“We live in a world that is frenetic, fast and full. I believe the closer we can move toward living deeply, deliberately and with discernment the more enriched our lives can become.”
I wrote those words many years ago and find them just as relevant today. This subject is close to my heart and I have been talking and writing about it for a long time now; about twenty-five years. I remember penning a birthday card to myself when my daughter was four (you can see it here). It very clearly expressed how I wanted less distraction and busyness in my life and that I wanted to clear the clutter so I could focus on more important things, not least of which was raising my girl.
I think the core of being drawn to slow living has to do with ultimately the time it saves. I don’t think I was always aware of this. By approaching life with an overall immersed approach, being aware of life’s small details, you catch things that would otherwise go unnoticed. This can be wonderful things like the smile on a child’s face confirming they are comfortable and happy. Or it can be mundane things like making sure an oil change on your vehicle happens before it leads to something worse. It is about being mindful and present. Of course it won’t happen all the time, life is not consistently moderated. But to move towards a ‘slow’ approach just means removing what we can that makes life feel too ‘fast’.
Over the years I have instinctively brought this idea to each client’s project that I have collaborated on. It has always been important for me to not only create a beautiful space; but to create calm, orderly and user friendly environments to carry out the day to day. Some years ago I came across the phrase ‘intentional simplicity’ and it seemed to embody so much of what I felt and tried to live by. Life has sped up even more in the last twenty plus years and I believe we must vigilantly guard the use of our time and space and create margin for what is truly important.
I recently created a Guide that expands on these thoughts and helps you integrate these aspects into your day to day life. Enjoy!
