Slow is not lazy or slothful

Photo by Reed Naliboff on Unsplash

My intentional crossover to exploring slow living is very new so most of the people who know me ask me immediately: Is this a fancy way of saying you are chilling and being lazy?

Actually slow living has nothing to do with being lazy at all. So, any images of lying on a couch or in a supine position for hours on end are not accurate. The first step to slow living is finding one's natural pace. The one I was born with before the "burdens" of expectations, aspirations and desires altered it forever. So, for me, that natural pace is what I have am learning to call fast/slow/fast. I am naturally quick to "get it" - what needs to be done, how do I need to do it, what resources do I need! And then I am actually slow - I like to stay with it, putter a bit, wander around before I complete the task at hand.

For example: when I write a post here, I immediately know what I want to say and I can see and feel what it will look like in the end. Thennnnn....it might take a while to actually write the post. First, it will take me maybe two three days to get to desk. Once here, I will pick an affirmation card and neaten the area. I might even light a candle or burn some incense. All this while I am already in the topic vibe...if that makes sense? When my fingers finally connect with the keyboard, they fly over the keys and the post takes shape almost in minutes. I seldom stop to correct - in fact I leave the typos in because they always feel natural. And then I walk away...I come back a while later to add the image. Surprisingly I never re-read the post. The next time I think about it is when you, my readers, send me a message or feedback on it.

So, once you have your natural pace figured out, slow living is easy. It is responding to life at that pace. This means different things to different people. You might find yourself to be a slow/slow for example. So each person's experience will be unique. What is common though is the lack of rushed-ness! I am not thinking about anything else as I write this post. I am not looking at the watch...in fact not at all once I begin a task. The other common thing is uni-tasking...when I am writing this post, I am not simultaneously doing anything. I am not checking incoming messages or looking at my screen. I am not eating a snack or drinking a beverage.

Once the post is written, I will stop for a moment. Take a couple of breaths and I like to have a sip or two of water. My experience of the last months has been that I actually accomplish a lot in each day. I cannot say it is the same, less or more than before because I have also stopped coaching or "working" for a livelihood so I do not have an apple to apple comparison to share. I do feel I seldom miss my workouts, or gatherings with friends. I am usually caught up with errands. Most important though, I have ample time to segue between tasks, to putter, to sit and look at the sky at odd times of the day. This is of course the bliss of slow living...or may I say, living at my pace.