We’re being pressured by society/workplaces to move faster but in reality we naturally all strive for SLOW relaxed life, that includes moving away from mass consumption and mass production.
How we fuc*ed up our world with one ideology of fast, quick, cheap and convenient (and we’re still doing it)…that once brought us economic prosperity (but just for a second) and at the same time created long term problems in today's world, like dehumanization, health related issues and massive pollution… just to name a few.
Sometimes the only way to move forward is by going back…and so we're learning to embrace the SLOW LIFE MOVEMENT...
Slow pace.
Encourages enjoyment of life, a deeper appreciation of sensory experiences, and the ability to 'live in the present moment' more often. Stop every now and then to smell a flower (or a cake).
“Be a curator of your life. Slowly cut things out until you’re left only with what you love, with what’s necessary, with what makes you happy.”
Leo Babauta, The Effortless Life: A Manual for Contentment, Mindfulness, & Flow
Consume slowly (this is massive).
Quality over quantity. Cheap is never good (we don't mean you need to spend thousands on your branded clothes, that's also not good). Instead invest in couple of staples, and wear them for years (your dryer is ruining your clothes btw - ditch it).
Slow & mindful gifting.
Gift mindfully and with purpose. Gift only what the person you're gifting really needs, not just for the sake of giving them something useless and cheap that will end up collecting dust and eventually in our landfill.
BLAEK Store, we love these guys - they will look after your health and our environment, and they will make you feel good when you consume. Visit them online or in Manly.
Know The Rose (we love her even more) and her everlasting sustainably sourced and chemically free dried flowers. Next time when you gift flowers, gift flowers that will last much longer than your chocolate chip brownie.
Made For Mothers is genuinely looking after "new" mums' health. If you or your friend just gave birth, gift yourself/them a beautifully (sustainably) wrapped gift of health. Jess delivers around Northern Beaches and Sydney, and will nourish you from inside out with her organic bone and vegetable broths and nourishing meals. Easy peasy.
Erica Smith is a rare find. Mindfully created unique art pieces, slowly and with purpose, our friend Erica will create an original artwork for your new home or even a mini art print that you can mindfully gift to your friends and family (pieces that are not mass produced - so you won't look like everyone else giving random meaningless gifts). Erica is also celebrating right now with complimentary shipping - bless her kind heart.
Southern Wild & Co. - born from the bush. They're immersed into nature everyday and nature seeps into every aspect of everything they create for us. We love their bush scented stories behind every single candle, they evoke childhood memories and give us goose bumps. Gift a candle you can tell stories about...and stay connected to the nature, when you can't.
English in Stories - we have to mention probably the most revolutionary way of learning a language (on Instagram - we know, epic). And the most addictive. Bye bye days when you didn't feel like doing a homework...if your Brazilian friend (or any other, we just have a crush for Brazilian peeps) needs English lessons, you can gift them a week (or more if you're not stingy - starts from $20/week) of learning English in Stories, also they're learning from the coolest lady - girl on the gram with an everyday personalized feedback - we'll say it again, it's epic.
Take yourself on a long weekend (and bring friends - only the nice ones) and stay at Bimlow Cottage, a historic 1890's rural property on the doorstep of Blue Mountains. Spend a weekend (or longer) with purpose and enjoy the mindful slowness of Blue Mountains. Georgie's warm hospitality and home made sourdough are quite possibly addictive, you were warned.
Slow food.
Slow vs fast food…we admire Japanese food culture, and tea ceremony. Or any ceremony for that matter, that precious time you sit down and you're present, grateful. Eco (non sprayed food - the way food should be) local ingredients vs imported mass grown sprayed food. Variety of produce straight from nature and always seasonal (once again for the ones in the back - there's no strawberries in winter). Homemade vs takeaway, there's something magical about preparing your food from scratch (sometimes)... and don’t forget to be present.
Slow education.
We love how Japanese culture pays less attention to academic achievement, and creates a society in which people enjoy arts, hobbies, and sports throughout their lifetimes. There's no end to it, education never stops. It's a lifestyle and it creates happier society.
Slow aging.
Age with grace and be self-reliant throughout our lifetimes. Sleep, meditate, calm your mind, connect with nature, stay active, and nurture your body with healthy food (and healthy cakes)... and you won't need to worry about aging...
Slow life (in every aspect).
Based on the philosophy of life above, let's live our lives with nature and the seasons, saving our resources and energy, for generations to come.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
Lao Tzu.
Slow love.
Marina x