• Skip to main content
Stephanie ODea
  • Slow Cooking
    • Search
    • Index
    • Weekly Meal Plans
    • Recommended Cookers
    • Reader Favorites
    • Save Money
    • Gluten Free
    • FAQ
    • 2008 Flashback
  • Blog
    • Blog Posts
    • Slow Living
    • Search Blog
  • Work With Me
    • Work With Steph
    • Coaching
  • Store
    • Books
    • Ebooks
    • Weekly Meal Plans
    • T-shirts
    • Slow Cookers
  • About
    • About Stephanie O’Dea
    • Contact Stephanie O’Dea
    • Speaking
    • Subscription options

A Year of Slow Living

By Stephanie O'Dea 2 Comments

 

2020 is the year to Slow Down.

or at least the year that I “announce out loud” that I have Slowed Down.

I actually have been slowing down quite a bit since the end of 2017 — which was the turning point when my brain felt buzzy and my body felt spiraly and my life felt floundery.

When we first moved into the neighborhood in which we currently live, there was a little old lady who lived up the street on a hill who came out each morning in her robe, slippers, and some sort of shower-cap looking hat to yell at the speeding cars.

I am not being insulting by describing her as a little old lady. She was in fact old. —  And appeared to be quite small in size.

Anyhow. This street in our neighborhood is a busy street — it leads straight to the freeway and the freeway leads either San Francisco or San Jose.

I’m sure you can imagine that during certain hours, drivers are speeding — either up the hill to get to the freeway for work, or speeding back down the hill to get home after a long day.

This lady came out with a homemade picket sign she shook at the cars. It read: SLOW THE #&*% DOWN in dark reddish, almost purple magic marker.

The #&*% was not on her sign. Instead it read the actual word that I’m sure your brain can figure out.

She was awesome.

The sign was awesome.

and the sentiment?

TOTALLY AWESOME.

So at the end of 2017 when I felt buzzy and spiraly and floundery, this lady and her sign (she passed away about 10 years ago) popped into my brain as the answer to my questioning prayers.

HEY STEPH:  SLOW THE #&*% DOWN

 

so I did.

It took a while to figure out what was making my heart race and my brain ache but I slowly peeled away the layers of STUFF I created in my life and in my days —

and I began to simply Slow Down.

I began to close the tabs on my brain and be a little more present.

I began to choose what I was eating rather than just eat because it was time to eat and other people around me were eating.

I began to exercise because it felt good, not because I was desperate to look a certain way in some dress at some party I didn’t even really want to go to.

Because I live in the doorstep of Silicon Valley I see FAST! HUSTLE! GRIND! everywhere I turn.

I’m not sure what it’s like in other parts of the country or the world, but here — even just simply going for a walk — people are glued to their phone and always seem to be in a rush.

I wrote yesterday that this is the Year to Slow Down.

How about you?

Is there something in your life that feels spiraly that you need to Slow?

Let me know your thoughts; you are not alone.

xoxo,

your friendly neighbor, steph

 

Want more? Be sure to watch my free training on the 10 Things You can Do RIGHT NOW to have a Happier, Calmer, more Peaceful Life.

 

 

You May Also Like

  • Keeping the P.A.C.E. in Wackadoo Times

  • Use an Ironing Board to Create a Homemade Standing Desk

  • How to be Blissfully Happy

Stephanie O'DeaStephanie started A Year of Slow Cooking in 2008 as a New Year’s Resolution to use her crockpot slow cooker every day for a year. After 12 years of focusing solely on slow cooking, Stephanie has pivoted and now writes about all things “Slow Living” — you may browse the books she has written on her Amazon Author page.

If you’d like to sign up the mailing list, and never miss a recipe or article, you may do so by entering your email address below:

Filed Under: Go Slow & Enjoy, Personal Development

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christin says

    January 5, 2020 at 6:55 am

    I’m going through a divorce right now. Yes it feels spirally. I keep reminding myself that I’m a warrior and I’ll come out on the other side a much better and happier person. 2020 is new beginnings for me. Unfortunately now is not the time to slow down. It is the time to ramp up, so I’m trying to invigorate myself. One day I’ll be be that little, old lady with that sign. Where are my slippers?

  2. Stephanie O'Dea says

    January 5, 2020 at 7:27 am

    You most definitely are a warrior, Christin! I think by choosing to be a warrior (declaring it is awesome; I love that word and sentiment) and pushing forward with your new beginnings you actually are slowing down in a certain way — you are actively making choices to move forward and ramp up. By doing so, I’m sure you’re going to end up turning off some of the noise and the clutter of daily life.
    Mindfulness is always a good thing.
    As for invigoration — you’ve got this. You really really really do. And I’m on your side. xoxoxox

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Connect with me:
  • Subscribe to newsletter
  • Follow me on Pinterest
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Become a fan on Facebook

As featured on

  • Good Morning America
  • Rachael Ray
  • Los Angeles Times
  • Prevention
  • Real Simple
  • New York Post
  • Oprah
Terms of Agreement and Privacy Policy | Site design by Makeworthy Media
​