Benefits of Living a Slow Life

In today’s world, most of us are trying to catch that proverbial carrot on the stick that seems to elude us every single day. We are then back at it the very next day, convincing ourselves that we will reach out and grab it one day. We become the hamster on the wheel going round and round. Most of the times this carrot that we chase is just a mirage, vanishing in the wind in the blink of an eye.

Most days, we spend our time on auto-pilot, running from one responsibility in our busy lives to the next, living in a monotonous rat race of work, school, chores, and family that we don’t see our lives slowly slipping by.

In so doing, we end up feeling empty, surrounded by material things that we buy to make us feel that we have achieved something; we end up depriving ourselves of our health, and we end up sacrificing our notion of family and community.

It is time we all learn how to slow things down a bit, take time to truly see what matters, and be present where it matters most. We can all benefit from living a slow life.

A slow life is a lifestyle and state of being that promotes a slower-paced way of living. This slow living movement is believed to have been started over in Greece, when they promoted a slow food movement, placing tons of attention on how slow-made, home-cooked meals are much better for you and your health than fast food. It became more popular as evidence of life longevity came to the forefront.

The slow life is all about lifestyle. It is a road that leads to health, good habits, and happiness. It is a condition according to which the soul lives calmly and steadily, being disturbed by nothing.

It focuses on eating right and creating healthy life habits. It is how to live your life in a way that focus on lifestyle and good habits. By making little and sustainable changes in our lifestyles, we can gradually and sustainably take ourselves out from the unhealthy life we have created and recreate our life’s infrastructure.

The same idea goes for the slow life movement. To practice this idea really means to take a deep breath, to embrace the moment you are in, to practice self-caring, and to then…exhale. Taking time to enjoy life, do things properly, and breathe is much more beneficial for your overall well-being.

Practicing a Slow Life

Being Healthier

Although there are many benefits to actually practicing a slow life, I will focus on the main ones.Taking things at a slower pace is going to be beneficial to your physical health. This means doing things that make your body feel better, but also eating things that make your body feel healthy.Think about the things you would love to do daily if only you had the time. Doing things outdoors that you love doing will increase your heart rate, improve your mood and energy, and feel invigorated.

Eating things that are home-grown, locally sourced, home cooked and seasonal, will not only allow you to practice a healthy, nutritional regime, but it will also train your body to rid of itself of the toxins it has stored due to an unhealthy lifestyle, and start building up the vitamins and nutrients that it requires.Living slow will allow you to take time to make better, healthier choices because you will have the time to think about what you are doing to your body.

Better Social Life and Relationships

Stress and anxiety can put a huge strain on any relationship, whether with your spouse, a child, a co-worker, or a friend. All of these relationships have to work well together for you to feel balanced and happy. When you are stressed or

anxious, you have trouble concentrating, controlling your emotions, and even being reasonable.

One thing that the Greeks practice a lot is to eat together in a group, whether it be with family or with friends. This type of social practice engages the senses, makes one feel that they belong, communication creates endorphins that make you feel happier, and connection to someone else gives us a better outlook on life. And in the end, what happens is that stress and anxiety become reduced and health issues, like strokes and heart attacks, that are connected to this become less likely to happen.

Self-Care and Happiness

A slow life promotes an overall sense of happiness and well-being. We tend to not take care of ourselves when we are always on the go and living the fast-paced life. Just having the option of pacing yourself and not feeling obligated to go from one task to the next will help aid in happiness and guide you to a more productive and successful life.

Self-care and self-preservation are important to live a longer and happier life. If you can slow down just long enough to make a better plan of action, you will have more time to relax and think clearer. Giving yourself time to breath goes a long way to achieve happiness, longevity, and a healthy lifestyle.

Disconnecting and Connecting with Nature

Greeks live long because they do things outside. Even if it is to see a friend, they will rather visit them outside then to call them on the phone or do a video chat. They love hobbies that involve something outside, like gardening.Go for a walk, tend to a garden, take up bird watching; there are so many ways you can get out and connect with nature, and everyone should do it.

When you make your way outside, you will start to notice how natural everything flows. Nature lives a slow life, preparing for the future so as not to be rushed in the present, and when you are surrounded by that way of life, you tend to mimic your surroundings and this will help you slow down as well.

There is a lot to learn from being outdoors, plus it is a great way to spend some time with your thoughts, breathe in the fresh air, and have time to appreciate all our earth has to offer us.A slow life is a way of life. It will be an adjustment for those who are used to living a fast-paced day-to-day.

A healthy mind, body, and soul must take your time and live life the way you want to live it. Enjoy the things that make you happy, and find peace, harmony, and tranquility in everything you do.Learning to take time for yourself is key to a well-balanced, healthy, and happy life. We all have to just learn to breathe.

Want to Learn More?

If you enjoyed this article, go and check out my book: SLOW Life Diet — Greek Village Living: The Pathway to a Healthier Lifestyle, Healthy Habits, and a Happier You.It provides a detailed explanation of this slow living lifestyle and provides a guide to help you on your journey in adopting the habits and lifestyle into your own life.

The knowledge of the Ancient Greeks had been passed down from generation to generation until their eating rituals and habits became part of the societal norm in Greece. These can be seen more so in the Greek villages as these villages have many similarities as how Ancient Greeks city-states were formed and how the people lived. They lived off the land and ate what the land provided. As a result, their nutrition was very healthy. As time progressed, the nutritional habits merged with the way of life which slowed down and started to focus on self and societal care. And finally, now, through this book about Greek village living, the secrets of this knowledge on nutritional and lifestyle habits that have been passed down and now practiced everyday are revealed.