Journey To Slow

In December 2020, slow living found me - - on the floor after collapsing and falling fast down a flight of stairs. Fortunately, I survived the fall with just a few bruises and slight back pain, but as I lay on the cold basement floor, an eerie feeling came over me that was all too familiar, and I couldn't shake this single thought, "How did I end up here, again?"

Five years before this incident, I'd spent back-to-back nights in the ER for shortness of breath and hyperventilation that felt like I would suffocate until the nurse told me, "Dear, you're not dying, you're having an anxiety attack." That was a pivotal moment in my journey. Finally, after years of rebuilding my life with purpose and intention, leaving the corporate playground, setting boundaries, focusing on my well-being, finding time for self-care, and doing the work, I was in control of my life.

So how did I get caught up in another whirlwind of burnout?!

 In a moment of awakening, laid flat on the concrete floor, weighted and exhausted and deflated - - I burst into tears and knew I had given it my all. I was empty. I placed a scarf over my feet and slept there all night.

To surrender, you choose to meet life as it is, right now.

So I decided to take a weekend to rest, reset, and fix my life on Monday. As the saying goes, we plan - God laughs.

The weekend turned into days and weeks.

I slept, mostly. I was exhausted.

The laundry piled up in the corner, and I didn't feel bad about it. Family dinners were made uncomplicated and with simple ingredients. I prioritized my work in order of no more than three tasks a day because I was overwhelmed with the thought of multi-tasking.

The first several weeks felt more like I was slowly giving up rather than awakening to the process of surrender.

So there were moments, seasons, and over a year of my life that I spent cultivating, nurturing, and practicing the fundamentals of slow living: significantly tiny victories done ASAP - as slowly as possible.

But the more willing and open I was to let go of control, breakthrough by breakthrough, I felt less hopeless and defeated.

Instead, there was space for healing and balance. I felt peace and a sense of relief.

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I will fall again on my journey; that is a simple truth. After all, life comes at you fast.

I believe that our willingness to surrender and let go gives us the strength and guidance we need to slow our life, making space for more conscious living in fast-moving moments.

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So what exactly is slow living? Simply put, it's a mindset, a way of life.

The journey to slow is for a more meaningful life built from intentionality, self intimacy, and connection to the Creator. It's about creating moments to slow down, disconnect from the busyness, and be more present.

If you feel like your life is moving too fast, here's how to slow it down:

Do nothing. Listen to your body - - mind and soul. Get into the idea that you can say no; I've had enough. Allow yourself to exist between uncomfortable and discovery — your refinement and evolution growth space. Doing nothing is still doing something.

Don't beat yourself up; this is not the end. You are not a failure. You are human. The first few weeks were brutal for me, and I was so hard on myself. "Come on, girl, get to it and keep up! You're being lazy," are some of the things I told myself.

Remember that every ending is an opportunity for a new beginning. You've done what you could, and now it's time to let go of the chase and be inflow. Likewise, a slow approach to everyday displays tremendous power in letting go of what we can't control - life. Slow living is an act of faith that I have everything I need, and that is enough.

Simplify, edit your life.

Easier said than done; believe me, I know. But, listen, don't rush to go and throw your things out or give them away just yet (unless you feel inspired, a gift to the less fortunate is a blessing). Instead, start slow and small by downshifting to see things more clearly from a more simplistic perspective. I don't hold on too much anymore, literally and figuratively. Simplifying every area of your life is about asking yourself, "what do I need to live in the now?" and then making edits to only stay connected to what matters most.

Be in the moment.

Embrace the JOMO.An essential step in building slow is to take it one mindful habit at a time. The path to presence is mindfulness. Letting go of the FOMO and the hustle-bustle will raise your energetic vibration. The basis of the hustle culture is that there's always more to chase. It's exciting and pleasurable but never fulfilling.

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When you're busy doing all the things, there is a trade-off, and most times, it's you.

I've found that the antidote is to embrace JOMO, living in the moment without worrying about what everyone else is doing and knowing that what is for you won't miss you.

xx, Mahasin