The Art of Slow Living

The mornings I find myself yearning for involve the smell of bacon, seeping through the bottom of my door. There isn’t much noise, aside from the sound of bacon sizzling in the kitchen. On those mornings, I always felt my best getting out of bed. Not because there was a promise of exciting activities, but because it was slow. 

I don’t live at home anymore, but I still get to experience the mornings that make me forget the weight of my responsibilities. They usually involve a good night's rest and a walk on the beach, basking in the sun, and enjoying the sound of every wave and the strangers who I coincidentally shared the shoreline with that morning. 

I’ve always appreciated these slow living days and the quiet that follows them, but they are typically followed by a day of unspoken competition to be more productive than your peers, and are too quickly forgotten. So, I began to ask questions about what slow living looks like, everyday. And then I realized what slow living asks of us. It asks us to reconsider what achievement really is. It’s not speed or productivity, but ease and alignment. 

Many of us use the phrase, “I have no time” as a status symbol. We pretend like it’s a badge of honor to pack our schedules so full we forget lunch. When someone says they’re busy, it’s proof that you are in demand, you’re needed. And social media only amplifies this with pictures of overflowing calendars being seen as aesthetic, turning activity into identity. Reminding us that we are defined by what we accomplish in a day, and tomorrow doesn’t matter. 

I once read a quote that said, “You can do anything, but you can’t do everything.” I’ve carried it with me ever since. It reminds me that living well isn’t just about doing more, it’s about enjoying more. And I didn’t enjoy waking up with several new pimples due to what I thought “living well” was. That’s when my perspective on achievement shifted. I wasn’t gaining anything from making endless to-do lists. I learned more when I focused on being present and living in alignment with what I desire from this life. Slow living isn’t an excuse for laziness, but it’s a choice to prioritize what benefits you and savor each moment without getting caught up thinking about the next. 

I moved to a small town where I knew little to no one. I found myself drawn to the beach. A place I could walk alone and find others doing the same. I take moments listening to the water crashing, watching birds enjoy the sand as I do, and reflecting on moments the day’s held. The most peaceful part of it all, is knowing it’ll always be there. Not the beach itself, but the walk that slows down my day enough for me to enjoy both what came before and what’s to come. When I find myself back in my car, I feel grateful to slow down and move in balance with the day. 

Reaching that point of gratitude drew me into the slow living lifestyle. There’s no substitute for the feeling of gratitude, even the moments I once considered distasteful. It shows that achievement isn’t measured by how much you can accomplish in a day while sacrificing sleep, but by how at ease you feel while living it. Restful sleep, meaningful connections, and noticing beauty in what you have, these become the markers of a slow and well-lived life. 

Slow living isn’t just walking in a place that calms your nervous system, it’s meant to be applied in every ordinary action, into everything we often overlook. I make coffee, listen to music, and write everyday. Those are all small, ordinary moments in my life that can easily be overlooked and rushed. But it sounds more appealing when I say: “I wake up in the morning, still in my pajamas while I slowly make my way to the kitchen. I grab my favorite mug that I got thrifting in Alaska to pour my warm latte into. I take a moment to appreciate my neighbors Christmas lights (that stay up all year round) that peek into the kitchen window giving me just enough light to leave all of mine off.” 

There is so much beauty in romanticizing your small rituals. Moments when you allow yourself to think about what is in front of you, rather than what’s waiting for you, reveal the ease and alignment in your every day. 

We live in a culture obsessed with performance, and it’s easy to forget that being present is an achievement in itself. We are taught to capture and produce from every experience before we have a chance to completely appreciate it. But presence holds value, Toni Morrison wrote, “At some point in life the world’s beauty becomes enough. You don’t need to photograph, paint, or even remember. It is enough.” 

Slow living wants you to embrace this perspective. Let the ordinary moments remain themselves, find beauty within what’s there. There is only a false narrative that you must measure it. It is still beautiful if nobody else thinks so too. 

Choosing the slow living route has shown me that achievement isn’t about doing more. It’s about being deliberate about where I spend my time and energy. Slow living is found in the movements of a coffee ritual, stretching your toes before getting out of bed, or listening to waves crash and realizing you share the rhythm of the day with birds. Every ordinary day holds a quiet significance when you approach each task with intention. Achievement isn’t about doing more than the day before, but by finding more to enjoy about life each day. Slow living reminds us that the pursuit of tomorrow will often leave us wanting more, but embracing today will completely satisfy you.