Slow living is a lifestyle concept that involves you taking a more leisurely pace to life in general. Specifically, this slow living challenge, involves curating a more conscious lifestyle.
The world tends to be in such a huge rush to do everything. Often, anxiety can lead to a sense of urgency, or feeling like you’re always in a rush.
It’s estimated that over 300 million people deal with an anxiety disorder.
When you’re spending the entire day feeling rushed, everything sort of blends together.
Days, weeks, and then months can slip away with you wondering where all your time went. For some reason, you can’t seem to remember anything specific..
That’s why it’s so important to slow down sometimes, look around, and appreciate where you are.
Slowing Down
This practice of slowing down and being present is at the core of the slow living challenge. It’s about consciously choosing to engage with life in a more meaningful way, rather than constantly rushing from one task to the next.
By embracing slow living, you can start to reclaim your time and create a life that feels more fulfilling and less stressful.
Slowing down doesn’t necessarily mean doing less.
This slow living challenge is about focusing on what matters, eliminating distractions and doing things with more intention.
The Challenge
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL SIZE PDF
• A mindful morning routine is a great way to start your day slowly, and with intention. It can help you set the tone for a calm remainder of the day. Having a morning routine is a great way to start the day on the right foot.
• Take a few moments to write out the things you’re grateful for at any point during the day. This will help your appreciation for the small things grow further.
You don’t need a pretty journal either (though you can use one if you want!) Any notes app on your phone is also a great place to keep a gratitude list on hand.
• Meditating is not something that you have to do for a long period of time. Just spend a few minutes focusing on your breath and being present in your body.
• Wind down your day with a relaxing, mindful night routine. By taking time to intentionally slow down, you’re signaling to your brain that it’s time for rest and the end of the day.
• A lot of us like to think of ourselves as great multitaskers, but the truth is that multitasking is a myth.
When you’re focusing on multiple tasks at one time, none of them are getting your full attention or effort. Try just working on one thing at a time and giving it your all.
• Setting aside time to prepare intentional and nutritious meals will not only allow you to save time, but will likely improve your diet. When you’ve meal prepped for the week, you’re much less likely to stop by a fast food restaurant for an easy bite.
• Give yourself a set amount of time – anywhere from an hour to a month – to unplug from screens. Within reason, of course. You may not be able to help if you work on a computer all day, but you can certainly control watching TV, and scrolling on social media.
• So many of us (myself included!) have been conditioned to eat our meals while watching something. It seems natural to grab a plate and sit down in front of the TV to watch our comfort shows.
For a change, try enjoying a meal with no distractions. Instead, chew your food thoroughly, focusing on the flavors and textures.
• Take a break from whatever you’re doing to pause and take in the every day beauty that is the sunset.
• Step outdoors for a walk in a park, or other natural area. Don’t bring your earbuds – instead, pay attention to the different sights, sounds, and smells.
• We do so much digitally that handwriting letters is almost a lost art. But that’s also what makes it such a thoughtful way to express that you care.
Take time to sort your thoughts, and take your time to write neatly. If you don’t have anyone you want to write a letter to, write one to your past or future self. Send it, or don’t send it out.
• Upgrade your regular bathing experience by dimming the lights and burning some candles. Really relax into the warm or hot water. Bonus points for also using bath salts or bubbles.
• Diffuse essential oils, light scented candles, or burn incense to practice a little aromatherapy. Pleasant scents can be surprisingly effective at boosting our mood since our sense of smell is closely connected to the limbic system. The limbic system controls memory, and emotions, which is why certain scents can smell so nostalgic.
• When you don’t reflect on your past, you continue to make similar mistakes in the future. It’s also important to sit down with yourself and decide what your priorities are, and what truly matters in your life.
• When I’m talking about “slow” hobbies that means hobbies that allow you to unwind. There are many different “slow” hobbies you can try, from knitting, painting, coloring, puzzles, baking, to sculpting or journaling. It’s more about what actually feels calming for you.
• Silence, unfollow, and block without discrimination. If it doesn’t bring any value or joy to your life, that account is just wasting your time. The content we consume has a way of impacting our mindsets without us even realizing. Make sure that you’re being influenced in the right direction.
• Your physical space has a real impact on your mental space. Decluttering can be overwhelming when you have a ton of stuff.
The key is just to start in one small space and not try to tackle everything at once. Your items didn’t accumulate in a day, you won’t clean everything up in a day either. Pick an area like a drawer, desk, closet, or corner.
• Gentle and slow movements are key for both tai chi and yoga. Even though you may not work up a sweat, they can still help you improve your flexibility and reduce your stress levels. They’re also suitable for a wide variety of fitness levels and ages, even if you aren’t in great shape.
• Have you noticed a trend in this slow living challenge? It’s emphasizing doing things that are screen-free! Spend some time reading a physical book and give your eyes are break.
Books are also wonderfully distraction-free, with no notifications popping up to tempt you.
• The art of doing nothing. You don’t have to earn a break. The one absolutely vital element to this is that you allow yourself to do nothing without any guilt. If you feel guilty about relaxing, are you really relaxing?
• Doodling can be an almost meditative act. Let your hand flow freely while your mind wanders. You don’t have to set out to draw anything specific or even shareable. Just try to fill up a page with simple drawings of whatever pops into your mind.
• Take time to reconnect with someone you care about. Despite the fact that we have so many options for keeping in touch, sometimes we still aren’t in contact as much as we would like to be.
Is there anyone that comes to mind for you?
• Cleaning is something we often do in a rush. One of my favorite “hacks” is to set a 10 minute timer and see how much I can clean before the timer goes off.
This, however, is to be a cleaning that is approached mindfully. Wipe down surfaces thoughtfully, and take a moment to appreciate the space and the items in it.
Notes
I dislike when challenges have really strict rules, so how you approach this slow living challenge is entirely up to you! Aim to check off every box, treat it like a bingo card, or simply choose the activities that resonate with you each day.
The challenges that actually have an impact are the ones you stick to.
Enjoying this kind of content? I’d love for you to subscribe! ↴
