JOURNAL

I guess you could say that slow living is the glass and The Philosophy of Doing Less, Being Present, and Feeling More is the non-alcoholic wine poured into it. Well, insert any beverage of your choice here. It’s how I approach life and also what all of my work is focused on. So, I thought I’d expand on the manifesto here and share with you how I define slow living. It’s such a personal definition, as slow living is by no means new. It’s a term that we often see floating around lifestyle magazines or the topic of festival talks.

I traced the lines, studied the curves and caressed the edges of New York City, just as I would a new lover. I went to bakeries, coffee shops, restaurants, bookstores, parks, galleries and museums. Spending time with myself that was intentional rather than coincidental. In the same way that I write, with each word being intentional, so was my time with myself. I guess, that’s the only condition for a solo date. Do whatever you want but make your time with yourself intentional, not coincidental.

We forget that the only condition attached to us slowing down and resting, is our existence. Just as bees exist, they deserve to rest, they are a part of the whole. The whole crumbles without them. The same is true for us. We are not the leaders sitting outside of the ecosystem. We are not separate to nature. Or above nature.

You can call it journaling or writing, it makes no difference, but the restorative powers of words to feel, heal and be with yourself still gives me goosebumps. Through my career in journalism to writing a book, I have always used writing to return back to myself. It’s also a key part of my Repose workshops as it gets to the core of how the theme is landing for you and how it’s shaping who you are and your worldview. 

That’s what an exploration date is to me. It’s this ability to choose to see the familiar with fresh eyes or to find the unexplored parts of where you live. Be it village, town, city or country. This isn’t a prescriptive how-to guide, use your intuition, there are no steps to follow or recommendations. It’s a choice. To get out and just take things in and let yourself discover. Especially when we start to believe that we can only find joy elsewhere, remember it is everywhere. It is in the small things and quiet joys.

I waited until the age of sixteen for a Disney princess to be called Giselle, only for princess Giselle in Disney’s Enchanted to not actually be an official princess. Which feels incredibly close to home as I believe Disney has a whole lot to answer for when it comes to cultural norms around gender, beauty and relationships; so y’all can keep your princesses. Nevertheless, I was ridiculously excited when the film first came out, so people would actually know how to spell my name correctly.

As a certified trauma-sensitive meditation teacher with a daily practice of more than a decade, I can speak endlessly on the benefits of meditation but also how difficult it can be to get started. I’m very much in favour of letting your meditation practice be messy, and honestly, starting somewhere even if it’s for a minute or so, might be a beautiful and realistic place to begin. 

There might be times when you need some extra support if stuff comes up. I have created a mini directory of mental health resources and support, where you can get more information, reach services and receive guidance, including in an emergency. 

If like me you’re sick and tired of hearing about manifesting, but interested in working with it in a realistic and inclusive way; there’s another approach to take. If you’ve read your fair share of ‘how to manifest’ guides but it’s just not working for you, see how it feels to see it as perspective for creating a life that just feels good to be in.

It all begins with a playlist. Usually called something obnoxiously obvious like ‘dance party’, ‘move’, or even worse, ‘dance’. Over the ear headphones ready. Loose dress on. Bedroom door closed. Eyes shut. Feet bare. The ingredients that make up a solo dance party and all of its unexpected healing powers.

Life is complicated enough; we don’t need our wellbeing to be too. For me, Quiet Joys are something we can all access, we just need to be witnesses of life to experience and enjoy them. Noticing them and being present with them is such a gorgeous way to reconnect to ourselves, others, nature and just…life. 

What does the word meditation bring to mind, for you? Did your eyes start to roll? Did you think that it’s something you really ‘should’ be doing? Did you think that you don’t have the time or just can’t do it? Did you fall asleep when you last looked for tips on how to meditate? I hear you. In our usual pursuit for perfection, meditation has become a victim. When actually, there is no such thing as meditating perfectly. We are just showing up as we are and seeing what happens.