Slow Living isn't just for "trad wives" (a review of Yesteryear & brief history of the movement)
- Tara Simone
- 19 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Slow living is NOT wearing flowy linen sundresses while tending to the garden or baking fresh sourdough every day. It's NOT the Instagram aesthetic you see the "trad wives" or #cottagecore girlies posting online or some alt right propaganda to keep us stuck in the kitchen forever. The slow living movement has a rebellious history starting back in the 1980's and proven psychological benefits so many of us need in this hustle culture ridden, burnt out capitalistic society. I think it's time we took back this daily mindfulness practice and opened its door to any and everyone looking to live a slower, more intentional life.
This blog (read: rant) was inspired by the novel Yesteryear, written by Caro Claire Burke that's quickly become a New York Times Best Seller for its' suspenseful yet somehow charming story. I won't give away any spoilers, but the main character Natalie aka a trad wife influencer gets transported back in time to the 1800's to live a true pioneer life she posted about online. Along the way we learn the ideology of this subculture through their own twisted lens and understand a bit more how the slow living movement got mixed up with their Christian nationalist, nuclear family, submissive 1950's housewife plight.
(side note: I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down! Not usually one for novels, but this one was engaging from the beginning! I also really hope we get a sequel based from the perspective of what we learned in the epilogue #iykyk)
But let's back up to 1986 in Italy where slow living gets its' start in opposition to Mcdonald's putting a restaurant in Rome. A country known for its' delicious food and relaxed lifestyle was now being conquered by fast food chains. The locals refused to go down without a fight so they created the "slow food" movement with its core tenet being good, clean, and fair food for all. It wasn't just a fight for fresh ingredients cooked the traditional way, but also focused on protecting the environment and the workers who grew, harvested, & prepared the food.
This eventually expanded into Cittaslow or slow cities in Italy where towns restricted car traffic, increased green spaces, and banned chain stores & restaurants in hopes to foster more peaceful, communal living. What started as a protest against Big Macs turned into 300 cities across the world committed to a more slow way of living.
Fast forward a few decades when Carl Honore applied the principles of the slow food movement to every facet of life in his book "In Praise of Slowness" aka the modern day slow living manifesto. Inside, each chapter explores a way to stop rushing and start moving at a more natural pace whether it's raising kids, moving your body, practicing medicine, going to work, or even having sex. In short it's a must read for anyone interested in what slow living actually is vs what the influencers post online.
The slow food movement also inspired the "slow fashion" movement in 2007 (coined by researcher Kate Fletcher) that stood for similar values - investing in quality garments, protecting workers rights, and creating sustainable products & operations. In a world full of Shein Hauls and Amazon Finds, this divided the internet and revealed an ugly side of the fashion and textile industry many people have never seen. But it also birthed many sustainable companies specializing in 100% cotton or linen sustainability harvested, humanely manufactured (you guessed it) SUNDRESSES.
What started as a sustainability effort became a uniform for the trad wives to wear while kneading sourdough with a baby on their hip. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good sundress and bake sourdough bread just like everyone else did during the pandemic, but this lifestyle has become associated with everything I am vehemently against. As a former Baptist raised by republicans turned leftist lesbian, I've seen and learned first hand the damage these teachings & ideologies can cause.
So how did a movement rooted in being more intentional and sustainable turn into a political platform for white, God fearing, republican nuclear families? More importantly, how do we reclaim it so anyone and everyone can experience the benefits of practicing a slow living such as...
🌿 regulating your nervous system
🌿 improved mental health
🌿reducing every day stress
🌿 boosting creativity
🌿 preventing burnout
🌿 fostering a sense of community
🌿 finding joy in the little things
🌿 becoming more sustainable
🌿 increasing overall life satisfaction
...just to name a few. In today's society obsessed with productivity and bragging about how busy you are, it's a radical act of rebellion to slow down. To stop equating your worth to your work. To prioritize peace over profits. To choose yourself. But how do we do that in a world that runs on money.
You don't have to marry a rich man, move to a fifty acre farm, and grow all your own food to practice slow living. You don't need to give up on all your goals and run away from all your responsibilities to a cottage in the woods like a Disney princess. You don't even need to own a single linen sundress or mix flour & water together to make your own sourdough starter.
Because slow living is NOT an aesthetic or list of rules you have to follow. Instead it's a new way of thinking, working, and being. It can be as simple as taking a little extra time every day to slow down and savor the little things like...
☕️ Sipping your coffee while listening to the birds sing instead of answering work emails first thing in the morning
💌 Writing your friend a letter or giving them a call instead of just sending a Snapchat
🚲 Choosing to take a leisurely bike ride instead of drive to the post office
📚 Reading a book in the evenings instead of watching 35 TikToks in a row
🚶🏼♀️ Walking at a natural pace instead of rushing through the grocery store
🪴 Or it could even be starting a garden and cooking your food from scratch (if you're into that)
Truly though, slow living isn't so much about WHAT are you doing, but HOW you are doing. Intentionally, sustainably, purposefully. It's being mindful of your pace and staying present in the moment no matter what you are doing throughout the day.
Even if you are knee deep in a massive work project with your boss breathing down your neck, you can still practice slow living despite the external urgency being created by taking a deep breath, typing at a steady pace, and staying focused on the task at hand. Or maybe you have a list of chores to do, a baby crying in their crib, and you still haven't eaten lunch even though its 3:30pm. In that moment you can keep rushing and pushing through or pause to take care of yourself and prioritize what truly needs to get done.
These seem like simple shifts and nothing like the slow living you've been sold online, but over time these little moments add up to a life that feels lived instead of optimized. Where you can find calm in the chaos, magic in the mundane, and ease in the everyday. But if you're not sure where to start making those changes and need a daily reminder to slow down, I created this for you...
21 Days of Slow Living Practices to help you stop rushing through your to-do list and start savoring the life happening around you in just 5 minutes a day.
*no flowy sundresses or sourdough starter required
Just you, your headphones, and simple tangible advice to can instantly apply to your day and reap the benefits of a slow life whether you are a busy business owner or mom of two under two.
Listen to the first episode below for a FREE sneak peek inside my favorite daily mindfulness ritual and the ONE practice I recommend to all my clients & wish I could go back to teach younger me before I burn tout of my first business.
While I put the finishing touches on this course to make it as simple and helpful as possible, join the waitlist below for two MORE audios and simple exercises to help you be more present in the moment and mindful of your time in just a few minutes a day!
(the last one reduced my screen time for 9 hours a day to just 5 and take back my evenings for me, my family, & my cozy hobbies)
I can't wait to share more simple slow living practices and mindset shifts with you inside of the course. But until then I want to leave you with just one final thought to ponder...
What if slow living isn't about changing your entire life, but changing your approach to every day living?
You don't need to quit your job, buy a whole new wardrobe, or start a garden to experience the benefits listed above. You just need to make a few small shifts every day to feel more grounded, mindful, and intentional.
If I, an ambitious small business owner and leftist lesbian that lives 5 minutes down the road from a Walmart can practice slow living, so can you!
Here's to reclaiming the slow living movement and enjoying the simple pleasures of life!
magically,
