Slow living, so I define it, is all about savoring the moment. And here’s what I mean.
Imagine you go for a walk. And suddenly, you hear birds joyful singing and trees softly whispering. You stop for a minute to enjoy the beautiful world around you. You take a deep breath and feel uplifted and energized.
This exactly happens when you allow yourself to experience life with all your senses. The good news is we can reproduce this joyful feeling every single day. It only needs a bit of practice.
Slow Living – How I Define It
Although often used interchangeably, slow living isn’t the same as simple living. At least the way I see it. We don’t have to be a minimalist, live in a tiny house, or grow veggies in our backyard. I believe there’s always a version of slow living available to us that matches our preferred lifestyle.
I also don’t think slow living means living life in slow motion or doing nothing. We can be busy. However, the key is to focus. Too often, though, we do one thing and already think of the next. As a result, we rush through our days, through our lives.
Slow living doesn't mean living life in slow motion. But to savor the moment. Click To TweetWays to Practice Slow Living
Savor Slow Food
Like slow living, slow food isn’t only about pace. We don’t need a slow cooker to savor slow food. A plate of cheese can be ‘slow’ too when we enjoy every bite. Naturally, this is much easier when the food quality is superb. And if everything has been prepared and served with love and dedication.
Enjoy Slow Travel
Slow travel, for me, is a worthwhile alternative to rushing from one must-see to the next. This doesn’t mean we can’t have a full itinerary. There’s always so much to discover when traveling foreign countries and exploring other cultures. However, slow travelers will always find the time to really take in all these amazing new impressions.
Appreciate Little Moments of Joy
“It’s the little things in life that matter” – I’m sure you’ve heard this many times before. And it’s true. Why? Because these little things or moments of joy can be amazing mood-lifters. Just think of sipping freshly brewed coffee, chatting with a friend, or arranging some gorgeous flowers. Need more inspiration? This post is for you:
The thing is, once we know how to focus and savor the moment, we can find joy almost everywhere. Again, it just needs a bit of practice.
Get into the Flow
As I said before, the key to slow living is focus. And an invaluable ‘side effect’ of focus is flow. I’m sure you know what I mean. Flow happens when you deep dive into a task or project. You’re so concentrated. You almost forget the world around you. Those hours are precious. Because being in the state of flow means that we are highly creative and productive.
How to Get Started?
There are many more ways to practice and profit from the concept of slow living. The beauty is that there’s no need for a big plan. You can start right away. Just pause for a fraction of a second, re-focus, and savor the moment. Repeat as often as you can during the day. Every day.
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What are your best slow living moments? Share them in the comments below!
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