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THE ART OF SLOW LIVING + 5 WAYS TO INCORPORATE IT INTO YOUR LIFE.

15 October 2017 2 comments

Barely-There-Beauty-blog-slow-living-wellness-tips

R E C O N N E C T ,   R E F L E C T ,   R E I N S P I R E

If there's one overriding attitude I've become passionate about in recent years, it's wellness and wellbeing, and taking more of a 'holistic' approach to bettering my life and mood.

Adopting more of a 'slow living' mindset has easily been my most inspired and favourite change. I've found it incredibly uplifting to reconnect with aspects of life that are most often trampled upon by adult things like 'responsibilities' and 'deadlines' (yawnyawnborebore).

As it's birthday month for me, the perfect time to reconvene and reflect, I wanted to have a little chat with you about some of my slow living habits, including five ways you can incorporate a little slow living wellness into your life this autumn. Read on and enjoy!





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Speaking in all honesty, my last couple of years at uni really knocked the wind out of me, and not just because doing a maths degree is tough, but because of a whole barrage of obstacles thrown at me at once, in my personal and professional life.

Embracing nature, stillness and taking the time to take better care of myself have been but a few ways I've managed to find moments of serenity in my acutely busy mind, and I wanted to share some more that have helped me find my 'inner calm'.


F I N D I N G   M O R E   T I M E   T O   D O   N O T H I N G


In our incredibly busy lifestyles, rarely do we allow ourselves to idle and languish without feeling guilty that we should be being productive or putting our time to good use. And whilst being productive is just the ticket in the right circumstances, there's a lot to be said for isolating those moments and knowing when rest and stillness is, in fact, what's needed.

If you've a garden and the sky is alight with sunrays, venture out and sit among the greenery, or if it's grey, chilly or overcast, put on the Rituals meditation app (or any other) and lie on the floor for a few minutes - in fact, lying on the ground under a skylight or otherwise glass roofing when it's raining is positively sedative - bliss.

And for the times when doing 'nothing' just isn't an option, try and resist the temptation to multitask. Focus your attentions on each errand at hand, one at a time (she says whilst struggling to type up this paragraph with Strictly on catchup on..)


M A K E   M O R E   T I M E   T O   B E   T O G E T H E R


It's become increasingly more clear to me that it's people that make my world go round. And that when faced with the choice, I'd rather invest my time in those that matter to me, than, say, while it away on social media.

There are so many distractions in the modern world that divert us from what is arguably the bigger picture, and it's great to take a digital detox as often as possible. I was having a chat with one of my friends about my blog etc and the conversation lead to me asking him "Do you even have Instagram?", and he replied "Yes, of course - how else do I get social media likes?" (obviously being sarcastic) and I just thought ha, how right you are...

Make the effort to cultivate your relationships, via a more traditional means, and spend more time with your loved ones. Arrange meet ups, call them, write them a letter, spend time together without a screen in your periphery!

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C R E A T E


These days, so much time is allocated to getting through the day - work and chores and the like, that I don't feel enough time is given to getting a little creative! And I mean in the old fashioned sense too.

grow // I spoke about the effects getting out into the garden has had on my mood and it's such a lovely and rewarding hobby to sink your teeth into. And, unlike you may think, it's fulfilling year-round - our garden is currently bursting with dahlias, and even the lavender is still in flower.

cultivate // If you're no dab hand in the garden (or you don't have a garden altogether!), there's no need to hang up your gardening gloves and trowel, my beginner's guide to houseplants will have you a little family of easy-care fauna up and running in no time.

paint // I've acquired a quaint little box of watercolours and I've absolutely adored trying my hand at painting some foliage and flowers. I must get my hands on an old illustrative guide to botany - the kind with exquisitely hand-drawn diagrams.

cook // Likewise, thumbing through cookbooks and trying out new recipes gives me no end of joy - I had a go at castella cake the other day, having eaten it many times but never tried making the temperamental recipe, and happy to say it a) was a complete success, and b) was utterly moreish, I could eat the whole thing.

play // Musical instruments are extremely soothing tools and I've neglected mine, in lieu of 'adulting'. It's so lovely to hit the keys, (in my case, but any instrument will do!) and destress. (Einaudi's a good one if you're a fellow piano player as it generally has a nice tempo and none of his songs are too challenging - the 'high point' in Nuvole Bianche is excellent for destressing.


R E A D 


With all of the studies and literature, I'm sure you've no need of being convinced of the power of the written word. Reading increases pleasure, prolongs your life and even delays dementia or other degenerative mental illnesses. And you need not feel like you have to read fiction that's esteemed, highly regarded, or hard going - there's a lot of book-snobbery that goes on that I just don't buy into! Newspapers, articles, magazines or other non-fiction are all viable options, and it's cookbooks in particular that I reach for when I'd like to relax.


M A K I N G   T H E   M O S T   O F   T H E   M O R N I N G S


I'm definitely not a morning person. But oddly enough, I find early mornings the most peaceful. Establishing a 'slow morning' and curating a little routine for a better day really sets the tone for the rest of my day, and encourages good habits from the offset.

Something I've been trying to do more is to set my alarm a tad earlier and get outside with my camera first thing - there's something really primitive, not to mention tranquil, about getting outside before everyone else is about and not having to be anywhere, especially with this gorgeous autumn lighting we have at the moment.



Well there we have it. I love talking about this topic so I really hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing. Have a wonderful end to your weeks and here's to starting Monday incredibly slowly ;)




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