Lessons in Slowing Down…

Welcome to February 2024! I want to start by saying thank you for all your amazing messages to last month’s editor’s note. It never ceases to amaze me how often we connect and how much we have in common. I’m truly grateful. 

Here’s this month’s mini-podcast -with a big change that I’ve been contemplating for more than a year. 

Let this catch you as you get ready in the morning, or on your daily commute, or you may wait until nighttime to take it all in but no matter which way, I hope that my thoughts resonate with you. That they inspire you. They provide space for a bit of introspection.  So, without further ado, here is February’s episode. 

With Love,

Transcript:

Hello friends,

Welcome to this month’s editor’s note. 

I can not believe we are welcoming February already. I remember being told that time flies when I was younger, not sure if you were told the same, but with an imagery eye roll, I simply wrote off the concept. Every single time. And yet now, as I’ve gotten older it’s all I think about at times.

How can I slow down so time doesn’t feel like it’s fleeting?

And so it got me thinking. Slowing down is such a tricky concept when we live in a world that glorifies constant hustle. It’s post more. Work harder. Do everything. Go. Go. Go. 

And for me, I can get so caught up in this world. It’s a whirlwind of obligations, deadlines, and perpetual motion. 2023, being no exception for me. It was a relentless stream of days just blending into each other. With no days off. Simply just going and going and going. 

As I sit here and reflect, it might have been intentional so I wouldn’t focus on my personal life and the loss of my mom, but when the calendar flipped to January, can I just tell you I could not shake off the cloudiness? I couldn’t even think straight. I was attempting to plan out 2024 and it felt like a mountain I couldn’t climb.

So, on January 1st, I woke up and just looked at my husband and deliberately told him “I’m taking this week off.” And if I’m being honest, a choice that made me feel scared immediately. I’m going to be a little raw here, this holiday season was the worst one I had since opening my doors in 2020. EE did not do well and also it was the first set of holidays without my mom. So, taking off felt detrimental.  And the funk, the funk was a looming shadow over me.

But I did it. I took off and I slowed down. I got off the hamster wheel and can I just say it was liberating. I disconnected from social media, answered no emails, and instead, I read books, listened to my favorite podcasts, and had a quiet celebration for my birthday – at my request. 

And then it happened. Because it always happens. The cloudiness started to lift. I started getting excited about 2024. New ideas that felt more aligned and more authentic started pouring in. Aha moments, by the dozens. Sort of this newfound motivation.

So, isn’t it interesting? The magic of slowing down gives us the space to speed things up. It’s as if our minds need the spaciousness of calm to allow the seeds of creativity to take root and flourish.

I’m learning that slowing down does not mean stagnation, rather, it’s a deliberate act of self-care. It’s a pause that allows me to recalibrate, to reconnect with my passions, and tap into my creativity. It’s in these intentional pauses that I believe we find the space to dream, to ideate, and to innovate.

I now feel rested and revitalized. And as you can see, big changes keep coming, like how I’m doing my monthly editor’s notes. And after contemplating it for more than a year, I can’t even believe I’m saying this. Here’s another one. I’m officially quitting interior design, yup you heard that correctly. Not to drop a bomb and it’s not entirely as it sounds but I’ll explain more about it when I’m ready. 

I’ll leave you with this, here’s a bit of encouragement to practice the art of slowing down. Allow yourself the luxury of stillness, and perhaps you may find that it is the fastest route to renewed motivation, fresh ideas, and a more inspired life.

Thank you for listening and we’ll chat next month.