’ll be the first to tell you yes. There are people who live beautiful fulfilled simple lives in big cities and find small but meaningful ways to make their existence more mindful and intentional.
Most big cities have parks, rivers or lakes, botanical gardens, cozy cafes, libraries, and secret spots where you can find peace and quiet after a busy day. Even in small towns or the countryside, finding time to slow down when life itself is busy can be difficult. This is why I encourage you to find what works for you, no matter where you live right now.
Getting Unbusy and Living a Simpler, Happier Life
Before you can untangle your life from all the business and overwhelm, ask yourself what living a simpler, happier life looks like for you. Do you need more time in your day but don’t know how to get it? Do you want to be more focused and present in your family’s life? Do you dream of moving to a smaller town or the countryside, growing your own food, and having more freedom off the grid?
When starting a slow living journey, it’s important to know what your priorities are and what things you can and can’t live without. Then you can create a life around those priorities and this slow living guide can be your trusty companion.
How Does Slow Living Fit In With Your Job or Career?
Living a slow, simple, peaceful life doesn’t mean you can’t have a good job or career. However, you may need to think about the type of work you want to do that supports a slower lifestyle.
After quitting a full-time job to pursue my writing career, I felt firsthand that I was chasing the goals and ambitions of this frantically busy world. Fuelled by external expectations, my big dreams kept getting out of reach until one day, I burned out hard and realized this go-go-go hustle life just wasn’t for me.
It was time to change my goals, center them in my expectations and marinate in the feeling of not-enoughness before I could consciously come to terms with a new way of existing.
Here. In the now. Not in the future. Not in my unfulfilled desires. Here. Now. Here. Now.
Sometimes, the present moment — the here and now — is not what we want but it is what we have. And we can always make things better in this moment.
This is not to say you shouldn’t have dreams and ambitions because I’m all for it. Just make sure they’re fully aligned with your heart, your true nature, and your wonderful authentic self.
This is the foundation of a blissful life.
My 30-Page Pocket-Size Slow Living Guide Companion
If you’re looking for books on slow living, now is a great time to get my Simple Guide to Slow Living – a 30-page pocket-size slow living guide filled with slow living activities, journal prompts, simple living ideas, slow living tips, and everything else you need to take the first steps towards living a slower, more intentional life.
This Slow Living Guide Will Help You Live More Intentionally
Ground yourself, take a deep breath, and decide if you’re willing to bet on yourself. Any change is scary and slowing down your life can be unsettling to your nervous system. But it’ll feel so so good, especially when you choose a slow intentional life every day, every time.
I invite you to set aside a couple of hours in the week to truly reconnect with yourself. Come back to this slow living guide, write down what makes you happy, and take the first steps on your slow living journey.
If you want to read about my slow living adventure, you can do so here or read more slow living blog posts here.
SAVE FOR LATER!
