The Importance of Slow Living

I wanted to take some time to talk about slow living and the value it brings to our lives. Slow living looks differently to each person. In our day and time, it is normal to run yourself dry, to work our lives away, never be in the present moment, always looking to the future. To maintain our mental and spiritual health, we must take the time to slow down and be present.  

Each day, our minds are over flowing with task to complete, jobs to get done, and places to be but most of the time we don't think about what is going on in the here and now, distracted by all the things going on in our minds about our day, week, and futures. We experience overwhelm and heaviness of our lives because we are always on, always going. It is important to remember that what we have control of is the moment we are in right now. 

It is easy to get carried away in our minds, listing all the things we need to do but there is a great deal of value in slowing down and being with our mind presently. Taking time to slow the rushing thoughts and focus on our breath, the room we are in, the sun coming through the window, the noises around you. To help heal our mind and spirit, we must dedicate time each day to be present. 

I know, it can be very hard sometimes to slow down when there are so many pressing things in our lives. It can get stressful and weigh down our spirit. This doesn't mean we have to take a long period of time out of our day to live in the present moment, it can be a simple as thinking about the texture or taste of your food in the morning before work, the warmth of the sun on your skin when you walk outside, the relief of laying down in your bed at the end of the day. Slowing down and being present can look many different ways for you. 

I have experienced so much growth and healing in slowing down and learning to be in the present moment. Examples of my little precious moments that I spend time to find value in are feeling the warmth of my tea in the morning as I look at the sun lighting up the world through my kitchen window, being conscious of each bite of food I take, thanking it for nourishing my body, the feeling of the grass under my feet as I stand on Mother Earth each day to ground and connect, slowly getting ready each morning being sure to thank my body for what it does for me, there are many more examples I could provide but these are a few that I have dedicated my time to slow down and be present in each moment. 

I will admit, it is easy to get discouraged and distracted each day and forget to take that time for yourself to live presently. I have experienced guilt for wanting to slow down for the pressing need for me to get things done quickly in my day to day life that was screaming in my mind. But, I have come to learn that it is okay to unplug for a little while, even if for only a minute to be in the moment and feel and experience every second. 

There becomes a time when we are juggling everything in our life, we are unable to enjoy everything. If we are always rushing into the next moment, then what are we doing with the moment we are in right now. It is so important for our soul to be in the present moment, it is a way to reclaim our time and gives us the ability to make more meaningful connections, whether it be with ourselves, nature or the people in our lives. We can loose sight of the value in being present, not only with ourselves, but with the people in our lives. If we aren't careful we can be so distracted by our lives and forget to slow down and be with those people, to connect and listen. 

One things that helps remind me to slow down and be present is to look at nature. Nature is a great teacher and reminder because anything in nature doesn’t rush, yet everything gets accomplished. If you plant a seed, you can't rush it into sprouting out of the dirt, it takes time. It's all about balance, we can live our life as normal but learn to carve out those little moments to slow down and be present with ourselves. 

I hope you are able to cultivate little moments in your life to slow down and be present each day. Remember that it doesn’t have to be long and don’t let it overwhelm you. Look at the trees, they grow over time, with patience, with slowness and with silence. Sending you much love and light, happy present moments.