How to Start Slow Living + Business Mapping Process

Entrepreneurship

Jul 27

I have a story to share with you – a wakeup call, really – and maybe one you need as well… Psst. This is kind of a long one, but stick with me till the end so that you can feel the transformation too! ✨

This past Sunday, while attempting to put my daughter to sleep for the third time, 🙈 I finally surrendered the idea of a “quick” bedtime routine and just crashed with her.

It was the first time I had allowed myself to be still all day. A literal 180 degrees from the very low-key, slow weekend away with my husband, that I had just returned home from – watch along in my stories highlights.

It felt like we were living in a bubble for four straight days. We stayed at the cutest little cabin in the woods and filled our days with slowness, connection, nature, music, board games, and numerous glasses of wine by the fire.

Away from our children and businesses, it took us the first 24 hours to truly unplug and disconnect, but once my nervous system settled and I finally landed back in my body, I soaked in every single still moment.

Peace is the best word I can use to describe it.

Peace in my marriage.

Peace in my body.

Peace in my being.

This is what the slow living lifestyle feels like to me. Peace. ✨

Upon returning home, the first full day back felt like someone threw me right into Lake Michigan itself — a complete shock to my nervous system.

With a long to-do list, I dropped right into overwhelm, triggering its three best friends: comparison, scarcity and confusion. (Maybe you've met them before? 🙃)

As I laid down with my daughter, I felt the slow again. A familiar feeling from this past weekend, one that I was already longing for.

At that moment, I heard this question:

Is it OK to live a slow life?

I quickly reminded myself that slowness exists right here in my home too.

I didn’t have to drive 200 miles North or hide out in the woods to feel it (although we would love that, right? 🌲) — I could create a slow life for myself right here.

I began looking around the room to take in the complete scene.

I noticed things I hadn’t before (or at least not in the past week or so, as my daughter is always playfully “reorganizing” her room).

I noticed the way she perfectly aligned her stuffed animals along the wall.

How the string of butterflies hanging from her ceiling danced around as if they were fluttering, thanks to her fan.

I read the artwork I had hung on her wall next to her window before she was even born, thinking it was perfect for a little girl’s room. It read, “Aim High & Dream Big.”

And just on the opposite side of her window a second piece of artwork read, “Just Be You.”

My eyes fluttered from one to the other. 👀 Taking in these two affirmations at once, it hit me how conflicting both of these messages felt and I felt a rush of emotion come over me.

These two sayings perfectly described the dance I had been doing for the past 24 hours, but maybe, more like the past 24+ years.

Teeter-tottering back and forth between these two conflicting messages for decades, especially in my business.

One day feeling extremely motivated, inspired and in my masculine, aiming high and dreaming big! Also feeling anxiety, stress and fear that if I didn’t do so I would be missing out on something. A legacy cast away.

The next day when I would return back to my body, more grounded and capable of trusting my divine feminine and intuition, my inner knowing would become clear again. ‘Me just being me’ was more than enough for a life well-lived. That I didn’t have to push, pull, strive, or aim for anything. That I could loosen my grip on life, and it would still be dreamy. A dream of my own.

There’s a release I feel throughout my entire body just writing that.

When did this dance become my way of doing business? Or worse, my way of living?

Why couldn’t I slow down, disconnect, and just be myself AND reach my dreams, no size required?

The next morning I woke up with a cold 🤧 – the Universe telling me that moving fast was not an option today (or likely the next few days) – answering my prayers and keeping me in my slow, still bubble.

And guess what happened? Sure I did a few things that were not my norm – I stayed in my pj's, ate a heck-of-a-lot of chicken noodle soup, and even watched something on Netflix (so not me)… I also continued to slowly and intentionally do my sacred work.

I did my morning routine (with a lot more sniffling than usual, but still), answered all of my private clients' Voxer messages, tended to my Sacred Work Mastermind group, wrote a blog, found that 10 new women joined my upcoming workshop, all while tending to myself in the comfort of my cozy bed…

It all still felt fairly slow.

Hmmmmmmm.

Was I already living a slow lifestyle? 😳

Maybe my slow living didn't look like the women who post perfectly crafted images on Instagram or who own a quiet farm somewhere… but wasn't I still living wayyyy slower than I was, let's say 3 years ago?

Yes! My answer was yes. I get to be a suburban mama who drops her kiddos off at school and makes space for herself and does her sacred work in the world and tends to her family without feeling like her nervous system is constantly out of whack!

It is possible. ✨

And I was “doing it” but it felt especially good when I planned for it!!! And that's been a huge part of my learning since embracing this slower version of me, that I deeply desire a slow living lifestyle and in order to have it, I must plan for it!!!

We can make space and time in our schedules for ease, flow, and slowness when we consciously choose to. We can do less and have more!

And if you don't believe me, I invite you to check out our Business Planning Workshop!