Slow Living

Photo by Jeffrey Grospe on Unsplash

After learning about FIRE and minimalism, I’m now investigating the idea of slow living.

I find it helpful to think about fast living first. That means jumping from one thing to another without any break, i.e., with a packed schedule. Also, on an individual task level, we tend to associate fast with efficiency. For example, I was proud of walking fast. But recently, I have been making myself walk slower.

Part of me was always attracted to slow living. A habit I have related to this is about time. If I arrive at a dinner at the exact meeting time of 5 PM, I consider that lucky and not just planning. I very much dislike being late. Being habitually 3 to 5 minutes late or always cutting it close horrifies and stresses me out. The only way to “always” be on time means I’m always early. I give myself plenty of time to get to a place and include time for the unexpected, which doesn’t usually happen, but I don’t mind.

The second habit worth mentioning is related to day-to-day transportation. Instead of traveling in a car which is usually the most direct way to move from point A to point B, I prefer taking public transportation, i.e., the subway or the bus. I quite enjoy the slower journeys as much as the destinations.

As I think more about slow living, and I am still learning about it, it seems to be about giving myself the freedom and space to take in the current moment for as long as it needs. Instead of quickly reading a book to get to the ending, I savor each sentence a bit longer. Wondering around in the neighborhood without purpose while living and breathing without checking off any items on my to-do list.

Of course, I’ll have to think about this more. But I recommend walking slower, relaxing our bodies, and taking it all in a bit more. I don’t want to live my life always in a hurry and miss the roses.