I promised myself I would not to begin another blog post with the sentence 'How is it xyz month already!', and here I am. I've just sat down to write, raising my eyebrows at how time has passed. Hello. It's been a while.
My grandma used to say 'Nothing goes as quick as your 40's' and, yes, that's certainly been my experience. The second I dipped my toe into my 5th decade, time sped up and I've been hurtling through life at a rate of knots.
One of my priorities in 2024 has been to Slow. Life. Down. Take my time with the things I choose to do and live more intentionally.
Unintentionally, I have, in the process, discovered there's a whole movement dedicated to slow living. As such, I've found myself exploring what has become a rather lovely way of living, one that isn't about living life in slow motion. My version of slow living is really about living with a considered approach and more thoughtfully.
One of the joyful things about slow living is the ability to make it whatever works for you. Todays Friday Five is dedicated to five things I've been doing this year to promote slow living.
1. Slow craftsmanship
Slow craftsmanship can apply to both fashion and interiors. I read somewhere that fast interiors are marked by mass produced items sold by cheaper homeware brands, leading to a throw away culture. Whilst slow interiors are driven by craftsmanship and quality. A home for slow living takes time.
Fast fashion (in case you aren't sure) is trend driven design, mass produced in volume and bought to market quickly. In absolute contrast, slow fashion is ethical and sustainable, it looks to quality rather than quantity.
The way I look at it is:
Haul or heirloom?
Is it going to melt if you end up near a flame?
Are you going to be wearing / using it in 10 years, or are you going to be giving it / throwing it away?
I'm no longer buying mass produced items, which has led me to discover slow living brands. These are the companies I've been drawn to:
- Jaggery, Knitwear, the focus is on women empowerment through TOGETHERNESS
- Babaa, more knitwear! They even create their own yarn!
- Olann, slow made and consciously considered.
- Slow furniture, made in Devon
- Slow Sofa, n on-toxic, eco-friendly materials that are built to last a lifetime.
- The Wooden Bed Co, top quality, beautiful solid Scandinavian pine and European oak.
2. Slow Food
The Slow Food movement was founded by Carlo Petrini in 1989 in Italy, to defend regional food traditions. Slow Food understands the connection between "plate, planet, people, politics and culture" and has evolved to represent an entire movement. For me it has been understanding food, getting rid of UPF's and supporting local producers.
One of the wonders of living in Hampshire is the absolute abundance of farm shops and local produce. Eggs, honey, bread are a couple of items I regularly pick up. We have lovely local farm cafe's serving delicious breakfasts, using eggs from local chickens.
I have some book recommendations to begin your journey:
- Slow Food Revolution: A New Culture for Dining and Living by Carlo Petrini
3. Slow Travel
In a world where fast-paced living often extends to how we travel, the concept of slow travel offers a refreshing alternative. It’s about more than just taking your time, it's really all about taking a conscious approach to exploring. To me it means depth over breadth, experience over checklist, and connection over convenience. At its core, slow travel is about immersing yourself in the places you visit, engaging with local cultures, and embracing the journey as much as the destination.
The first step in slow travel is choosing destinations that align with the values of simplicity, sustainability, and authenticity. Instead of rushing through a jam-packed itinerary, slow travel encourages fewer destinations, with more time spent in each one. Only this week, someone I met in Saltzburg sent pictures of our time together. It was a chance meeting that has created the loveliest of connections, made when we were simply taking time and sitting still.
When choosing where to stay, I generally look for places that encourage a slower pace of life. A cosy cabin, a farmhouse, and recently, a West Cork island where the sound of the waves took me off to sleep.
Getting to the destination is all part of the slow adventure. Instead of jumping on the quickest flight, I prefer more leisurely modes of transport. I mentioned my recent trip to West Cork, we flew into a tiny airport, and ambled through lanes and winding roads. This time last year I was in New York and I covered 70 km by foot in a few days, avoiding public transport and turning travel time into an integral part of the adventure rather than just a means to an end.
Ultimately, slow travel is about being present in the moment and savouring the experience. It’s about letting go of the need to see and do everything, and instead, finding joy in the simple pleasures—like watching a sunset, listening to the sounds of a bustling market, or sharing a meal with new friends. There is joy in being off the beaten path, on the road less traveled, and experiencing the world in a way that is as enriching for the soul as it is for the senses.
4. Be Still
This is a big one. Be still. Just be still.
In a world that glorifies constant motion and productivity, the idea of stillness can feel almost radical. Yet, it is in stillness that we often find the clarity, peace, and insight we desperately seek in our hectic lives. When I first began to practice being still, I realised that I hadn't truly experienced such a state since sitting in the Mark Rothko room at the Tate gallery in the '90s. That moment of quiet contemplation, surrounded by Rothko's deep, meditative colours, stayed with me for years, serving as a reminder of the power of stillness.
I once read an interesting quote about how busy people choose to be busy. At first, I found it hard to accept. I, like many others, often felt that busyness was something imposed upon me by the demands of life. But when I took a closer look, I realised that it was me who said yes to every event, me who overcommitted, me who offered my time even when my schedule was already overflowing, and me who tried to fit too much into each day. This constant state of busyness had become my norm, leaving little room for rest, reflection, or even the simple act of just being still.
In learning to be still, I discovered stillness is not just the absence of movement, but a space where the mind can rest and the soul can breathe. It's a state of being that allows us to connect with our inner selves, to listen to the quiet whispers of our thoughts, and to cultivate a deeper awareness of the world around us.
Stillness is not something that happens by accident; it requires intention and practice. It’s about creating moments in your day where you consciously choose to pause, to breathe, and to simply be. In these moments, we allow ourselves to step off the treadmill of life and reconnect with what truly matters.
One of the most effective ways to embrace stillness is through meditation. When I first began meditating, I struggled with the idea of doing "nothing". My mind would race, and I’d feel the urge to get up and do something "productive". But over time, through meditation, I found that I could carry the stillness I cultivated in those sessions into my everyday life, helping me approach challenges with a calm mind and an open heart. There are many forms of meditation, from guided meditations to mindfulness practices, Apps like Headspace, Calm, or Insight Timer can be helpful tools for beginners.
One of the most transformative aspects of embracing stillness is the space it creates in your life. It's given me the space to choose how I spend my time, who I spend it with, and what I say yes or no to. When I'm constantly on the go I often say yes to everything out of habit, fear of missing out, or a sense of obligation. But in stillness, I've found the clarity to make more intentional choices.
If you’re not used to being still, start small. Try setting aside just five minutes a day where you disconnect from all distractions and focus on your breath, or take a slow walk without any particular destination in mind. Over time, these moments will become a cherished part of your routine.
5. Slow Gardening
Gardening has always been a metaphor for life, and in the world of slow living, it takes on even greater significance. My experience of slow gardening is about more than just growing food or cultivating flowers, it's about nurturing a connection with the earth, understanding the seasons, and embracing the patience that comes with watching things grow.
Gardening reminds me that nature operates on its own timeline. Gardening has encourage me to be present, to appreciate the quiet moments, and to celebrate the small victories, like the first bloom of a rose or the taste of a homegrown tomato. It is very much trial and error, my attempt at tomatoes wasn't great but my roses are wonderful. It takes time.
This year, I’ve dedicated more time to my garden, planting heirloom seeds and native plants that thrive in our local ecosystem. It's been an exercise in mindfulness, where every step, from planting to pruning, is done with intention. I’ve learned that a garden, much like life, flourishes not with haste, but with care, attention, and a willingness to adapt to the unexpected.
If you're new to gardening or want to adopt a slower approach, I highly recommend starting with these books:
- The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman
- The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust
- The Garden Awakening: Designs to Nurture Our Land and Ourselves by Mary Reynolds
And if you want some inspiration for your own slow garden, check out these beautiful resources:
- The Cottage Gardener
- Permaculture for Beginners
- Gardenista for design ideas and slow gardening tips.
...Final thoughts
One of the most unexpectedly joyful aspects of slow living is the art of doing nothing. In a culture that glorifies busyness and productivity, the idea of intentionally carving out time to do absolutely nothing felt rebellious at first. It took me a while to fully embrace doing nothing.
For me, doing nothing often involves spending time hanging around in nature, sitting quietly with a cup of berry tea, or simply sitting in my garden, watching the clouds drift past. It’s about giving myself permission to step away from the to-do lists, the notifications, and the constant hum of activity, and to just be.
My experience of slow living is not about achieving a perfect state of calm or abandoning all modern conveniences; it's about finding a balance that works. It's a practice of mindfulness, intention, and conscious choice, whether it's through slow craftsmanship, food, travel, gardening, or simply being still.
As we continue through 2024, I encourage you to explore your own version of slow living. Start small, with one or two changes that resonate with you, and let the journey unfold naturally. In a world that often feels like it's moving too fast, slow living offers a refreshing alternative—a chance to savour life, moment by moment.
Let me know how you get on!
p.s.
I'll write another post about how I've embraced slow living into my work. I'll link it here once live.
