A deep part of me craves slowness, or at least space to pause, to rest, to be still.

I want spacious space, the kind of open space where I know that I can do whatever I want, what feels nourishing to me.

I want to feel like I don’t have to rush from one task to another or try desperately to fit in everything that I have to do in a day.

I want time to linger a little longer in spaces that feel nice; I want time to sit outside, to meditate, to breathe.

I don’t only want to move slowly though. I don’t always want to do nothing or be still. I also have “goals.” I want to throw myself into things that fill up my soul and do meaningful work. I love movement and being active, and there’s a lot I want to do and see in this world.

But I’ve also seen, at times, a tendency to seek to be productive just to be “productive,” a subtle yet strong desire to just “do” something…so I can feel like I’m spending my time wisely and efficiently.

This is an energy I’m working on releasing. I want my actions to be intentional and grounded, not just stemming from some unconscious “need” to “feel productive.”

I think many of us are in this kind of space—understanding that this relentless need to move or be busy just isn’t sustainable or nourishing and that we don’t want it to continue.

But this energy is all around us and infiltrates so much of our lives, so it takes consciousness and attention to begin to shift how we show up in this world.

I really enjoyed this video. A few parts made me laugh and a few enlightened me to new ways of thinking about things (like at the beginning where he mentions that we adults aren’t so different from babies—in that just as babies can only handle so much “activity” before they start crying and need a nap, so also do we need such space to rest).

It might just inspire you to want to slow down, too.

Here are a few ways that you can simplify your life:

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