Learning to Slow Down in A Fast-Paced Life

I’m currently in the process of reading a book by Courtney Carver called Gentle: Rest More, Stress Less, and Love the Life You Actually Want. Reading this book truly is a process because some chapters actually invite you to pause reading and rest. 

Over the years I’ve become a fast reader and an even faster life-er. There are few times in my life when I remember intentionally moving slowly. In fact, my first words were “chop chop,” which, in hindsight, feels like it was setting the pace for my life.

I started taking dual credit classes at a junior college when I was sixteen. I graduated college in 3 years and went straight into law school. Since then, I’ve worked in a high stress, fast-paced career in litigation, and it’s been a battle to catch my breath ever since. 

I don’t share this to toot my own horn but rather to point out the pattern in my life of always being on the go, moving fast to achieve more, and believing that I would get farther and better the quicker I advanced. But the older I get, the more I wish that I had slowed down enough to fully experience those seasons, to process the lessons learned, and to truly cherish the memories made along the way.

When I saw the title of this book, it resonated deep within me. It put words to a longing I’ve felt for years. I desire to rest more, stress less, and live life with no regrets. 

No matter your age, your profession, your upbringing, or your level of inner peace, life has a way of speeding up and bringing stress with it. And in the flurry of life, it’s easy to forget that God is in control. I’m guilty of this to the umpth degree.

Working harder, longer hours, pushing limits more and more doesn’t make life easier. It builds tension, pumps our bodies full or cortisol, and distracts us from the real purpose of life. Life is about sharing Jesus and focusing on things that are true, noble, and pure (Philippians 4:18). 

The world we live in pushes a different message: make money fast, buy more, chase what feels good. And while money and success aren’t inherently bad, the love of them is dangerous (1 Timothy 6:10; Matthew 6:19). 

Success tends to be measured by wealth, recognition, and legacy. It’s hard not to fall victim to the voice of the world that says if your life isn’t filled with accolades, a fat bank account, and people who recognize your name then you must be doing something wrong. 

But there’s another kind of success - one that doesn’t get talked about enough. Slow mornings. Watching the sunset from the porch. Hearing birds on a quiet walk. Feeling the sun on your face. Being fully present with the people you love.

I’ve taken work calls on walks meant to clear my head. I’ve missed sunrises and sunsets because I was working early or late. I’ve rushed conversations with family and friends because work felt more urgent.  

But for what? An assignment that will still be there tomorrow. An “emergency” that usually isn’t. The possibility of a bigger bonus.  

I want to change.

I want to value what actually matters in life. I want to spend time with the people I love. Time I won’t get back. I want to live for more than a paycheck or a title. Because money comes and goes, and titles are just words we assign value to.

Being a lawyer is what I do, but it’s not who I am. And I never want my profession or income to become my identity. 

Gentle provides a baby step guide to slowly realign life around what matters most, while still being productive without sacrificing your health, your peace, or your purpose.