How Slow Living and Nature Inspired My Small Business
I thought I would share with you a little bit about how slow living and my love for nature inspired my small business, Clementine Rose. I’ll also be sharing how my slow living journey began, why I decided to embrace it, and how slow living and nature both go hand in hand.
My journey toward slow living began in 2017 following my diagnosis with Crohn’s Disease. I became much more conscious of my health and well-being, and discovered how stress, anxiety, and busyness were all having a serious negative impact on both my mind and body. So, I decided to slow down and embrace a more mindful way of living to help my body heal. I don’t think I really knew the term slow living at the time, but I started reading more about it and felt drawn to bring it into my daily life. It wasn’t easy at first, but as I slowly added more calm, intentional moments into my day, I began to build new, positive habits.
Just in case your new to slow living, and you’re wondering what it’s all about, just like I was, here’s a little bit about what it is:
I honestly don’t think there is just one specific definition of slow living, I feel that it’s something that is unique to each of us for many different reasons. It’s living more intentionally and mindfully, while making sure that we stay connected to what truly matters most in life. It helps us to prioritise what we spend our time and energy on, while making conscious and purposeful decisions that benefit our well-being.
For me it’s making sure I spend parts of my day doing the things that bring me joy and being more intentional with my time. Embracing a slower way of living encourages me to take the time to look after my mental and physical health, and be mindful of when to rest. When I think of slow living, here are a few of the words that come to mind:
Simplicity, mindfulness, joy, calm, cosy, connected, intentional, soulful, grounded, energised, restorative, peaceful, and reflective.
What words does slow living make you think of?
I started working when I was 14 in a restaurant/bar and then moving on to retail. But my goal for many years was to start my own business. I left my job in retail a few years back after it was negatively impacting my mental health and was making me very unhappy. I’m still very thankful that I had that job, and I loved the people I worked with, but it just became too much for me. I was given more and more to do, often tasks that weren’t even part of my job description. I ended each day feeling exhausted, no longer enjoying the work, and often found myself in tears.
Having been a blogger for many years and working with different brands, publishers, and authors, along with a strong passion for helping others on their online journey, I wanted to turn what I had been doing on the side, something I really cared about a lot, into a business. So, in October 2022, I finally started my own business, something I hadn’t had the chance to do before due many different reasons.
Embracing a slower way of living definitely helped me to take that step toward doing what I felt was right for my well-being and for starting my business, along with helping me to begin putting what matters the most in life first.
Now you’re probably wondering where nature comes into all this! All my life I’ve loved being outdoors and visiting and exploring new places. Being in nature uplifts me, grounding my awareness in the present, and redirects my focus to something bigger. It’s a much welcome escape from screen noise, and the daily hustle and bustle of life, providing a chance to reconnect and re-wild. Nature sparks creativity, bringing happiness and peace into my life in a simple, yet transformational way.
It felt natural to integrate the rhythms of the natural world into my small business. For me, slow living and nature go hand in hand. There’s something extra special about aligning with nature’s rhythm, not only in my day-to-day activities but also in my work too, and feeling connected to the changing seasons, whilst learning from its wisdom. It inspired me to create offerings that advocate for a slower, simpler and more down-to-earth (but equally effective) approach to marketing, sharing all that it has taught me. There’s so much we can learn from nature.
Did you know… nature can help reduce stress, make you feel more relaxed, improve your health both physically and mentally whilst nurturing your wellbeing. It also boosts productivity, improves sleep, provides nourishment for our souls, reduces loneliness, and lots more! It’s why I’m passionate about welcoming nature into my small business.
The world of digital marketing is vast! I also (from personal experience) understand how overwhelming it can be, especially when there are so many digital marketing possibilities. Incorporating slow living and nature into my own small business and digital marketing has been such a wonderful and fulfilling journey, which is what inspired me to share all that I’ve learned and experienced along the way.
Is slow living something that you have embraced within your day-to-day life? Or maybe it’s something you would like to embrace? I’d love to know your thoughts, and what slow living means to you? Also feel free to let me know what you love most about nature!
