Why is Slow Living Important?
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As we have been working through crafting your dream life I thought it imperative to chat about why slow living is important. I think that oftentimes when people start to set goals they tend to want to do as much as possible. But, goal setting has had the opposite affect on me. Instead of wanting to do more, I have wanted to do less.
Slow living is one of those lifestyles that can mean one hundred different things to one hundred different people. But, for me, it means slowing down enough to actually enjoy your life rather than moving through as many experiences as possible. With that in mind, today we are going to explore why slow living is so important.
Why is Slow Living Important?
The first reason that I want to share is that slow living actually makes you more intentional about your life. You are mindfully making choices each day about the tasks and activities, and even relationships, that you want to focus on, and also the ones that you don’t want to focus on. Instead of moving from one thing to the next at break-neck speed, you have to slow down and remember your why. You have to actively make the decision to either do something, or not do something.
Can this happen when you have a completely full schedule? Yes, but you are more likely to try to fit in all the things, rather than choosing just one or two to focus on.
We all want to be intentional with our days. You want to make the best decisions for your family, and putting thought into your yeses and nos is one of the ways that happens. We were not meant to be rushing constantly to the next thing, but that seems to be what has developed in the past 15 years or so.
But I like being Busy!
There are definitely some people who thrive with a busy lifestyle, and if that is you, that is amazing. You are doing exactly what you should be doing. Remember, we are talking you crafting your dream life. So, if you feel good about the fast paced lifestyle you are living, this post isn’t for you.
However, if you are struggling with all of the obligations you have committed to, or thinking about your calendar makes you start to sweat, then yes, you need to take an inventory and figure out what you can remove.
Slow Living in a Fast Paced World
You may think it isn’t possible to slow down. But, that isn’t correct. You absolutely can make different choices. Will the choices be difficult? Absolutely. When my kids want to do specific activities, and I look at the schedule and realize that we will all be like passing ships in the night, it is a no from me. They understand our family culture, and realize that they are not happy when we are constantly busy.
It wasn’t always that way of course. There were seasons of busyness, and after a while my kids started to understand they also didn’t like that frantic way of life. The excitement was always there at the beginning, but adult-led activities weren’t a thing my kids wanted to do long-term.
Instead, we love rhythms and rituals and traditions. We like this slow-paced life we have created, and wouldn’t give it up for anything.
The Bottom Line
Slow living has become my mantra. There are definitely busy seasons in life, but they are few and far between now. We have all realized what our threshold for busy is, and it isn’t a large one. Instead, we are leaning into the rhythms that make up our days, the habits we have instilled, and the company of our small group of friends and family.
I wouldn’t change it for anything, and the peace that I was seeking so long ago was right in front of me, if I only practiced slow living instead of being carried away by the current of busy life.
Do you want to slow down? What is preventing you from making the choices to do just that?
