4 tips to actively slow life down

Note: This post was previously published here as a part of my freelance work.

You’re in the thick of it, summer. The season when life is like a semi-truck, barreling down a hill at 90 miles an hour. The speed is all good and great, it’s thrilling in fact, but problems arise when there’s a deer crossing at the bottom of the hill and you have no way to avoid a crash. Not to mention, you’re going so fast that you miss the road signs telling when you need to turn or watch out for traffic ahead.

That speed, aka summer, can easily create a life that is out of balance — a life that pushes you forward with such immense force that you need to actively remember how to slow down. It’s up to you to pump the breaks, and it’s important to do so. Slowing down to school-zone speeds will enable you to get more enjoyment out of the highway joy rides. It teaches you to find control and to know when you’re exiting the fun zone and entering into dangerous territory.

Here are tips for actively slowing down, and taking time out. Now, more than ever, it’s important to teach yourself how to do so.

1. Walk, Bike, or Take Public Trans: I recently got rid of my car, and it was the best thing I’ve ever done for my piece of mind. Not only did it take away the extra stress of money, but it created space in my life. I find that I’m walking more, riding my bike more, and taking public transportation. The empty time to think, read, and listen to music does wonders for my brain. It clears my head like a meditation, and allows me to unwind from my day (or settle in before my day starts). It’s also forced me to do less and to prioritize. Because I can’t zip here and there, I have to think about what I really want to get done. I do less running around like a crazy person, and more intentional activity. If you’re in need of a slow down, I urge to go even one day without using the car. Every little bit counts.

2. Cook: Making time at the end of the day to cook a meal and share it with the ones you love, is a great way to take time. The beautiful thing about food, is that it can’t be rushed. Watch it cook, smell the aromas, and taste test it along the way. Evenings spent unwinding in the kitchen are a great way to clear your mind, and to get you back to a well-grounded place in life.  

3. Wake Up 20 Minutes Earlier: Rushed mornings are sure to make you feel out of control. It’s not a good way to start the day. Do yourself a favor, and wake up just twenty minutes earlier than you usually do. Take the extra time to read in bed, sip coffee, or simply stare off into space. The slow start to your day will make getting to work that much easier. You’ll find you feel more ready to take on whatever comes your way. Craziness or not, you have the balanced mindset to tackle anything.

4. Treat Yourself: Once in a while, you need to drop it all, and focus on you. Book a massage, stop in for a pedicure — or if you can’t spend the money — create an at home treatment. Whatever you do, it’s important to give back to your body and thank it for all of the brutal stress that you put it through. If you want it to perform when the going gets tough, you have to give it the TLC it deserves. 

And there you have it, four tips to actively slow down. I hope you’ve found some tools that help you feel more balanced and in control. Life is really beautiful, we need the fast moments and the slow ones, it’s just important to remember how to create a bit of both. 

What tips do you have for slowing down?

object

Shortly after getting settled in this house, we turned one wall of our bedroom into a giant bookshelf. It has become a place for me to keep some of my most treasured belongings. Yes, the books we've read - and want to read - but also the many independent magazines I've collected over the years as well as hats, jewelry, candles, and more. It's a wall of material things.

While I really don't consider myself a materialistic person, I will admit to being a collector. Does that sound like a contradiction? At the core it is. But what I have gathered and placed on those shelves are so much more than material objects.

These beautiful independent magazines, laden with captivating imagery and words that challenge my perspective, are eyes into other people's worlds that fill me with knowledge and inspiration. This bag, it was a birthday gift from my brother who hand-picked the leather and had it made especially for me. They are objects floating in a cloud of sentiments. 

So, give me a moment. I would like to challenge the definition of materialism. For me, materialistic is not someone who places value in material objects; rather, materialistic is someone who places value in meaningless objects. A diamond given to you by someone you love has emotional worth. A diamond you had to have to impress your friends, that's emptiness.

What I'm saying is that it's ok to feel emotion towards a physical object so long as you understand why. So long as that reason is meaningful to you. Everyone has the freedom to be obsessed with what is truly beautiful, but we must also remember that beauty is different for each and every one of us. We all have our own definition. And we all have our right to love something without being labeled as materialistic.

-- 

Bag: Custom-made by Rita Sutormina

Magazine: The Collective Quarterly

november free people work

I've been a busy, busy bee, and well, it's been pretty silent on this here blog. In case you're not a Free People BLDG 25 regular, here is a little recap of my content in November. It's been a great month of inspiration, and playing around with photography. 

Hope you enjoy!

DIY Woven Pillow

A pillowcase woven with yarn and roving to add some living room flavor.

The Spirit Your Mini Bar Is Missing

Mouthwatering holiday cocktails with Art In The Age spirits.

Go Deskside With Our Graphic Design Team

A look into the creative work lives of Free People's graphic designers.

3 Lessons In Forgiveness

A personal story of forgiveness and what I learned from the experience.

the mess

I'll never be well poised. I'm not well kept.

My knees are scraped. My mind is wild.

But I'm proud.

You see, these are all signs of who I am, and to hide them would mean that I'm ashamed. But the scrape my knee is the sign of a bike ride across town. The words that come out with no sign of eloquence, are raw, creative, and the mark of a thoughtful mind. My house isn't pristine because I stayed out too late enjoying friends and live music. The resulting, scabbing mess on my knee, the dust bunny blowing in the fan, the hangover - those are life's battle wounds, and they're my proof that I'm alive and living in a way that I believe in.

I'm done trying to fix it. It's taken ups and downs to get here. I spent a lot of time concealing certain parts of myself, but lately there's been a revelation causing me to embrace what's true. Maybe you have to try to be something you aren't in order to figure out who you actually are. I lay all my cards on the table, probably share a bit too much with other people, but I'm not ashamed of any of it. I'm fallible, and adventurous, and broken, and strong, and wise, and silly, and relentless all at the same time. It's a messy combination of a person, for sure. There is nothing clean about it.

The personal journeys, the tears, the bellowing laughs...it's the fabric of life. And the mess of it makes me feel alive. I'm going to keep living it. I'm going to keep sharing it. I no longer care if what you see is a perfect package.

numie's contributing!

Hey guys! Excited to say I'm going to be a regular contributor over on Free People's BLDG 25 blog. I couldn't be more happy. Check out my first post on The Yin & Yang of Summer Solstice that went up today. 

What's everyone going to be doing to celebrate the solstice? I certainly have yoga penciled in somewhere. Hope everyone enjoys the transition. 

Happy summer!

weekly horoscope

I love this line from weekly horoscope on Free People's BLDG 25 blog this week. What good advice that for anyone. I'm not going to pretend that I never judge people or get annoyed with their flaws. We all do it, and we all should stop. So long as the way a person is isn't hurting anything or anyone else, they have every right to be that way. Letting people be themselves is what makes this world interesting and beautiful.