We live in a world where hustle culture and the need to be productive all the time is an almost daily occurrence. We chase the high of achievement and perfectionism, only for us to land up being overworked. Without giving ourselves the proper time and opportunity to rest, always looking for the next thing to do will leave us burnt out. When you apply too much pressure on something, an eventual burst is inevitable.
My life has been nothing short of wonderful. I met my husband when we were were sixteen, we then go married ten years later. We moved countries and are living a beautiful life. I’ve got almost every job I’ve applied for (not counting the usual rejections that come your way). And everything has worked out for the best! Because that is what happens.
And even then, I’d strive to be better, do better because nothing is enough. I held myself to very high standards and when I couldn’t meet them? That need for perfection broke me.
At the time of writing this post, I’ve had three panic attacks in the span of two days and let me tell you they suck! The stress that I put on my self is eating me out from the inside out which is why Ive decided it’s time for a change.
I spent a good part of my twenties chasing perfectionism, but now as I enter a new decade of my life I realize that that is not what life is about. How boring would we be if everything everywhere was perfect? If there were enough imperfections to break up the mundane?
I’ve been intentionally trying to slow down my life. Live each day at a time. Enjoying every moment. And in turn, looking after myself.
If you are looking for ideas on how to slow down your life, here are a few tips that I’ve started doing.
Journaling
I’ve found journaling to be quite therapeutic. There is no right or wrong way to journal. Choose what suits you, a digital notes app or pen and paper and let your emotions flow. I’ve got three notebooks that I use – one for my daily journaling, one for a brain dump and a third to track my reading habits. I don’t know about you, but just the feel of writing instantly calms me down.
Reducing my Social Media Consumption
If you told me that one day I’d rather social media didn’t exist I’d have laughed at you. I grew up around the time social media was becoming popular and by the time I was eighteen I had accounts on almost every single platform. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, you name it, I had it.
But as Ive grown older, I have realized that social media is not what is used to be. From being a space to stay on touch with friends and family, it has now evolved into a marketing tool, where information is forced onto us in quantities way more than what it should be. Which can be very overwhelming, especially if you are an emotionally sensitive person.
Which is why earlier this year I deleted most of my accounts. I don’t need to be on all of them. I have also gone through the ones that. I still have and carefully curated my feed to what I want to see or hear.
Curating my space
Tidying your apartment is a great way to start embracing a slow living. A decluttered apartment leaves a decluttered mind. And a good place to start. Because once your mind is free, it can help direct you in the right direction.
Buy yourself some flowers, burn a scented candle. Do anything to your physical space that makes you feel calm and present. A few of my favorite scents are lavender, eucalyptus and lemon (or anything citrus). These scents instantly raise your mood and make you feel better.
I wish I could tell you that I’m all good now and that the burnout has left my system. But the journey of recovery is a long one. But it isn’t the end. There will be some days when you feel like you are falling backwards. But it is you okay.
You are okay!
I cannot guarantee that embracing a slow life will change everything, but it is a journey worth taking. And we are on this together!
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