Embracing Slow: How To Start Living With Intention

In recent years, the slow living movement has gained traction as a much-needed break from the constant pressure of hustle culture. But how do I start a slow living lifestyle in the midst of a productivity and success driven society?

What Is Slow Living?

At its core, the concept of slow living is about making deliberate choices that align with your values, your wiring, and what truly matters most. It’s about trading the rat race for the right speed. It means letting go of the need to keep up with everyone else and, instead, tuning in to your own pace. The definition of slow living can vary from person to person, but the essence remains the same: embracing a slower, more intentional rhythm in your everyday life.

The slow living lifestyle invites us to step away from the chaos and come home to ourselves. It’s about noticing the small things, savoring your morning coffee, taking a short walk in your local park, or reconnecting with the natural world around you. It’s a slower way of life that’s rooted in presence, simplicity, and connection.

Why It Matters

In a fast-paced world, where to-do lists are long and the hours even longer, we often neglect our mental health, physical health, and free time. We’re constantly chasing the next best thing, our eyes glued to digital devices, our minds buzzing with noise. The slow living mindset offers a much-needed pause.

This isn’t about a drastic change overnight. It’s about small changes that add up: fewer commitments, more quality time, less scrolling, more presence. It’s a great way to regain your sense of self and rediscover joy in your daily life.

Slow Living and the Life of Jesus

One of the most powerful examples of slow living is Jesus Himself. When we look at His life, we never see Him in a rush. He moved at the speed of presence. Even with the weight of the world on His shoulders, He stopped for the one in front of Him. He took time to withdraw and pray, to eat with friends, to walk from town to town. His life was marked by deliberate choices, deep connection, and complete trust in the Father’s timing.

Jesus didn’t hustle to prove His worth. He didn’t cram His days full. Instead, He lived in alignment with His purpose, grounded in love. This slower mindset isn’t just a modern movement, it echoes the pace of the One who created time itself.

In embracing a slower lifestyle, we’re not just choosing better rhythms, we’re choosing to walk as He walked. The art of slow living becomes not just about wellness, but about discipleship.

Principles of Slow Living

Here are some core principles of slow living to get your wheel turning:

1. Intentional Living – Make choices based on your values, not external pressure.
2. Mindful Living – Be present in the moment, fully engaged in what you’re doing.
3. Simple Living – Declutter your physical space and simplify routines. Say no more often.
4. Connection with Nature – Spend more time outside. Breathe in the fresh air.
5. Mindful Consumption – From slow fashion to intentional food sourcing, choose products and foods that are ethically and sustainably made.
6. Set Boundaries – Guard your screen time, protect your free time, and say no more often.
7. Create Space – Regularly build in regular breaks and unstructured time.
8. Follow the Right Speed – Choose a rhythm that feels nourishing, not draining.

Incorporating Slow Living Into Daily Life

Here are some slow living practices and simple ways to get started:

• Start your morning routine without your phone. Trade digital noise for journaling, stretching, or sipping tea. Here’s my current morning rhythm!
• Go for a walk without headphones. Let the natural world speak.
• Eat slowly and gratefully. The slow food movement, started by Carlo Petrini and others, is all about uplifting local food and honoring regional food traditions.
• Reduce screen time. Try a social media sabbath or limit your use to certain hours.
• Schedule buffer time between meetings or tasks. Let your daily routine breathe.
• Cook from scratch. Trade in pre-made meals for ones made using just ingredients. This practice not only slows us down, but invites us toward a better understanding of our food.
• Reflect by writing down your thoughts or keep a gratitude journal to stay grounded.
• Try creative hobbies or projects just for FUN, not productivity.
• Practice mindful shopping. Buy less, but better. Consider ethical labor principles as well as the environmental impact of your purchases. 
• ​Repair rather than buy new. This one goes along with mindful spending, but try sewing or repairing something that is ripped or broken rather than buying new.
• Embrace a simpler wardrobe with slow fashion principles. Even try a capsule wardrobe with pieces that can be repurposed. 
• Spend time doing nothing. It’s not laziness, it’s rest. Take a Sabbath!

Personal Reflections and Tips

As someone who’s chosen a slower approach to life (but not without cultural resistance), I’ve found that the most important things tend to surface when I finally stop striving. Living at a slow pace of life helps me feel aligned, authentic, and whole.

Here are a few things that have helped me personally:

• I treat my mornings as a sacred ritual, no rushing, no multitasking.
• I take a walk outside almost every day, even if it’s just 10 minutes. I rarely use headphones when I walk outside as it helps me take in my surroundings. (I like catching up on podcasts when I walk at the gym). 
• I’ve drastically reduced social media use, which has improved my mental health and clarity. I login with an intention and limit my time there.
• I’ve designed my daily routine around my energy, not my expectation. I know that having the energy to complete a task is important, so I follow that. And when I need a break, I take it. 
• When I slow my body down, my mind feels at ease. So one of my practices it to move slowly. Walking, brushing my teeth, driving, etc. It calms my nervous system and take me out of fight or flight. 
• I remind myself regularly, You don’t have to do it all. You just have to do what matters.

Slow Living Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

There are many ways to embrace a slower lifestyle. The art of slow living is in finding what works for you. It might look like slow travel, longer meals, simple living, or just letting yourself breathe deeply on a busy day.

No matter your starting point, there is freedom in letting go of the rush. The slow-living movement isn’t about doing less for the sake of it. It’s about doing what matters more mindfully, more lovingly, and more slowly.

So take a deep breath. This might just be your perfect season to slow down and start living at the speed of your soul.

I want to hear from you!

What’s one slow living tip you want to try this week? Or one area you want to explore a slower mindset? Let me know in the comments. Let’s inspire each other to create a conscious lifestyle, one deep breath at a time.

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