Why slow living is unaffordable for most of us
A lot of advice about slow living and restfulness focusses on living in the present and inhabiting life as it passes by us. Most conversations are anchored in making it the ultimate goal or a consistent lifestyle
While this may sound like a perfectly good advice not many have the luxury to do so. Pausing/slowing down is incredibly essential for regulating our nervous system. However, for us to slow down we need to have safe and non-triggering environment
We have to examine how slowing down can bring extreme vulnerability. For some this vulnerability can be a way to soften but for many it’s a threat to their survival
The dominant narrative about slow living has made consistency and longevity the sole parameters of its effectiveness. While this may be rooted in research evidence, centering the conversation on making it a lifestyle or a continuous practice discards any possibilities of exploring other ways to integrate it in our lives.
Focusing on making it a permanent state makes it inaccessible for those who can’t. Hence, we need to come up with alternative ways to slow down and rest. We need sweep to aside the superficial conversations around techniques and look at bringing in more resources and support systems for restful halts.
We must acknowledge that it is not always possible to make slow living the end goal or a permanent lifestyle. Instead, we need to discover how to use it as a tool to briefly pause and recuperate to continue our movement against the systemic injustices
