Happy Sunday, !!

We’re nearing the end of summer break and if I had to guess, you’re probably finding your calendar filling up, your pace of moving from task to task speeding up, and an increasing difficulty to slow down.

I’m sure if you’re reading this, you wear multiple hats for the different ways that you show up:  as the mother, daughter, sister, wife, friend, employee, chef, therapist, Uber driver, coach, personal shopper… the list goes on! 

And as we all know, life quickly gets busy and without realizing how the heck it happened, you’re all caught up in the hustle and bustle of life:

• Afternoons get reserved for back-to-school shopping
• You’re trying to keep up with a busy season at work
• Making sure all the meals are planned and prepped
• After school activities and sports schedules start to fill up the calendar
• You’re taking care of elderly family members

So ...  in all of this busyness, where are you supposed to find a moment to pause, take a breath, and feel both feet on the ground?

I mean, The Sunday Slowdown is a pretty good place to start!

;-)

And if you can make space to take a valuable pause to read my weekly newsletter, you can find bits of space each day to practice being a human being instead of a human doing.  

Even if you have to pencil it into your calendar, try to prioritize the pause.  

I can already hear the wheels spinning in your mind as you read that, thinking about how to make the most use of your time—what can you do in those dedicated, slower moments?

Here are a few ideas:

• Take a walk and observe what you see, smell, and hear
  
   
• Do a puzzle - sudoku, Wordle, or a jigsaw puzzle
  
   
• Tap into your creative side - doodle, paint, draw, cross-stitch 
  
   
• Bullet journaling, list making, or old school journaling with pen and paper 
  
   
• Read a chapter (or three!) in that book you’ve been wanting to get your hands on

Here’s the thing, -- Slowing down isn’t a measure of good or bad, right or wrong, productive or lazy.  

When we practice slowing down, we allow ourselves to be present in our lives.  We create space to tune into what is meaningful and valuable.  

What brings us joy, and what we can let go of.

And now I want to know, how do you like to embrace the slower moments? Hit reply to this email and share your answer with me. 

We'll chat again next week!

xoxo steph