5 Practical Ways to Embrace Slow Living (If Life Feels Hectic)

Slow living: a utopia or a reality? In this hectic world, where toxic productivity is now predominant, it feels impossible to embrace the art of slowing down. Yet, there are more and more people who have recently decided to jump off the rat wheel and quietly…quit.

If you want to learn how to embrace slow living and spend your days based on the Italian philosophy of the “Dolce far niente”, then you’ve come to the right post!

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about slow living, why you should adopt it, and the 5 best ways to embrace this lifestyle.

So, are you ready to finally slow down? Then, let’s get started!

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Table of Contents

What Is Slow Living?

The concept of slow living was born in Italy, in the 80s. (Why am I not surprised that it originated in Italy? 😉 )

Originally called “Slow Movement”, it was a way to prevent the landing of McDonald’s fast food chain in Rome.

Fast forward to half a decade later, slow living is now a modern invite to a more relaxed, meaningful, and intentional life.

Approaching this lifestyle means bringing more awareness into your daily routines, focusing more on the “being” rather than the “doing” (aka the opposite of what capitalism wants).

The Benefits of Slow Living

There are plenty of benefits connected to embracing a slow life. To name a few:

Better work-life balance
Reduced stress and anxiety
Deeper connection with others
Regular self-care
Feeling happier in life

But the list goes on and on!

How Can You Embrace Slow Living?

Are these reasons strong enough for you to approach life differently, from now on? Or, are you just curious about what slow living means?

Well, stay tuned – you’re about to discover 5 small changes you can make to embrace the slow life!

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START THE DAY WITH YOU IN MIND

“The way you start your day determines how well you live your day.”

– Robin Sharma

There’s a reason why most successful people have a morning routine!

Whether their success is a result of such a routine or not, it’s undeniable that getting out of bed with a plan is a key ingredient for a good day.

So, let me ask you this question:

“What is the first thing you do in the morning, right after opening your eyes?”

Be honest with yourself.

Do you reach for your phone first thing?

Do you hit the snooze button and keep sleeping for five more minutes?

Or, do you run to the toilet?

Some habits are bad for you, especially if done as soon as you wake up.

You might think your morning scroll doesn’t affect you that much – other than making you lose 5 minutes – but it’s far from the truth.

As soon as you reach for your phone, you let the outside world influence you.

In a couple of seconds, your brain went from a state of peace and relaxation to being overstimulated, increasing your sense of inadequacy and unhappiness.

Why? Because while you were sleeping, that famous influencer was landing in Hawaii for her sponsored dream vacation.

Your old-time friend applied for a job (and landed it).

And your group of friends went out without you because you were too tired to socialize. (What a great way to start your day – right?)

If you want to embrace the art of slow living, the first thing you can do is start your day on your terms.

Take time for yourself.

Start your day with things that fill up your cup, not that drain your energy.

How do you want to feel as you step out the door to meet the world?

Here are some changes you could make; if you want to feel:

Calm → Meditate
Energized → Workout
Grateful → Journal
Focused → Read
Inspired → Go outside

Start the day with you in mind. The rest of the world can wait.

Related: Read here “Cozy Morning Routine to Feel Your Best”

LEARN FROM NATURE

Life comes in seasons.

There is a season for grinding and one for resting.

There is a season for socializing and one for looking inward.

The worst thing you could do is to fight the season of life in which you’re in.

As you cannot force a flower to bloom any earlier, you cannot force yourself to always be productive if your mind and body are asking for a break.

A good way to practice slow living is to learn from nature.

Learn how to adapt and surf through the waves of your life.

Every day you cannot expect to have the same energy, high mood, and determination.

Sure, you can always aim at doing your best; but, if today you feel at 40% and you give it your 40%, then that means you gave it all you had.

And that…that’s enough.

So, check in with yourself:

“What is it that you need the most at this stage of your life?”

Whether that’s rest, connection, travel, reflection, or clarity – make sure you give it to yourself.

MINDFUL HABITS

A slow life is made of slow rituals, routines, and practices.

To get closer to fully embracing a slower life, you must incorporate into your day some mindful habits.

Here is a list of mindful habits to help you feel more grounded:

Daily meditation
Intuitive eating
Gratitude journaling
Nature walks
Mindful eating
Breathwork
Daily journaling
Active listening
Single-tasking
Gentle movement

You can adopt all of the habits above, or experiment with one at a time. No matter your approach, if you start doing these mindful habits you’ll see what’s the real potential of slow living!

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FEED YOUR SOUL

Embracing slow living means also making the time to nurture and cultivate your hobbies, interests, and passions.

Slow living distances you from all the things you have to do and encourages you to also fill in your days with things you want to do.

It might not be easy, at first, to think of activities that bring you joy. It might be a long time since when you’ve done something just for fun.

But slow living wants you to reconnect with your inner child, to bring back to your life things that are meaningful for you.

If you’re having a hard time thinking of what you enjoy doing, here are some questions to get you inspired:

What did you enjoy doing as a kid?
What would you do for free?
What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
Where is your happy place?
Who does bring the best out of you?
With whom do you feel your true self?
What activities do make you feel alive?

Once you figure out your answers, it’s time to let your creativity flow!

Connect – or reconnect – with your inner child!

It’s never too late.

Who cares if you join a hip-hop dance class even if you’re 50 years old?

Why would you bother with what others think if you spend your Saturday nights painting on canvas at home?

Who cares if you want to start selling handmade jewelry on Etsy?

Slow living means nurturing your soul too!

REFLECT & JOURNAL

Finally, one of the best ways to embrace slow living is to dedicate plenty of time to reflection and journaling.

Journaling has the power to completely change your life. (It certainly worked with me!)

It allows you to:

Better elaborate on your emotions
Process your thoughts
Relieve stress
Be more creative
Distance yourself from your problems
Reduce anxiety
Achieve your goals
Communicate better
Get to know yourself on a deeper level

Related: Don’t know where to start? Grab here “50 Journaling Prompts for Self-Discovery”

Whether you make journaling a daily, weekly, or monthly practice – it will certainly change your life!

That’s all for me today!

I hope you now have a clearer vision of what slow living really is and how it can positively impact your life.

Shifting to leading a slow life doesn’t happen overnight, but you can rest assured that by adopting these 5 strategies you’re only getting closer to it!

Q: “What is the morning habit that can help you start your day on the right foot, keeping your needs in mind?” – Let me know in a comment! 🙂

Until next time,