Today, I’m introducing my Live Slow Challenge. I’ve had a dream for A Daily Something that’s nearly seven years old and I’ve been “actively” (more like passively #momlife) working on developing this exciting project since early 2019. Talk about slow living, huh? Over the years, my primary goals for A Daily Something have been to inspire YOU to make time for intentional living, to fill your life with beautiful daily somethings, and to form meaningful community. To that end, I’ve been dreaming up an incredibly exciting new component to A Daily Something, and while I’m not quite ready to launch the full project, I wanted to share this glimpse into my hopes and dreams for our community with this Live Slow Challenge.

What is the Live Slow Challenge?

Simply put, the Live Slow Challenge is a 4-week email-based community challenge that will help you weave principles of slow living into your life. The challenge is designed to help us all gently form new habits and rhythms that will enable us to live with more intention and connection. What better time than now to encourage each other to live considered lives? To live slow?

The challenge is four weeks long, and over the course of a month, we will gently apply “live slow” concepts to our lives. You’ll receive an email each week with that week’s theme, specific things to think about and do, and some thoughts on the topic. You’ll be asked to think about your why, the reasons and goals behind your decision to join this challenge. 

Who is the Live Slow Challenge for?

The Live Slow Challenge is for anyone and everyone. It’s for the city-dweller seeking refuge from the daily grind. It’s for the suburbs dweller looking for the strength to say no to over committing. It’s for the farmer looking to refocus and for a community of like-minded folks.

I created this to work for anyone and everyone, regardless of your status, life circumstances, or location. The challenge can be implemented in a way that works for you, and that may look different from the next person. It’s all about incorporating the practice of Living Slow in a way that meets your needs and goals, in a way that weaves into your life. This challenge is meant to encourage you and help you make gradual shifts that will enable you to live slow. 

Sound too idealistic? Let me respond to a few common slow living stumbling blocks you might foresee… 

1. I don’t have time to do what really matters to me! 

This may be the most common response to this idea of slow living. How can I live slow when my life continues to move fast? I don’t have time to slow down! And that’s fair! But the kind of “slow living” that I am introducing isn’t really about doing more or not doing what you need to do.  It’s about a shift in how you orient your time, an evaluation of how you order your priorities to actually give you more time and more freedom. 

2. I don’t feel like people around me would support this. I don’t have a community that gets it!

Yes, living slow is countercultural in many ways, but I think you’ll find that there are plenty of people who are practicing this already, and plenty more who are in your shoes. My goal with this challenge is to cultivate a community of people who have the same goals and desires, and can share struggles and victories. In this challenge, you will have access to an online community through Facebook, as well as through using the hashtag #LiveSlowChallenge, in which you can meet and interact with other people participating! You will not be alone. You’ll be inspired by and will likely inspire others as you take steps on this journey. I also want to encourage you to invite others into this experience; you’ll be surprised just how many people share your desires once you pinpoint them and begin sharing them.

3. I don’t know where to even begin! This feels overwhelming.

This is where I come in! I’ve thought about this for you. I’m laying it all out for you. In this challenge, we are going to focus on just one aspect of your life. We are going to make intentional changes in just one part of our days.  And I am going to walk you through it, day by day, week by week. It isn’t hard. But it may feel different. And in that tension between how you are used to living and this approach and shift, that is where you will find greater meaning, freedom, and space. This will essentially be a taste of what bigger change can look like.

My goal for you is that you come away from this challenge not only seeing the fruit you cultivate in this area of your life, but imagining the greater impact of living slow as a whole. 

Ready to Live Slow? Join us on our journey!