Slowing Down Takes Effort

A few weeks ago, I was taking a walk in my neighborhood. It’s shaped like a meandering circle that’s just under a mile, so it’s an easy way to get out, breathe in the fresh air, and burn a few calories.

Sometimes, those fresh air walks are some of the most inspirational moments I’ll experience all day. I can’t tell you how many writing assignments I figure out while on these walks. Or other “issues” in my life that need figuring out. My brain literally problem solves while I tootle around.

I walked past one house, and a homeowner was washing his car. A song by Journey blared from the radio while he cleaned his car with abandon. Something about that combination of music and activity made me happy to see. It was calming, and I walked on completely mesmerized at how relaxing it was to hear the music and see him happily working on something as simple as washing his car.

But I noticed it. I paid attention to it.

I went back home and sewed a button onto a jacket that had needed attention for a while. It had sat in my closet for a long time waiting for that button. But that small act made me feel like I just conquered the world. Really! I hung that jacket back up and smiled at myself for finally doing it. It was a simple act, a slow living act, but it made me feel amazing.

And I noticed it. This small act was a big deal and made me as happy as if I’d found a treasure.

Once you decide that minimal living is your new way of living, you’re going to come up against a lot of resistance. Not just from people around you, or from social media, but from yourself. You are going to resist the change! And that’s natural. You’re going to wonder if all those “simple things of life” are really going to satisfy you like people (just like me) claim.

You’ll question whether you’re really making the right decision to own less. Your friends will question why you don’t buy things when you shop with them; your social media feed will shrink from following trendy influencers and companies with stuff to sell, to one filled with things that matter: like family, good food, or creating things with your hands like art or writing.

In some cases, you may forgo social media altogether and leave it for good.

Owning less means you’re slowing down: you’re leaving fast fashion, fast living, or the trendy way of living for one that is slower, filled with slow fashion, alongside a slow living lifestyle that is classic and perennial. And it means you’re making time for you, for the life you want, and the experiences and people you truly want in there. It means you’re going to start to notice things you’d forgotten about.

But all of this is like a slow shifting tide. It certainly won’t happen overnight. It won’t even happen in a year. It may take longer.

I’ve been a minimalist for almost a decade, and I’m still wheedling things down and, in some cases, letting things go… like social media or a collection. It’s a dismantling of alters, if you will. Alters of consumption and materialism. And it can take years to work on, as it has and continues to be for me. But the best way to counter this resistance is to start noticing the small things and being thankful for them.

This creates a life that takes myself out of the equation, one that takes materialism out of it all too, and leaves me with … what? Well, it leaves me with peace. It’s what I had to learn, and have had to learn for nearly a decade. I’ve had to relearn to love not just “the free things in life,” like love and sunshine, but the things that ultimately fuel my heart and soul, like nature and everyday things.

To get to this new place of slowing down, I had to start noticing what needed noticing. Not the flash and glamor of new things: not the love for acquiring; not the validation of being trendy; not the loud voices of the internet. But the things in life we were meant for; the subtle soft voice, the one that promotes a slower way of living. The one that takes the focus off of myself and onto other things and people. And the best way to get there is to start small.

And it all starts with noticing.

Notice the Beautiful: When was the last time you watched a sunrise? How about a sunset for that matter? What about the way your morning coffee’s steam rises in the morning light? Is the loaf of bread you made beautiful with its softness, crispness, and crackling top taking your breath away? Notice the beautiful things that surround you, daily, hourly, or by the minute, and watch your world become a beautiful and enchanted one, filled with things that had always been there, but you had been too busy (buying, using, accumulating) to notice.

Notice the Quiet: Do you ever take a walk without listening to a podcast? How about watching a bird gather twigs for its nest in your backyard? Maybe it’s the way you turn on the dishwasher to hear the hum of it, and sit down to read a book. Perhaps it’s the diminutive way in which a friend keeps tabs on you to make sure you’re doing alright? Sometimes, it’s the quieter things in life that we forget about which make our souls alive and rich.

Notice the Simple: See how lovely the morning sky looks? Perhaps you see the way your closet is so minimalistic and clean and relish its lack of chaos. Or the way the scattered leaves look like a painting, or the way the light comes into your living room with the setting sun. All of those could go in the beautiful category too. But they’re also very simple, normal, everyday things. Are you noticing those things around you? They’re incredibly soul-giving.

If you want to live a life that truly runs on authenticity and a whole lot less stuff, it means noticing the small things in life and replacing the materialistic side with things that cost nothing, or very little, and focusing on them – and being grateful for them – day after day to fill the void of consumption.

Peace comes from loving much, using little, and appreciating every small and simple thing that comes our way. It’s up to us to pay attention to these small whispers of beauty, quiet, and simplicity. And once you start seeing them, you’ll never want to go back to the old way of living. It’s as if your eyes have been opened; a bonus level unlocked!

The most incredible thing is that this secret world is available to everyone. You just have to start small, take that walk, notice the nature – take the gift of drinking a cup of coffee slowly as equal as buying a new handbag – and begin a life of minimalism and slow living. This slowing down takes effort, especially when we’re used to going fast. But it’s well worth it if it gives peace to your mind, body, and soul.

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About the Author: Heather Spiva is a freelance writer from Northern California with a penchant for minimalism, vintage clothing, and coffee. When she’s not writing, she’s reading. Her husband and two grown sons are the loves of her life.