Living More slowly

This year something has changed in my usual baseline of VERY VERY BUSY. I have shifted the range of what I do alongside counselling so that instead of being 100% busy, I'm now more at the 80% end of the range. I’m still getting used to my new rhythms and routines but it is definitely feeling like there is a new healthier balance that I like. Just a month into this new way of doing life in 2026 and what am I noticing is different?

• My Fitbit says I’m sleeping longer at night - hurrah!
• I seem to be more tuned into what my body is doing/needs - for example, instead of general aches and pains, I'm noticing which muscles are tight and need a little more tender loving care when I'm stretching.
• I have capacity to stand back and think instead of ploughing on regardless, then reflecting afterwards - which means I am being more intentional. And that means the healthy things like exercising and journalling are getting done regularly instead of falling to the bottom of the 'to do' list.

Just that little shift from being at 100% capacity to being at 80% capacity is noticeable.  Do I still have a tendency to fill every waking hour? Yes. 
Have I got greater capacity to stop myself and prioritise the things that matter? Yes
This feels like it's worth protecting, so I will be continuing to embed the new rhythms and routines - though I'm also holding them loosely enough that I can be flexible when this is needed! 

I wonder what will happen as I continue life at this slightly slower pace.  I wonder if you have ever had a time when you have intentionally slowed the pace of your life? Or been forced to slow the pace of your life? And what impacts you noticed? 
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