A topic that often comes up in my work is slowing down. As you know, I’m passionate about it.
Slowing down is about coming back to presence, reconnecting with your body, and creating space for clarity. Research shows that slowing down — through mindfulness, breath, or reducing stimulation — lowers cortisol, supports immune function, and improves emotional regulation. Mentally, it enhances decision-making and focus. Physiologically, it helps us shift out of the stress responses.
But clients often ask, “How do I actually slow down?”
It’s a question, fueled by the belief that if we slow down, everything will fall apart, or that there’s just not enough time. It’s understandable to think this way when we’re steeped in a culture that equates speed with success. In reality rushing and hustling leads to stress, burnout, anxiety, relational disconnection, and health issues.
If you’ve fallen into that trap, you’re not alone.
Three ways to actually slow down that have worked for my nervous system:
- Slow down the breath – try it now, often just noticing your breath while rushing invites a slower, deeper breath
- Do everything slower – exactly what it sounds like ie. wash the dishes slower, walk to the bathroom slower, switch tasks slower.
- “Slow down to speed up” – a mantra I use when I notice myself in the grip of urgency
If not in this moment, then sometime in the next week, let it be your reset. Pause, deepen your breath, and remember that slowing down is not a weakness or a barrier. As much as your mind may believe you need to go go go, you’ll actually be more regulated, present, and able to complete what’s needed in a focused and satisfying way without your body-mind paying the price.
Warmly,
Elana
