I just completed the deepest dive into slow living that I’ve ever conducted. I combed the internet, read hundreds of articles, watched tons of videos, and checked out all the books, blogs, forums, and podcasts.
This 3-part post series is intended to give you all the highlights and help you get started with slow living.
If you already have a basic understanding of slow living, feel free to jump ahead to the next posts in the series:
- Slow Living 201: A Deep Dive into Slow Living & The Slow Movement
- Slow Living 301: How to Start a Slow Living Lifestyle
What is Slow Living?
Here’s a collection of the bestāand most straightforwardāslow living definitions and descriptions (bold added for emphasis):
“Slow living isĀ living in a more balanced, meaningful, and life-affirming way.”Ā ā Wikipedia Slow LifeĀ¹
“Slow livingĀ is a lifestyle choice.”Ā ā Wikipedia Slow MovementĀ²
“People every day are constantly living at a fast pace which is making them feel like their lives are chaotic ā but with slow living they end up taking a step back and start enjoying life beingĀ consciousĀ of sensory profusion.” ā Wikipedia Slow LivingĀ³
“Slow livingĀ is a lifestyle emphasizing slower approaches to aspects of everyday life.” ā Wikipedia Slow LivingĀ³
“Decelerating the pace of modern life.” ā Wikipedia Slow Reading4
“The Slow Living Vision is of an Earth where humankind, honoring and celebrating the profound connectedness of all people, places and living beings, gives back by co-creating mutually supportive communities, bioregions and economic systems ā and where we combine the wisdom of the past with a vision for the future to ensure a balanced, fulfilling way of life for all generations to come.”Ā ā SlowLivingSummit.org5
What the Slow Living Lifestyle Really Means
As I was doing my research, I began seeing themes emerge in all the interesting ways people describe their own versions of slow living:
Slow living is a life philosophy, a state of mind and being, a reflective approach, and methodical process to daily life
Slow living is purposeful and fulfilling
Slow living is nourishing, savoring the minutes instead of counting them
Slow living is holistic, timeless, and based on ancient wisdom and spirituality
Slow living is about pacing, being steady and consistent
Slow living is taking a long-term view of your own life and the world around you
Slow living is about well-being and doing everything as well as possible instead of as fast as possible
Slow living is conscious, intentional, mindful, and living deeply
Slow living is an organic and natural way of living
Slow living is balance, ease, sanity, and low stress
Slow living is connection with yourself, those around you, and the world
Slow living is countercultural because it goes against the norm that “faster is better”
Slow living doesn’t treat everything in life as disposable
Slow living is fighting back against the current state of busyness and “time poverty”
Slow Living Quotes for Inspiration
I’ve posted a bunch of slow living quotes hereĀ that I’ll continue to add to in the future. Here are some new ones to inspire you:
“The central tenet of the slow philosophy is taking the time to do things properly, and thereby enjoy them more.” āĀ Carl HonorĆ©
“Slow Living means structuring your life around meaning and fulfillment. Similar to ‘voluntary simplicity‘ and ‘downshifting,’ it emphasizes a less-is-more approach, focusing on the quality of your life…Slow Living addresses the desire to lead a more balanced life and to pursue a more holistic sense of well-being in the fullest sense of the word. In addition to the personal advantages, there are potential environmental benefits as well. When we slow down, we often use fewer resources and produce less waste, both of which have a lighter impact on the earth.” āĀ Beth Meredith and Eric StormĀ²
“Iāve interviewed more than 100 people who all have different views on what it means to live a slower life. From tree changes to urban living, tiny homes to ethical consumption, self-sustainability to slow food ā there is no one right way of describing the external indicators of slow living because there is no one way to live a slower, simpler life.Ā At its heart, slow living is a curious mix of being prepared and being prepared to let go. Caring more and caring less. Saying yes and saying no. Being present and walking away. Doing the important things and forgetting those that arenāt. Grounded and free. Heavy and light. Organised and flexible. Complex and simple.Ā Itās about letting go of the excess stuff in our homes, learning how to live mindfully, getting in touch with our personal values and choosing to put them at the centre of all that we do.” ā Brooke McAlary6
“Slow living is just living slowly, in whatever and however way that means to you.Ā Itās about knowing and passionately loving the things we value, and designing our lives to spend the most time possible enjoying them. Itās about having intentionality and consciousness in our activities, about escaping the mindless scrolling and unproductive multi-tasking and focusing on purposeful action. Itās about embracing the fact that youāre not doing it all āĀ itās about doing less, but better.”Ā ā Kayte Ferris7
Slow Living Bloggers
I’ve learned that slow living and simple living overlap but are technically different. You can seeĀ what inspiredĀ some of the top slow and simple living leaders here.
The list below only includes those more focused on slow living. Every so often I revisit this curated list to make sure the sites and bloggers are still active. Enjoy!
- Brooke McAlary ā SlowYourHome.com
- Emma Scheib ā SimpleSlowLovely.com
- Erin Loechner ā DesignForMankind.com
- Amy ā MoreTimeThanMoney.co.nz
- Angela ā SettingMyIntention.com
- Carl Phillips ā FrictionlessLiving.net
- Alice ā Sloely.com
- Carrie and Bernadette ā SlowFamilyLiving.com
- Christine Hohlbaum ā PowerOfSlow.com
- Emma ā LimeAfterLime.com
- Melanie Barnes ā GeoffreyAndGrace.com
- Jessica ā TheWoodlandWife.co.uk
- Jen Chillingsworth ā Little-birdie.com
- Courtney and Michael ā SomewhereSlower.com
- Tove Nordstrƶm ā TheConsciousEdit.co
Slow Living Online Forums & Communities
Be sure to check out this overview ofĀ slow and simple living forums and communitiesĀ that covers Reddit, Facebook, and other forums/communities.
I’ve made a few lists to get you started:
- Twitter List: Slow Living (75 Members)
- Twitter List: Slow & Simple Living (400 Members)
- reddit.com/me/m/slowliving/ (50 subreddits)
- reddit.com/me/m/slowlivingfocus/Ā (25 subreddits)
Slow Living Books
Each post in this series includes links to slow living books. This first list below are some of the best to get started:
In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed by Carl HonorĆ© (Ā SummaryĀ |Ā How to Apply It (Premium)Ā |Ā Amazon )
Slow: Simple Living for a Frantic World by Brooke McAlary (Ā SummaryĀ |Ā Amazon )
Chasing Slow: Courage to Journey Off the Beaten Path by Erin Loechner (Ā SummaryĀ |Ā Amazon )
Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist (Ā SummaryĀ |Ā Amazon )
The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to Be Calm and Mindful in a Fast-Paced World by Haemin Sunim (Ā SummaryĀ |Ā Amazon )
Slow Living Podcasts
Just start with Brooke McAlary’s The Slow Home Podcast. There are quite a few others related to simple living and minimalism that I’ll recommend in posts on those topics.
Slow Living Videos
I have a page dedicated to slow living videos, but here’s one to get you started on your journey:
If this post piqued your interest, continue to the next posts in the series:
- Slow Living 201: A Deep Dive into Slow Living & The Slow Movement
- Slow Living 301: How to Start a Slow Living Lifestyle
Slow Living Resources
- Slow Living Life Hacks
- Slow Living Challenges
- Slow Living Online Forums & Communities
- Slow Living Quotes
- Slow Living Book Summaries
- Slow Living Videos
Slow LIVING POST CATEGORIES
You can followĀ SlowwĀ via email using the form field below this post or on social media: TwitterĀ |Ā FacebookĀ |Ā InstagramĀ | Pinterest
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_Life_(disambiguation)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_movement_(culture)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_living
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_reading
- https://www.slowlivingsummit.org/what-is-slow-living/
- https://slowyourhome.com/faq/what-is-slow-living/
- http://www.simpleandseason.com/2017/08/27/rethinking-slow-living/
Thank you for the mention Kyle! I’m really honored that you choose me to appear here. And this is a great post. Thanks so much for writing it. There are a few people I haven’t read much on so will be following that up today… in front of the fire!
Of course, Emma, and thank you! I tried to do a pretty comprehensive search to find a good range of slow living bloggers. Enjoy the fire!
Great article! Incredibly thorough, insightful and well researched and written. I really enjoyed reading it!
Thanks so much, Jackie! Keep up the good work on your blog!
I was in a search of my true self after a few downs in my life. Then, I found out that the “slow-living” way is the best way to get back on track and slowly find my self. When I read your article, I was surprised that I’ve been doing this kind of “lifestyle”, just didn’t realise the term to describe it. Thanks!
Same here, Ary! I discovered slow living during my existential crisis three years ago. Glad to hear you are already on board with the lifestyle. Maybe you’ve heard it called some of these slow living synonyms.
In today’s world, we are doing things way too fast. We do not slow down enough to appreciate everything around us. I am loving this concept of slow-living. Thanks for posting this.
You got it, Mr. D. And FIRE has been life-changing for me as well.
I feel so lost right now, I have days where it is so hard for me to find strength to move on and go out of bed… I truly believe, that this has to do with the life-style we have, especially in the western countries. It is like I am anxious in every move I make, every new information I take, and drowning in scary thoughts.
I hope this concept will help me find a way towards more meaningful and peaceful life.
Thank you for your posts!
Hi Soul Searching! I hear you. If you haven’t already read it, you may resonate with the post I wrote about my existential crisis. Also check out the post series on busyness to get a better understanding about why we are so busy these days. All the best!
Have been busy for past years and enjoy slowwwwww living now. It does not mean to be lazy but to enjoy everything around us more. Starting slow living, I live a much meaning days … and cutting spendings on useless items. I choose the “artifacts” that will age beautifully with me … as time goes by. Quality over Quantity.
Welcome to the slow movement, Arielle! Going from busyness to slower living is life-changing.
Slow living in the Asian society is taken as a lack of something in our lifestyle by our peers and often times parents also. They do not understand that it is by choice, not that some people are deficient in some skill that they are living slow.
Your article gave me a lot of insight into slow living and how it can be defined.
Thanks, Tanisha! Sounds similar to the Western world.
So excited to find you online. I love your web site. Beautifully crafted. I have been facilitating a Spiritual Literacy Group in Hong Kong, into our eighth year. Just found you by doing a search on book reviews of Garcia and Miralles’ book on Ikigai. Love your book summary! And appreciate your resources which I will share with my group. Many of the books you recommend I have also read and written study guides and summaries )only I haven’t published mine onto social media.) let me know if your interested in my greatest hits (for example a gem of a book by Lin Yutang The Importance of Living – The Classic Bestseller that Introduced Millions to the Noble Art of Leaving Things Undone.)
Thank you for the kind words, Kate! “Spiritual Literacy” is much needed these days; wish I would have known about it 8 years ago! Thanks so much for sharing Sloww content with your group.
I’d love to know your greatest hits list of books (you can find mine here).
I’ve saved Lin Yutang’s book. That’s definitely one I want to check out. I actually have some favorite quotes already saved:
āBesides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.ā ā Lin Yutang
āThose who are wise wonāt be busy, and those who are too busy canāt be wise.ā ā Lin Yutang
Job well done on your site and sharing your journey Kyle! Our family has been implementing aspects of intentional living over the past 4 years. We have progressed in so many ways and are at the step function of selling the (Bay Area) McMansion for simpler digs and a possible relocation. These are hard decisions made easier to navigate with resources such as your content. Thank you!
Amazing! Sounds like we started our journeys around the same time. So glad to hear Sloww could be of service!
Great article. Though I don’t really see it in same perspective as you. For me, slow living is literally opting out of rat race – getting best job, getting better degree than your friends, getting more handsome husband than your cousin, getting perfect marriage,earning more money than your peers – opting out of all these will indeed make you feel relaxed and calm, and to me such minimalist way to live a life is default. However not everyone thinks like me. A lot of people take rat race too seriously and are willing to even try to ruin your position in social standing or in job. Ew.
Thanks for sharing your perspective, Charles. “Slow living” has many synonyms (intentional living, purposeful living, conscious living, etc) and overlaps with simple living. Opting out of the rat race can certainly be part of an approach to downshifting into this lifestyle (it was for me).
Thanks so much for putting this beautifully together! š I am a current slow-living advocate.
You’re welcome! Glad to have you as part of the slow living movement.
I just discovered your article and wanted to say thank you for putting it together so well. You’ve really rounded out what it means to live slow and it’s not at all about it being an excuse to be unmotivated or stop caring, which is what it can look like at first glance. For me it’s about stepping away from the chaotic pace of modern life and being more conscious and deliberate with my choices, be it with how I spend my time or with the things I choose to bring into my home. Thanks for a great article.
Thanks for the kind words, Kamila! Getting over the myths of slow living is half the battle. You’re right that it’s not about caring less, it’s actually about intentionally choosing where to care more. I think your personal definition nails it!
Wow Kyle, this post is such a great resource!
We started living at a slower pace a few years back, but only recently discovered that there is a robust community of people improving their lives through Slow Living.
You’ve added a few months to my reading list. š
Cheers!
Appreciate it, Patrick! Happy reading!