I thought this was worth talking about, just in case anyone has the wrong idea of what slow living really means.

It has become a more popular term, and maybe my meaning isn’t exactly the same as everyone else’s. But slow living has made a huge difference in my life, and my hope is that it can help you too.

So I’ll start with what slow living is not.

Slow living is not an excuse to avoid hard work. It doesn’t mean putting your responsibilities aside so you can take it easy. It doesn’t mean ignoring the clock or having no consideration for other people, although I will admit I sometimes wish I could ignore the clock. It doesn’t mean dragging your feet when something needs to be done quickly.

In fact, slow living often involves more effort, not less.

Let me give you an example.

You can throw a meal in the microwave and have it ready in five minutes. It’s quick, easy, and gets the job done. Or you can cook a beautiful meal using wholesome ingredients. A meal that nourishes your body, and honestly, your soul too if you really take the time to enjoy it. It looks good, smells good, and feels good.

Yes, it takes more work. But choosing to slow down and make something meaningful is an act of love toward yourself. That is slow living.

And that’s just one example.

What I’ve found is that when you slow down, you actually gain more time. Not in a literal sense, but in the way your life feels. You feel more present. More fulfilled.

I want to share why I started living this way, long before I ever heard the term.

I was a young mom, running on very little sleep. Most days I was eating a protein bar, a banana, or whatever I could grab quickly. I would roll straight out of bed and start caring for my children, with no time for something as simple as a quiet cup of coffee or even a shower.

My mornings were spent rushing to get out the door. We were always going somewhere. An event, a friend’s house, a class. Anything to keep my children busy. We would be gone most of the day.

And in the middle of all that, I was overwhelmed. I was snapping at my kids. My house was always a mess. Dinner wasn’t ready. By the end of the day, I was completely depleted, wondering why I couldn’t keep up with anything.

Something had to change.

I’m not exactly sure what prompted it, but I started learning how to say no.

No to most outside commitments.

And I’ll be honest, that was really hard at first. I felt like a bad friend. Like I was letting people down. Like I wasn’t allowed to say no.

But I knew I didn’t want to be the mom who was always short and snappy. I wanted to be present. Warm. Available.

My children depend on me, and I wanted to show up for them in a better way.

Once I started saying no, things began to shift.

So what does a slow day actually look like?

It looks like being still and quiet when someone needs you to listen.

It looks like putting down your phone, stepping away from the scrolling, and choosing something else. Reading. Writing. Drawing. Anything that helps you slow down.

It looks like starting a pot of soup at noon and letting it simmer throughout the day so dinner is warm, nourishing, and ready.

It looks like going for a walk and noticing the details. The flowers, the moss on the trees, the sound of birds. Not just rushing to get to a destination and turn around.

It looks like choosing family time. Beach days. Picnics. Bike rides.

It looks like slow, meaningful activities. Baking. Sewing. Knitting.

It looks like allowing yourself to be bored instead of filling every moment.

And it looks like choosing calm and contentment instead of constantly searching for the next best thing or worrying about what you can’t control.

So don’t just take my word for it.

Try it for yourself.

And if you’ve already started embracing slow living, I would love to hear what you’ve done to slow down.