Choosing a Slower Life
This past summer, my husband and I made a big decision: we packed up our things and moved back to my hometown of White Lake, Ontario. For the past 10 years, I’ve loved the energy, excitement, and opportunities of downtown life - especially for my work. But somewhere along the way, I realized my personal life was missing something essential. Space, calm, and a deeper connection to nature.
City living has its perks, but my nervous system was feeling the constant go-go-go. There were few pauses, no natural moments to just breathe. Our travels, often filled with hiking, kayaking, and swimming, reminded me how restorative slow, intentional days could be. Moving back to White Lake offered the balance I craved: keeping the city’s creative energy for work while cultivating a personal retreat for slower, more mindful living.
What a Slower Lifestyle Looks Like
Slowing down isn’t about doing less, it’s about being radically present in what you do. For me, that looks like:
Morning Rituals
I like to start my mornings slowly, with coffee in hand. Before, I’d rush our the door or dive straight into my to-do list. Now, I take a few moments to pause - sometimes rolling on an essential oil blend or diffusing something fresh and uplifting. Maybe it’s even just taking my time while getting dressed and being aware of how the clothing feels against my body and how certain fabrics bring comfort. These are small rituals, but they ground me and shift my energy before the day really begins.
Try it Yourself: Before checking your phone, set a 2-minute timer to quietly sit with your coffee. Roll on or diffuse a fresh scent.
Mindful Creativity
There is something deeply calming about doing something with your hands, especially for those of us who work in office environments that don’t always allow for our physical energy to be spent. I found that creativity in any form, whether it’s hand knitting, embroidery, or trying a new craft helps to quiet my mind and release nervous, stressed energy. For me, it wasn’t always about creating something perfect or productive but rather letting the process itself be soothing.
I started making my own oils, scrubs, and knitted blankets as a way to combine the calming power of scent and texture into my daily rituals. The act of blending oils or stirring together a scrub is just as therapeutic as using them later.
Creativity, I’ve learned, isn’t just about making something new. It’s a way of slowing down, calming your nervous system, and reconnecting with yourself through the simply joy of using your hands.
Try it Yourself: Set aside 15 minutes for a hands on activity. Knitting, stretching, baking, or even one of our DIY Kits. As you do, notice the textures, smells, and sounds. Ask yourself: How does this shift the energy in my body?
Intentional Self-Care
Sometimes self-care is about big, elaborate routines or day trips to the spa. But most days, for me, it’s about everyday practices that feel nourishing. A warm bath at the end of the day. Exfoliating with a sugar scrub that leaves my skin soft and reminds me to slow down. Curling up with a plush blanket. Rolling on an essential oil blend before heading out, almost like a gentle reset button for my mind. These little rituals are sensory pauses and ask me to notice scent, texture, and touch, which helps my nervous system settle and my mind quiet.
Try it Yourself: Tonight, choose one everyday moment. It could be washing your hands, showering, or making tea. Slow it down by focusing on each sensory detail. Ask yourself: What does this smell like? Feel like? Sound like?
Connecting with Nature
Nature has always been the most grounding force in my life. Out here, it’s impossible not to notice how the air smells after a rainfall, how the lake sparkles in the morning, or how a walk through the forest makes you instinctively breathe deeper. Being outside invites me to pause, slow my pace, and just be.
But I know we can’t always spend as much time outdoors as we’d like and that’s why I create products that carry this grounded feeling into everyday life. Diffuser blends that smell like rain or cedar, rollers that tuck into your bag for a moment of calm anywhere, scrubs that feel like fresh water washing over you. They’re not replacements for nature, but reminders and ways to bring its grounding, restorative energy inside with you even on the busiest days.
Try it Yourself: Step outside, even if only for five minutes. Notice one sound, one smell, and one texture around you. Later, bring that feeling indoors with a scent, object, or small ritual that reminds you of that pause.
Why It Matters
Slowing down is about presence, intention, and connection to yourself, your loved ones, and the world around you. It isn’t finding an escape from life but rather living it more fully.
Since moving back to White Lake, I’ve discovered that even ordinary moments like a morning coffee, an after work shower, or a quiet afternoon on the couch can feel restorative when approached with attention and care.
A slower lifestyle creates space for joy, reflection, and creativity. It’s about building a life where you feel grounded, cared for, and in harmony with your surroundings whether that’s a quiet village lake, a cozy knitting nook, or a small ritual with scent and touch,
