Introducing Embrace the Slow...
A space to cultivate and embrace a slower, creative and thoughtful life; a place to bring joy and hope.
Embrace the Slow is a phrase I came up with to try and change my mindset. A repeatable mantra...
After a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment left me with a body I didn't recognise, chronic pain and a mind filled with self doubt, I needed to find a way to accept the necessary changes I would need to make. Through a great deal of thinking, crying and counselling, the small seed of an idea was born. What if I focused on small achievements? Instead of simply existing, what if I embraced a slower pace of life? Work with my body, pain levels etc instead of against them? This all sounded great in a theoretical sense, but how would I practically put this into practise?
16 years ago I read a book which I found challenging and shifted the way I thought about my adult life; 'In Praise of Slow' by Carl Honore, is truly an inspirational book calling for us all to rethink how we exist. As you can predict, within a few years I was back to the hustle, bustle and busyness of life. Every so often I would remember this book with a feeling of regret that I had wandered away from the slower pace of life. When faced with having to slow down and needing to do less for the foreseeable future, this book came to mind and the endeavour to not just accept my situation but embrace it, began to cultivate my small idea...
The first goal I set for myself was to cook quality suppers for my family every evening. While this may not seem like much, to me it was a BIG mountain to climb. Consistently doing this one task set the rhythm of my day. As I became stronger I decided to challenge myself to create one new dish or make something from scratch every week. And so began: pasta experimentation, cheese making, cracker inventions, sourdough bread ... all at a slow pace - nothing needed to be rushed, it was the process as much as the end result that was important. When Spring began to blossom I thought growing vegetables could bring some quality produce into our home and, again, help keep to a slower rhythm of life. I will go into more depth on these projects in another post - the highs and lows, the successes and disasters :)
Crotchet, knitting and printing have been a passion of mine and I was keen to get back to creating through these mediums as soon as I could. Small achievable goals were the key - a year and counting to make a jumper? Laughable and frustrating… but it's coming together!
Throughout the last 3 years I have been so grateful for instagram accounts I have found along the way that have inspired me, helped me practically and emotionally, and been a source of hope when I felt alone, including Liz O'Riordan https://www.instagram.com/oriordanliz/?igsh=dWtsM3UwaGFkNWNx ; Dannielle Moore https://www.instagram.com/the_boob_battle/?igsh=OXpqZ2wwc2NuZ3g1; Brittney Beadle https://www.instagram.com/brittneybeadle/?igsh=MWJ0N3VtMjN5ZGRhcg%3D%3D
Their willingness to share their experiences with others inspired me to start this blog - a space to cultivate and embrace a slower, creative and thoughtful rhythm of living. A place where, as a community, we can support each other in slowing down, enjoying the smaller things of life, being more present and using our creativity to bring joy and hope.
I hope you enjoy the journey with me x