The Privilege of Slow Living
Is the slow life for everyone?
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First of all, if you're new here, my name is Sophie. I’m on a journey to slow down, reconnect with nature, and live more intentionally. After moving off-grid, I’m sharing lessons on rewilding, simplicity, and finding balance in a busy world, without any of the fluff.
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“Get a personal chef to help reduce the stress at dinner time”.
This is one of the top 10 tips of a YouTuber who shall remain nameless suggests we should try to ‘simplify our lives’. Ok, I don’t even know how one would go about hiring a personal chef. I’ll admit, the thought of having someone prepare me healthy dinners and do the dishes afterwards does lower my stress quite a bit!
One of the other tips included ‘remain debt-free’, another great tip I hadn’t considered yet. I got a little worked up as I watched the video filled with stunning images of tropical beaches and palm trees.
There is privilege in slow-living
The video, and many others like it, raises the question for me: “Who is slow living really for?”
In essence, slow living is about a lifestyle that promotes savouring the moment, connecting with nature, and decluttering your life. Unfortunately, the slow living movement portrayed on social media often takes a different turn.
I have written about this before: the beautiful aesthetic seems to be inherent to the slow living movement. Social Media loves a good Instagrammable moment, whether it’s the perfect avocado toast or walking along a beautiful beach in a white linen dress.
These images scream, “I have time and money to burn.” When you’re working two jobs or caring for a family, the luxury of leisurely arranging your life for the perfect picture just isn’t in the cards. It’s hard to stop and smell the roses when you’re busy working to pay the bills. Personally, I’m not working two jobs, and I consider myself very lucky for this. I do, however, have one very busy job. I’m a huge fan of slow living, but I just can’t get behind the Instagram-worthy aesthetic that comes with it.
When I’m trying to get the fire going in my oversized Oodie, or I’m running away from a wild pig, also in my oversized Oodie (me, not the pig), the last thing I’m thinking of is snapping a great picture. My off-the-grid life is usually not very Instagram-worthy, but this doesn’t mean I’m not embracing the lifestyle or I’m somehow “doing it wrong.” As if the label of ‘slow living’ is only bestowed on you when you get the aesthetic just right, complete with knitted socks and a beautiful journal (just like the pic I chose for this article).
Unfortunately, many people may be led to believe white sandy beaches are the only way to embrace the lifestyle. And I fear that’s locking people out of something that could be beneficial for them.
Slow living takes time
As I was reading Slow Productivity, Cal Newport’s latest book, I noticed he mentions the need to do fewer things. However, I cannot help but think there are people out there for whom this isn’t a practical option. Some people have to work two jobs and hustle to get around, and they can’t do fewer things.
Let’s also not forget the time factor. Slow living implies having the time to slow down and appreciate life. This often isn’t the case for many people juggling multiple responsibilities. It’s a privilege to be able to spend a leisurely morning meditating or baking sourdough bread from scratch. For most, time is a luxury they simply don’t have.
The irony is that a lifestyle designed to strip away society’s pressures has introduced its own new pressures. Somehow, it feels as if those with a little more privilege become the only ones who can ‘truly’ embrace slow living. Slow living done in this way becomes an almost elitist lifestyle.
The pressure to do it right
For that particular group of slow lifestyle followers, slowing down becomes not just about slowing down; it becomes about doing so in style. If you’re not going to the farmers market on Sunday morning to get your organic foods, followed by a visit to the secondhand shop to buy some sustainable clothes, you’re doing it wrong.
I’ll note that no one is ever saying you have to do these things or that anyone is really doing it wrong. What I wanted to do here is highlight how some of these videos can make others feel. Portraying a lifestyle heavily focused on reaching a specific, expensive aesthetic can alienate others who can’t afford to drop a small fortune on a new lifestyle.
There’s another way
But wait, before you throw your slow living dreams into the compost bin, there’s hope!
As with anything on the internet, I think the popularity of the slow living movement has swung too much the other way. But there’s no reason we can’t bring it back to its essence. It’s time to bring back the voice of reason and reclaim what slow living is truly about.
Slowing down where and when you can.
Spending a little extra time on the thing that matters most to you.
Truly enjoying your cup of coffee.
Going for a short walk outdoors.
Make time for yourself.
Take a deep breath and savour the moment whenever you can.
Turning off your phone at dinner time.
The opportunities are endless because only you can define what slow living means for you. Don’t let anyone else dictate what it could mean. You decide where you place your focus. The whole idea of slow living is that you reclaim your time and become intentional with your focus.
It’s all about balance
Ultimately, slow living is about balance, not about a rigid set of rules. You don’t have to renounce all modern conveniences and move to a cabin in the woods to live more mindfully. It’s about uncovering what works for you. Maybe you can’t spend hours meditating, but I’m sure you can find the time to take a few deep breaths during your commute. Maybe you can’t afford to go to a fancy organic farmers market, but you can cook a simple, wholesome meal at home. Maybe you can’t go for a long walk outside, but you can turn on the nature sounds indoors and relax that way.
Find what works for you.
Embrace the bits of slow living that fit your life and let go of the rest. If you can do this, you’re already living the slow life.
Something that inspired me this week:
I’ve started listening to Jacinda Ardern’s memoir on Audible and I love it so much. For those of you who don’t know, she was New Zealand’s Prime Minister between 2017 and 2023. At that time she was the world’s youngest female head of Government, and only the second to give birth while in office.
From the book blurb:
When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister at age thirty-seven, the world took notice. But it was her compassionate, powerful response to the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, resulting in swift gun-control reforms, that exemplified a new kind of leadership—one that is caring and effective. She guided New Zealand through unprecedented challenges—a volcanic eruption, a major biosecurity breach, and a global pandemic—and advanced visionary new policies to address climate change, reduce child poverty, and secure historic international trade deals. She did this all while juggling first-time motherhood in the public eye.
What stands out to me is just how relatable the start of her story is. She talks openly about being nervous when public speaking, about experiencing imposter syndrome and about wanting to make a difference in the world. Very inspiring - the audiobook is narrated by herself as well, which I think is a bonus!
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I am in my late 80s and I have had to slow down. Not a choice. However, I do have choices in the way I design my slowed down life. I agree that slowing down can be done in so many different ways. Your main points that this way of life can be for all or us and expressed in so many different ways is so helpful. Because of my age I can let go of certain activities and modify others without regret... just gratitude for being fit and healthy and doing the things I love more slowly and intentionally.
It’s a mindset not a lifestyle. Enjoyed reading this.