Physical wellness is often defined as encompassing a variety of healthy behaviors including adequate exercise, and proper nutrition. Chronic conditions such as Hypertension (high blood pressure) can be impacted significantly by small but consistent changes. In this week’s blog, we’re exploring an emerging concept “Slow Living”.
Harvard Medical School Journal Health Watch Nov 2022 states “slow living isn’t about doing less, but doing more with greater focus and purpose and at the right speed. The approach can help people lower stress, increase concentration and memory, and become more engaged in activities they enjoy”. The right speed for an Uno game (minus devices) with your family may be very different than the speed of a shower that allows you to take a moment and smell the soap you are using.
Perhaps the benefits for slower living are even more important physically. Slow Living indirectly offers health benefits such as lowering your stress level and blood pressure as you become more mindful during the day (Harvard 2022). While practicing rest this weekend, I listened to my husband and son playing chess together. The quiet reflections and stilling the mind for each chess move is one of the greatest examples of intentional time.
How does one “practice rest” well let me direct you to Ms. Tricia Hersey and her newest book “Rest is Resistance“. Tricia defines the opposite of Slow Living as “Grind Culture”. Tricia states “Grind Culture weakens our love of self and community”. She too states rest is not just napping and sleeping, but also includes practices that allows us to be creative, imaginative and exercise our curiosity. I can certainly attest to this as an avid bullet journalizer for about 3 years, I am most connected to my thoughts when simply given a journal and pen. Ok ok…. maybe a few markers and washi as well. What has made me become consistent with bullet journaling is it allows me to be more mindful of what’s important to me in my day and what actions will bring about the greatest pleasure. These get prioritized in beautiful ways that keep me coming back. This form of stress management I can personally attest to positive physical benefits and results when practiced. “It’s not easy to jump off the treadmill of busyness when you’ve been on it so long” (Harvard 2022).
In closing, there are ways to incorporate Slow Living into your daily routine; 20 min tech unplugs, drinking coffee by the window (my favorite), pause during your morning routines to be present and less robotic one moment at a time, journaling, or even taking breaks in between chores or meetings! None of us will be perfect in these practices, but we certainly can strive for 1% better each day.
In peace,
J
References:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/taking-it-slow
Cleopatra practices Slow Living daily….. 🙂