Living slow

Living slow

and why it is vital for women to embrace

There is a reason to why so many people have joined the "slow living movement", me included. A lot of people who have spent the majority of their time leaning towards the "busy and constant strive for more culture", or the masculine oriented ways of doing things as I refer to it where we push, force, chase and hustle our ways through life (which is the dominant expression in society), and suddenly feel curious and drawn to a different way of life, has at some point probably realize how unfulfilling, exhausting, stressful and tiering this way of living is - especially if you are a women with a more sensitive and feminine heart.

Because of the fast pace and striving culture that is the leading force in society to live by, turning to the slow living lifestyle has become deeply appealing to many, as it allows us to release the old, harsh masculine paradigms and programmings we have been taught to live from and instead create space for the things that truly matter.

The way many of us spend our daily lives evolves around having to prove our worth through doing, push for achievements and meet the needs and expectations of others, often at a pace that requires us to multi-task, hustle and spend precious energy on things that we could be spending in more valuable ways, is a way that feels deeply discouraging and uninspiring for the soul who longs for (and often needs) something entirely different.

Not that setting goals and having a clear view on what we want to achieve in life is something bad, but what often happens is that we get stuck on how we have been taught "things should be" rather than follow what feels good to our souls.

We often chase what is expected externally and the things that we know will bring us most admiration and validation from others.

From an early age, we have been modeled that there is only "one right way" to do things, a way that is often linear, objective, outward focused, tangible and agenda driven.

Doing things in a different way that is not aligned with the traditional methods that we have been taught often feels scary, undoable or unrealistic.

In the ways we believe things "should be" however, rarely (if ever) matches the dreams and desires of our own hearts and bodies when being truthful.

Through observing what my clients (often women) who came to my previous coaching practice shared, was that many would define "should" as something that felt forced, unnatural and almost synthetic, especially if you are a women with a sensitive heart and soul.

At the heart of women, lies the deeper desire to feel connection, purpose and meaning, all in which are entirely absent in the traditional and modeled ways of living our lives.

The slow living lifestyle, invites us to create space for what truly matters and for our own inner world to be heard.

It invites us to do less, to focus on the essential and nurture gratitude for the things we already have instead of always wanting more.

It provides us with a much appreciated and needed opportunity to shift the ways we have been taught to perceive ourselves and the world at large.

Instead of looking for the approval of others, we shift and learn the art of self approval.

Instead of pushing and chasing, we shift and learn the art of receiving because we are connected with our deeper value.

Instead of forcing a way of life that feels unnatural (and exhausting), we shift and restore trust in our natural and organic unfolding.

It creates space for us process what is happening in our lives and become clear on how they make us feel, which in doing so. allows us to connect with ourselves and what feels true to us.

It is, a beautiful process of becoming intimately familiar with self and connect with the intrinsic value of simple being.

Living slow is not about the big things, it is about seeing beauty in the small and seemingly insignificant things in our ordinary every day lives and know that this is what matters most and, that it is enough.

This is where the true beauty lies.

To a large degree, it is about realizing that having more, doing more and living up to others expectations of us is not what measures real happiness, success or wealth.

To live fulfilled, happy and healthy (the true definitions of wealth and success), one most begin by connecting with self and create an every day environment that honors and cherishes who we truly are, not diminishes it.

An environment that feels safe, calm and where we are able to fully feel and express ourselves without the fear of being judged or rejected.

An environment that feels supportive, nurturing and loving to our minds and bodies, and that gives energy and makes us feel alive.

To call it an art or dance is referring to the natural and organic pace, rhythm and unfolding that occurs when we stop living in the fast lane, chasing and striving for more.

When slow living is embraced, it is not a way of living that is linear, objective or agenda driven like most aspects are in the masculine oriented fields, but rather something subjective, fluid, intangible and that holds the intention to connect, not prove or convince.

It is, to restore trust in our organic being and design and for women, to begin softening into our core nature.

It flows much like a dance where we find the harmonious balance between work and rest, and it is expressed much like an art - from heart, inspiration, joy and passion.

It is a lifestyle that is fueled by beauty, faith and love.

Slow living and its connection with the feminine energy

The art of embracing slow living is intimately connected with the feminine energy, heart and essence as I slightly mentioned above, which is the energy of being (not doing).

Since the dominant forces are mainly masculine (doing) driven in our world, turning to the energy of being has become the natural antidote most women need.

It is the rebalance and reconnection with our own hearts that gives way for a life of harmony and balance.

This is why slow living is vital for many women to embrace in order to live with true joy, happiness and balance, because it aligns and matches with our intrinsic nature and rhythm, and it supports and honors who we organically are in our core as women - which are qualities like soft, tender, gentle, caring, intuitive, sensitive and more emotionally attuned.

In the ways we have been taught to live in the more harsh ways, women have simultaneously learned how to reject themselves and their true nature which I find to be one of the main reasons many women struggle and suffer.

Many women abandon parts of themselves that does not measure up to external expectations.

Instead of trusting vulnerability and openess which leads to genuine connection and joy, women tend to harden their hearts due to fear of being let down, rejected or disappointed.

Being soft and sensitive is sadly thought of to be something weak, but it isn´t until we fully embody all parts of ourselves and connect with our feminine essence, our attributes and qualities that we begin to radiate, which is a womans core expression when feeling deeply valuable and confident in her own skin.

There is strength is staying soft, in a world that convinces us that it is safer to have a hardened heart.

Most women long for authentic connection, to soften into their hearts, slow down and ease into a life that feels beautiful and meaningful (in whatever way that means to them).

But what often seems to stop us, is the fear that it seems too naive or unrealistic, perhaps even "silly", that it is a way of life that is unsafe and that wont provide for us.

What I have found, is that the deeper I connect with myself and my heart, the softer these fears become.

The more I practice leaning into and trusting what feels right and acting accordingly, the more everything aligns and unfolds effortlessly and all worries around it being naive or unrealistic starts to fade.

Being vulnerable, displaying emotions, embracing softness and tenderness is a sign of a strong and empowered woman who knows her deep intrinsic value, not a weakened one!

This is why slow living connects so naturally and beautifully with the core of the female heart, because it resonates with her natural flow, gifts and unfolding in a way that feels right, fulfilling and nurturing.

Love,

Stina