What is Slow Living? The Beginner’s Guide to Intentional Living

Part One: What Is Slow Living, Really?

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Introduction: Not a Trend, but a Way of Being

What is slow living? It’s a phrase that’s been whispered through blog posts and social media for years now—often paired with soft lighting, wildflower bouquets, and hands wrapped around warm mugs. But the truth is, slow living isn’t an aesthetic. It’s not a mood board or a checklist. It’s a mindset. A gentle resistance to the fast-paced, always-on culture that leaves so many of us feeling disconnected from ourselves, our homes, and our days.

In this three-part series, we’re grounding the idea of slow and intentional living in real life. Not an idealized version of it—but the version where the dishwasher needs emptying, the dog needs walking, and the kids are fighting over toast. This is slow living as it fits within your real, beautiful, sometimes chaotic life.

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What Is Slow Living?

At its heart, slow living is about presence. It’s about engaging with the world around you—not rushing through it. It doesn’t mean you do everything slowly. It means you do what matters deliberately, with care and awareness.

Slow living asks: What are you rushing for? And what are you rushing past?

It’s not about abandoning to-do lists or responsibilities. It’s about remembering why you’re doing those things in the first place—and gently letting go of the ones that don’t align with the life you actually want to live.

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What Slow Living Isn’t

Let’s get this out of the way: slow living is not about:

• Moving to the countryside (though we happen to love it)
• Owning chickens (even if they do make sweet companions)
• Spending your mornings baking sourdough and sipping herbal tea in linen aprons

You don’t need to quit your job, homeschool your children, or grow your own vegetables to live slowly. (Though if those things bring you joy, you absolutely can.)

What is slow living if not simply choosing to live with intention, even in the middle of a busy city or a noisy home?

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What It Can Look Like (In Real Life)

Here’s what slow living looks like in practice:

• Sitting with your coffee in the morning instead of sipping it while scrolling or rushing out the door.
• Creating space between tasks instead of stacking your schedule back-to-back.
• Lighting a candle before dinner, not for the ambience, but to mark the transition from day to evening.
• Saying no to one more commitment, one more obligation, in order to say yes to rest.
• Pausing before you react—to your child, your inbox, your partner, yourself.

These aren’t radical changes. They’re small pivots—anchoring moments that help us come back to ourselves.

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Why It Matters Now More Than Ever

The pace of the world hasn’t slowed down. If anything, it’s sped up. And yet more and more of us are feeling that urge to push back against the overwhelm. We don’t want to burn out. We want to build something better—not perfect, not curated, just real and full of presence.

Slow living gives us the permission to stop chasing and start experiencing. It gives us back our mornings, our evenings, our breath. It helps us remember that life is made of moments—not milestones.

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Starting Slow Living Where You Are

You don’t need the perfect setup to begin. You just need a willingness to notice.

Start by asking:

• Where do I feel rushed?
• What’s one thing I can do today with more presence?
• Where can I create just a little bit of space, even for 5 minutes?

Your version of slow living might be a 10-minute tea break while your toddler naps. It might be taking the long way home from work. It might be leaving one square on your calendar blank.

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In Case You Need to Hear It

You’re allowed to live slowly even when your life feels full.
You’re allowed to pause even when the world tells you to go.
You’re allowed to start small. Today. Right where you are.

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Up Next: What Is Intentional Living?

In Part Two, we’ll explore the second thread in this tapestry: intentional living—what it means to make conscious, values-aligned choices in the midst of modern life. We’ll talk boundaries, rhythms, and how to live on purpose without needing a planner or perfection.

This post is Part One of our three-part series: The Beginner’s Guide to Slow and Intentional Living.

If you’d like to continue reading, you can explore:

• Part Two: What Is Intentional Living?
• Part Three: Building a Life That Feels Like Home

Chat soon,

Ciara

Further Reading: Explore More on Slow and Intentional Living

If you’d like to keep exploring how to live well in a fast-paced world, here are a few insightful articles from other slow living writers and mindful lifestyle blogs:

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1. What Is Slow Living?
By Alison’s Notebook
A gentle, introductory take on slow living that focuses on intentionality and presence rather than aesthetics. A great starting point for anyone curious about what does it really look like in everyday life.

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2. 25 Simple Slow Living Tips to Embrace a Calmer Life
By Simple Natural Mom
A practical, actionable list of slow living habits that are doable for busy parents and families. From nature walks to tech boundaries, these tips are grounded in real-life routines.

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3. The Beginner’s Guide to Slow Living
By Vaughn Journals
This article offers a warm and welcoming overview of how to start slow living, including reflections on decluttering, mindfulness, and reconnecting with nature.

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4. How to Slow Life Down
By Filling the Jars
Focused on slowing down in a modern world filled with overwhelm, this post shares small daily rituals and mindset shifts that make a big difference.

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5. How to Live Simply: A Personal Journey
By Rocky Trails & Rainbows
A heartfelt reflection on living more simply and intentionally by letting go of excess, embracing slowness, and realigning life with your values.