How to Start Your Slow Living Journey: Begin With Your Values
If you’re just starting to explore slow living and you’re not sure where to begin, I’m so glad you’re here.
Because the truth is, slow living isn’t about aesthetics, moving to the countryside, or baking bread every day (though it can be, if that’s what you love).
At its core, slow living is about creating a meaningful life—one that’s aligned with your values. And that’s the foundation we’re diving into today.
What Slow Living Really Means
When people first hear “slow living,” they often picture Instagram-worthy photos: perfectly frothed coffee, quiet mornings, or life completely unplugged from the modern world.
But slow living looks different for everyone. For me, it’s about being intentional with my time, making choices that align with what matters most, and creating a life I don’t want to escape from.
And that starts with values.
Why Values Are the Foundation
Many of us think we know our values. For years, I said mine were family and friends. But in reality, I was overworking, constantly hustling, and rarely prioritizing time with them.
So yes, I valued family in theory—but my life was showing me that I was actually prioritizing achievement and career. And because of that misalignment, I felt stressed, disconnected, and on the edge of burnout.
The turning point came when I shifted to truly living my value of family. That’s when I started to feel content, peaceful, and purposeful.
Your values dictate your choices—what you say yes to, what you say no to, and how you spend your days. That’s why knowing (and living) them is the most important step on this journey.
How to Discover Your Core Values
If you’re ready to start clarifying your values, here are a few prompts to reflect on.
1. Recall a Time You Felt Truly Alive
Think back to a moment when you felt deeply connected to yourself—content, alive, and fully present.
What were you doing?
Who were you with?
What feelings were present?
For me, it was back in high school when I spent hours making creative videos just for fun. Looking back, I realized I had a deep value of creativity and self-expression that I’d pushed aside for years.
2. Recall a Time You Felt Disconnected
Now, think of a time when you felt completely out of alignment.
Where were you?
Who were you with?
What made it feel so wrong?
For me, it was working jobs with on-call schedules that clashed with my desire to prioritize family. Those experiences showed me that family really was one of my top values—and I wasn’t honoring it.
3. Make a List of Values
Look up a list of values or jot down your own. Write out everything that resonates—creativity, freedom, family, achievement, service, community, and so on.
Then narrow it down to your top 5–10 values. Finally, rank them in order of importance.
This hierarchy matters because sometimes values conflict. For example, I value both career and family. But when forced to choose, family comes first. Knowing that makes decision-making much clearer.
Living Your Values in Daily Life
Once you’ve clarified your values, the next step is putting them into practice.
Here are some ways to get started:
Imagine Your Ideal Day
What would a day look like if you were truly living your values?
Who would you spend time with?
What activities would fill your day?
How would you feel?
Evaluate Your Current Life
Look at how you spend your time right now.
Are you saying yes to things that drain you?
Are you filling your calendar with obligations that don’t matter to you?
For me, that meant letting go of unnecessary evening meetings that took me away from family time.
Take It Slowly
Slow living is a journey, not an overnight fix.
Say no to one thing that doesn’t align.
Prioritize one thing that does.
Reflect before making commitments.
It’s about small, intentional changes that build up over time. I’ve been on this path for over years, and I’m still learning and unlearning every day.
A Gentle Reminder
Living your values is what makes slow living meaningful. It’s not about copying someone else’s lifestyle—it’s about building your own, one aligned choice at a time.
So I’d love to leave you with this reflection:
👉 What values matter most to you—and how can you start honoring them in small ways today?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to share in the comments or simply take a moment to journal your reflections.
Watch the full video version of this blog here: How to Start Slow Living – Discover Your Core Values