At Cherchez La Femme, we’re not just about fashion and sustainability. On the contrary, we’re interested in how these concepts can bring a sense of wellbeing in people’s lives and how this wellbeing can be expressed and preserved. We all have very busy schedules, but it is important to cut out the time for ourselves to help make us shine and thrive in whatever it is that we do and love. Especially with the crisis we’re all facing everyday, from the rising costs of living, to climate change pressure and the war going on, it is essential to find the time to unplug and let go of all the issues that surround us on a daily basis. That’s why this week, we’ve put together a slow living guide to help you start living better, instead of just living.
What is slow living?
Slow living is about slowing down the pace of life and taking the time to savour the moment instead of rushing through it. When we slow down, we open up the opportunity for more connection, depth, joy, and peace. This can manifest in different ways depending on the person. It can look like just roaming around the house with no pressure, or taking up a hobby or simply spending quality time with friends and family.
Whatever your way of manifesting a slow life is, it is essential to create a sustainable and enjoyable lifestyle. We like to call it slow living, whilst the Italians like to call it ‘Il Dolce Far Niente’: the sweetness of doing nothing may seem like a luxury afforded to a lucky few, but can be found in everything, from mealtimes to doing what you love.
We’ve put together a few tips on how you can start living differently, even if you don’t have that much time in your routine or if you’re a beginner at this.
There’s a couple of benefits that come from minimising your belongings. By removing clutter from your home or workspace, you reduce the number of visual distractions that compete for your attention, as well as simplifying certain aspects of your routine. For example, if you don’t own too many clothes and accessories, you are going to spend way less time deciding what to wear each morning.
Spending quality time outdoors is essential for slowing down and reconnecting as a family or as an individual. There are countless ways to enjoy nature, so you just need to find the spot that works for you: it could be a park, a botanical garden, a cycling route, a quiet street or a busy cafè where you can sit outside and relax.
Start giving yourself more time to go through your morning routine. Wake up earlier and instead of rushing through the ‘getting ready for work’ to-do list, try to enjoy every sip of coffee or tea, savour your breakfast and take 10 minutes to meditate.
When starting the day slowly and without stress, you will find you’ll be able to accomplish way more throughout the day. We start the day with lemon, lime or celery water.
- One task at the time
We tend to fill every second of silence with talking, music, the TV on in the background or mental chatter. But quietude has a profoundly positive impact on our brains, so escaping our noisy world from time to time can be great for our wellbeing. Silence can look different for all of us, whether it is through meditation, a walk in nature, retreating to a peaceful place or simply switching off that TV, make sure to enjoy time with yourself in complete silence.
Although slow living may seem impossible with a jam-packed schedule and little time to spare, it’s not as difficult as it seems. All it takes is a bit of creativity and some simple adjustments to your routine. Slow living helps you focus on what’s most important to you. When there’s no longer space to cram appointments and obligations into your calendar, you’re forced to rethink your priorities.
“In an age of speed, I began to think, nothing could be more invigorating than going slow. In an age of distraction, nothing can feel more luxurious than paying attention.”
— Pico Iyer
[information sourced on theminimalistvegan.com and thehealthsessions.com
Featured image by Stephanie Renee Cluff on Unsplash
Image 1 by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash
Image 2 by Kanwardeep Kaur on Unsplash]