Discovering Slow Living in Practice
- Leaves
- Feb 10, 2024
- 8 min read
My formative years were spent nestled in the peace and slow of the North East of India. Slow living wasn’t a thing then but it was one of the most North East things you’d ever have the pleasure of experiencing.
As life would have it, a decade later, I found myself trying to adjust to the bustling city of Calcutta and not knowing any better, I started living fast..
Biggest mistake ever, but I was a child. How would I know?
By living through it, the rush every time I had to catch a bus to get to school, the rush to catch the bus back, the rush because I couldn’t enjoy an ice-cream or I would miss my evening classes with my tutors who wanted nothing but the best - I became fast. The scariest part? I hated every second of it without knowing how to get out of it - I was stuck.
If you were not fast, you weren’t getting anywhere.
‘Fast’ crawled into my most precious daily habits. I ate fast, I heard to respond, not to listen and understand and I started prioritizing the destination rather than understanding that the real meaning of the destination always, always in the journey.
I loved reading and creating nooks and corners for my morning ritual of reading a few pages every holiday. I buried myself in the works of famous literary figures in our history and learnt some of the most valuable lessons ever. When time came to choose, I took up English Literature in my college and yet again, I was faced with fast.
As English grads, we were expected to read endlessly (a pleasure), but every text had a ticking time-bomb of an assignment which meant that reading, understanding, interpreting and all the things that I loved doing as an English grad had a timer on it. And that needed me to be fast.
And I did until I didn’t. I started missing lectures and found myself journaling in the common rooms. I missed lectures and found myself reading entirely different texts in the shade of a college tree.
I was craving slow. I was craving meaning and I was craving the autonomy to do it with a deeper lens. I was craving for the void to fill. But I never knew what to fill it with.
For that, I needed to slow down. After over a decade of fast, it took me three more years to understand what this slow meant to me, to tap into the slow living my life had actually started with.
So I wanna start there, by telling you what it means to me…
Slow living means to me strategy. A strategy that will (very fast) take me from fast to slow.
I believe over the years of being a part of this industry, I will have multiple but I want to start with a foundational one.
SPY FOAM - Your toolkit to start living slow
SPY FOAM stands for -
S - Simplify your schedule
P - Cultivate the Habit of Being Present
Y- Make a Yes - No List: things you want to say yes to and no to
F - Filter what goes into your mind and body
O - Set up times to organize something in the day (anything)
A - Adjust after reflecting
M - Start your mornings mindfully
Let’s dive deeper into this strategy to fully understand the nuances…
1. Simplify Your Schedule
How many times have you freaked out after you made the “to do” list for the day?
In our fast-paced world, our schedules can quickly spiral out of control, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. That's where the first step of the SPY FOAM method comes in: simplifying your schedule.
Take a critical look at your calendar and ask yourself: are all these commitments truly necessary?
Be very soft with yourself by being hard with what goes into your day as a task. A task isn’t just that - it has to be important enough to demand your attention when you’re busy fighting the everyday battles of life. If its not adding value to your day or solving a crisis, it sure seems like it can be dealth with later.
2. Cultivate the Habit of Being Present
Its an everyday thing. Someone is telling you something really important and you’re nodding all the while thinking about the deadline at work that’s not due until tomorrow. If you need someone to explicitly tell you this, here it is: you’re being rude and you’re being rude to yourself. You’re coming off as the person who doesn’t have their shit together so much so that when they are with someone, even then they’re not with them fully.
It's time to cultivate the habit of being present. In a world that's constantly pulling our attention in a million different directions, it's easy to lose sight of the here and now. But by making a conscious effort to be fully present in each moment, we can experience greater peace, joy, and fulfillment.
That cup of hot chocolate was made so you could take your mind off work, that reflection walk was meant for you to connect the dots about life’s great mysteries, that conversation was meant to bridge the communication gap with your partner so this has to stop and you and I? We have to be here and now, every step of this journey.
3. Make a Yes-No List: Things You Want to Say Yes to and No to
One of the most powerful tools in the slow living arsenal is the Yes-No list. Believe me when I say this, it has changed my outlook in a lot of ways. Everytime I feel overwhelmed with too many things on my plate - I sit down and make a yes-no list while referring to my previous ones for inspiration or to see how far I’ve come.
As a person who’s had a complicated life, saying no even to the easiest things was a mammoth task for me. But I’m learning that the best way to learn to say no is to say no to yourself first. Say no to wasting time on people that don’t value you, say no to the social media trends that you don’t identify with, say no to anything and everything you do that doesn’t add value or experience or lessons in your journey.
This simple yet effective practice involves identifying the things you want to say yes to – the activities, relationships, and experiences that align with your values and priorities – and the things you want to say no to – the distractions, obligations, and energy drains that detract from your well-being.
By setting clear boundaries and honoring your own needs and desires, you can create a life that's filled with purpose, passion, and meaning.
4. Filter What Goes Into Your Mind and Body
Just like junk food and alcohol can damage your liver to the point of no return, consuming and retaining information that only feeds into your negative, intrusive thoughts can damage your mind to the point of no return.
Since the rise of the digital age, I’ve seen children’s lives being consumed by social media. Mental health disorders have statistically worsened due to ideas preached across the unfiltered digital spaces.
Just as we filter what goes into our bodies through the food we eat, we must also filter what goes into our minds through the media we consume and the information we expose ourselves to. In a world saturated with negativity and noise, it's crucial to be mindful of the content we consume and the messages we internalize.
Surround yourself with sources of inspiration, positivity, and growth, and let go of anything that doesn't serve your highest good.
5. Set Up Times to Organize Something in the Day (Anything)
Organizing books on shelves, organizing the kitchen, organizing files on the computer - they are all ways I clear my head. Organizing gives me life.
And as it happens to be the case, organization is the key to a calm and clutter-free life. That's why the next step in the SPY FOAM method is to set up times to organize something in your day, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.
Whether it's tidying up your workspace, decluttering a closet, or creating a meal plan for the week ahead, taking proactive steps to bring order to your surroundings can have a profound impact on your overall sense of well-being.
Something that took my organization skills to the next level was studying how the organizing experts do it and imbibing their best habits that most suit my style to my own organizing methods. Its not just refreshing to do things differently but also a fun exercise that tells you how you like your stuff being organized.
6. Adjust After Reflecting
No process, no strategy, no rule on Earth can really help if I’m not routinely checking progress, reflecting on the stuff that’s working and the stuff that’s not.
That’s why I like to dedicate walks to this sort of reflection. It helps me tune into my most sub-conscious feelings about my day. Did the blueberry smoothie feel bad paired with an egg for breakfast? Did the tone of a work email put me off? Did I have a more meaningful conversation with my partner when we spoke about our feelings in greater detail and asked more questions?
As you journey deeper into the world of slow living, it's important to regularly reflect on your progress and make adjustments as needed. Notice what's working well for you and what could use some fine-tuning, and be open to experimenting with new practices and routines. Remember, slow living is a journey, not a destination, and it's okay to course-correct along the way.
7. Start Your Mornings Mindfully
Last but certainly not least, what makes everything in a day just worth it is starting my day with myself and silence. Doodling and writing my to-do, brainstorming ideas, solving a puzzle, reading an article on interesting and uplifting stuff.
The one thing that just seals the deal for me is thus, starting my mornings mindfully.
How you begin your day sets the tone for everything that follows, so make it a priority to start each day with intention and purpose. Whether it's meditating, journaling, or simply enjoying a leisurely breakfast, take time to nourish your body, mind, and soul before diving into the demands of the day.
Here are some Actionable Steps for Starting Your Day Mindfully:
Set an Intention: Before you even get out of bed, take a moment to set an intention for the day ahead. This could be anything from cultivating gratitude to approaching challenges with compassion. By starting your day with a clear intention, you'll create a guiding light to steer you through whatever comes your way.
Mindful Breathing: Take a few minutes to practice mindful breathing. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and focus on your breath as it enters and leaves your body. Notice the sensation of each inhale and exhale, allowing your breath to anchor you in the present moment and calm your mind.
Mindful Movement: Incorporate gentle movement into your morning routine to awaken your body and mind. This could be a short yoga flow, a brisk walk around the block, or a series of stretching exercises. Pay attention to the sensations in your body as you move, and allow yourself to fully experience the joy of being alive.
Digital Detox: Resist the temptation to reach for your phone or computer first thing in the morning. Instead, give yourself a technology-free buffer zone to ease into the day. Use this time to connect with yourself and your loved ones, engage in a relaxing activity like reading or journaling, or simply bask in the quiet stillness of the morning.
In a world that's constantly pushing us to go faster, do more, and be better, embracing the art of slow living is nothing short of revolutionary. It's a radical act of self-love and self-care, a rejection of the hustle and bustle in favor of a more mindful, intentional way of being.
As we journey deeper into the heart of slow living, may we remember that it's not about perfection; it's about presence. It's about savoring the small moments, finding beauty in the ordinary, and cultivating a deep sense of gratitude for the gift of each day.
So let us breathe deeply, walk gently, and live fully, knowing that the true magic of life lies not in the destination, but in the journey itself. Here's to living slowly, authentically, and with a heart wide open to all that life has to offer.
Catch you on the Wellness Wave,
Leaves
