What Slow Living Really Means to Me (Now)

These days, life seems to demand more of us at every turn — more speed, more output, more noise. But I’ve found a quiet kind of peace in doing the opposite.

Slow living isn’t about stepping away from life — it’s about reshaping it. It’s about choosing presence over pressure, meaning over multitasking, and finding rhythm in the everyday moments we often rush through.

In this post, I’m sharing my own honest journey into slow living — what it’s looked like for me, what it hasn’t, how it’s changed over time — along with ten gentle, practical ways you can begin to embrace slow living in your own life, right where you are.

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My Journey into Slow Living

By nature, I’ve always been quite an introverted person—quiet, reflective, needing pockets of calm. Even though I’ve spent much of my life in public-facing roles, I’ve always needed stillness to feel like myself again. I think that sense of needing calm has always been within me.

That said, I fell into the trap of busy living like so many of us do. For years, life was a blur of activity, social events, and endless to-dos. Productivity and performance were worn like badges of honour. But once I became a mother, I realised how damaging that pace was—for my children, for me, and for our home. The constant going, the pressure to be everything to everyone—it took a toll.

In 2013, I became physically unwell. And when your body stops, so does your world. That season forced me to reckon with how I was living. I took time out of work, stayed home with my young children, and began noticing the small, good things again. The real things.

The funny part? I’d always imagined that kind of life. I used to say—years before it happened—that someday I wanted my own little house in the country. And lo and behold, that’s where this journey would take me, both literally and metaphorically.

Over the years, life ebbed and flowed. I returned to work, found joy in new roles, found purpose in being part of something outside the home. And then, like many, our family was reshaped by the pandemic. At first, the stillness of lockdown was welcome—a chance to rest, reconnect, slow everything down. But re-entering the world afterwards felt almost too fast. And it became clear to us that we needed to build a life that supported our actual wellbeing—not just one that looked good from the outside.

So in 2023, we began making conscious, permanent changes. Not to opt out of life—but to live it on our terms.

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What Slow Living Is Not

When people hear the term slow living, they often picture a very specific lifestyle — one filled with sourdough starters, homesteading, or off-grid cabins in the woods. And while that can be part of it, it doesn’t have to be.

Slow living isn’t about perfection or aesthetics. It’s not about flowing linen dresses or sun-dappled breakfast tables — unless those things genuinely bring you joy. It’s not about crafting a curated “look” for Instagram. It’s about something much deeper than that.

For me, it’s about showing up fully to real life — the busy mornings, the school runs, the tired afternoons, the days that feel stretched too thin. It means making space for the emotional ups and downs, the mental clutter, the moments when energy dips and nothing feels quite in rhythm.

It’s not about escaping the chaos entirely — it’s about finding calm within it. About weaving stillness into the small in-between moments. About building a home and a pace that feel like a soft place to land, even when the world feels anything but gentle.

Slow living, as I’ve come to understand it, isn’t a perfectly balanced schedule or a filtered aesthetic. It’s a way of moving through the world that feels grounded, intentional, and deeply aligned with how I want to live.

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What a Slow Day Looks Like for Us

Our days begin gently. There’s no frantic rushing, no barking of orders down the hall. Alarms go off, but there’s breathing room. Everyone rises at their own pace. We move slowly through the early moments — making beds, letting in the morning light, sipping tea or coffee in quiet corners. It’s not perfect, but it’s peaceful.

There’s time to talk, to connect, to ease into the day rather than launch into it. Breakfast is simple but shared. Sometimes there’s music playing, sometimes it’s just birdsong or the hum of the kettle. These quiet, unrushed mornings have become the anchor of our days.

As the day unfolds, we try to move with intention. I still work, I still tick things off the list — but I try to do it mindfully. We say no to the things that drain us, and yes to the small joys that often get lost in the rush: a midday walk, reading in the garden, pausing for five minutes of nothing at all.

We’ve built a rhythm that feels like us — one that doesn’t rely on chaos to feel alive, or constant stimulation to feel purposeful. It’s a pace we can sustain, one that lets us breathe.

Of course, not every day looks like this. Sometimes things go off track — school runs run late, moods fray, the to-do list grows longer than expected. But the beauty of slow living is that it offers a foundation to return to. A familiar rhythm we can settle back into when life pulls us away.

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Ten Gentle Ways to Begin Slow Living

These are the small, steady shifts that helped me move away from a life of constant rushing and towards something softer and more sustainable. Slow living doesn’t have to mean a total lifestyle overhaul — it begins with noticing, choosing, and gently recalibrating the rhythm of your days.

1. Anchor Your Why

Before making any changes, ask yourself: why do I want to slow down? Is it to feel more present with your children? To quiet your mind? To live in a way that reflects your values? Your “why” doesn’t need to be grand — just honest. Write it down and return to it often. It becomes your compass on the days when slow living feels hard or out of reach.

2. Start with a Single Ritual

Begin with one small ritual that brings you calm. For me, it was drinking my first cup of tea in silence — no phone, no rush. It could be a five-minute stretch, lighting a candle while you tidy, or simply making your bed slowly. These anchor points help shape the feel of your day and gently remind you that you get to choose your pace.

3. Unplug in Micro-Bursts

You don’t need to disappear from the digital world to practise slow living — just create pockets of intentional disconnection. Try 15 or 30 minutes without your phone during key parts of the day — like your morning routine or family dinner. These short breaks from screens can bring more clarity than any full-day detox.

4. Move with Mindfulness

Movement doesn’t need to be exercise — a slow walk through your neighbourhood, stretching in your kitchen, or pottering in the garden all count. The point is to connect your body to the moment you’re in. Feel your steps. Listen to the sounds around you. Let movement become a way to ground yourself.

5. Celebrate Small Wins

Slow living invites us to shift our idea of success. Finishing a book, tidying a corner of your home, saying no to something that drains you — these are quiet wins that deserve recognition. Write them down. Notice them. Let them matter.

6. Declutter Your Commitments

Every week, gently review your calendar. Is there something you’re doing out of habit or obligation rather than joy or purpose? Slow living doesn’t mean doing nothing — it means doing what matters most. Say no where you can, and protect the time that helps you feel like yourself.

7. Single-Task, with Intention

It sounds simple, but doing one thing at a time can be a radical shift. Instead of half-cooking dinner while answering texts, just cook. Instead of folding laundry while watching a screen, let it be a moment of rhythm and quiet. These tasks become more meaningful — and often more enjoyable — when we give them our full attention.

8. Spend Time Outdoors (Even Briefly)

Nature is one of the most powerful teachers of slow living. Step outside, even if it’s just for five minutes. Notice how the breeze moves the trees. Watch the light change across the sky. Let the seasons remind you that everything has its time, and you’re not meant to bloom constantly.

9. Seek Out Slow Community

We don’t all need the same version of slow living, but it helps to know we’re not alone. Whether it’s a friend who understands your values, a group chat, or an online space where people share mindful moments, slow community matters. Share the things that bring you peace. It’s contagious in the best way.

10. Shape Your Environment with Care

Your home can either overwhelm you or soothe you. You don’t need a renovation or new furniture — just begin by noticing what feels good. A calm corner with a candle. A clutter-free table for breakfast. A playlist that helps set the tone. The spaces we live in shape how we feel. Slow living starts right where you are.

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Why Slow Living Matters

Slow living isn’t just a lifestyle choice — it’s been a lifeline for me. In seasons when I’ve felt burnt out, anxious, or completely untethered, choosing to slow down has given me something to hold onto. A way to come back to myself. A way to breathe again.

There was a time when I thought being constantly busy meant I was doing things right — that ticking the boxes, rushing from one task to the next, was the measure of a good life. But I was exhausted. Disconnected. Going through the motions.

It was only when I began to step back — to question the pace I was living at — that things started to shift. Not overnight. Not dramatically. But gradually, gently. Through tiny choices. A cup of tea in silence. A shorter to-do list. A walk without my phone. And from there, a different way of living slowly began to emerge.

For me, slow living is how I’ve made space for presence in the middle of real, sometimes messy, everyday life. It’s how I’ve coped with parenting through hard seasons. It’s how I’ve learned to support my child’s neurodivergent needs — and how the process has quietly reshaped my own thinking, pace, and priorities for the better. It’s how I’ve managed the mental clutter that builds up when everything feels like too much.

Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by modern life, navigating motherhood, struggling with your mental health, or simply yearning for more ease — slow living offers a way through. It’s not perfect. It won’t fix everything. But it will give you something steady. Something soft. A way to live that feels like yours.

Because you deserve a life that doesn’t just look good on the outside — but feels deeply meaningful, manageable, and real on the inside.

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Your Step-by-Step Starter Plan

You don’t need to change everything overnight. In fact, the most powerful shifts often begin with just one small, intentional choice. Here’s how to gently begin living a little more slowly — one step at a time:

1. Choose your “why.”
Ask yourself: Why do I want to slow down? Is it for your health? Your children? Your peace of mind? Your joy?
Write it down somewhere you’ll see it often — in a journal, on a sticky note, tucked into your planner. Let it be your compass when the days get busy.

2. Pick one ritual. Just one.
It could be something as simple as drinking your morning coffee in silence, stepping outside before you check your phone, or writing a single line in a gratitude journal. Let this one small ritual anchor your day — and return to it often.

3. Set a phone-free window.
Start with just 15 minutes — perhaps during breakfast, your afternoon cup of tea, or right before bed. Let your mind breathe without notifications. Let your eyes land on something real.

4. Step outside.
Stand in the garden. Sit on the step. Walk to the postbox. You don’t need to hike or commit to anything big — just be outside for a moment. Let nature remind you how to slow down.

5. Celebrate it.
Write down what you did — even if it felt small. Say it out loud: “I did that.” These quiet wins are the foundation of slow change.

6. Reflect weekly.
Once a week, take five minutes to ask: What felt good this week? What drained me? What can go? What brought joy?
Let your answers guide your next gentle shift.

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Final Thoughts

These days, slow living means I can finally breathe. I can sit with a cup of tea and actually taste it. I can look into the eyes of the people I love and really see them. I can notice the way the light moves across the floor, the way the dog stretches in the sun, the quiet joy in doing less — and meaning more.

It doesn’t mean every day is calm or easy. It doesn’t mean I’ve figured it all out. But it does mean I’m living in a way that feels more honest, more present, more aligned with what truly matters to me.

And that’s what I want for you, too.

You don’t need to change everything. You don’t need a perfect morning routine or a tidy kitchen or hours of free time. You just need one tiny step — a breath, a pause, a small shift in how you move through your day.

So tell me… what’s one gentle thing you could do today to slow down? Just one.

Let’s build your slow life together — one moment at a time.

Chat soon,
Ciara x

🌿 Want to Learn More?

If you’d like to explore the ideas behind slow living a little further, here are some thoughtful reads and trusted resources that align with this way of life:

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My Journey into Slow Living

What Slow Living Is Not

What a Slow Day Looks Like for Us