The Soul’s Pace: Why Slowing Down Brings Us Closer to What Matters

We live in a world that glorifies speed.

Faster results. Faster responses. Faster success.

If we’re not moving quickly, we feel like we’re falling behind. If we’re not constantly achieving, we wonder if we’re doing enough. Productivity has become the measure of our worth.

But something in us—something deep, something essential—was never meant to move at this speed.

The deepest part of us, the part that longs for meaning and connection, doesn’t thrive in urgency.

It thrives in presence.

It thrives in savoring, rather than accomplishing.
In being, rather than achieving.
In resting, rather than rushing.

And yet, most of us struggle to slow down.

Why?

Because we’ve been conditioned to believe that slowness is laziness, that stillness is wasted time.

But what if the opposite is true?

What if slowing down is the only way to truly live?

The Inner Tug-of-War: Accomplishment vs. Presence

I’ll be the first to admit—I love checking things off a list.

I love the feeling of accomplishment, of moving from one task to the next, of knowing that I’m getting things done.

But the more I live, the more I realize that life isn’t found in the finishing—it’s found in the doing.

• The conversations that don’t have a set agenda.

• The moments of silence where nothing needs to be said.

• The long walks taken with no destination in mind.

But how often do we rush past those moments in pursuit of the next thing?

How often do we see stillness as something to endure, rather than something to embrace?

Somewhere along the way, we learned to measure life by what we complete instead of how fully we experience it.

And I don’t want to live like that anymore.

Slowing Down Isn’t Falling Behind—It’s Waking Up

There’s a part of us that knows life isn’t meant to be rushed.

It’s why we crave slow mornings, deep conversations, and the feeling of time stretching open when we’re fully present.

But we fight it.

We fight it because slowing down means letting go of control.
We fight it because we’ve been taught that more, faster, better is the only way to live.
We fight it because we don’t know who we are when we’re not busy.

But here’s the truth:

Slowing down isn’t falling behind.

It’s waking up.

It’s realizing that life isn’t something to be managed—it’s something to be lived.

And when we stop treating life as a checklist, we finally start to see it.

How to Start Moving at the Speed of the Soul

If you’ve ever felt like you’re rushing through life, here are a few ways I’ve been trying to slow down and actually be here.

1. Do Things That Can’t Be Measured

We love things that give us instant feedback—productivity apps, fitness trackers, work deadlines.

But the most meaningful things in life?

They can’t be measured.

• Sitting in silence with someone you love.

• Watching the sunset without taking a picture.

• Reading a book slowly, just for the joy of it.

Try doing one thing every day that has no measurable outcome.

Something that exists for its own sake, not as a means to an end.

Because meaning isn’t found in what we produce.

It’s found in what we savor.

2. Pay Attention to How Rushing Makes You Feel

Have you ever noticed how your body reacts when you’re in a hurry?

• The tightness in your chest.

• The shallow breathing.

• The feeling that you’re never quite where you need to be.

When we rush, we disconnect—from ourselves, from the people around us, from the actual experience of being alive.

But when we slow down?

• We breathe deeper.

• We listen better.

• We actually feel what’s happening, instead of just moving through it.

Try this: The next time you catch yourself rushing, pause.

Take one deep breath.

Ask yourself: Is the hurry necessary?

Most of the time, it’s not.

3. Treat Presence as an Act of Defiance

In a world that tells us to always be doing, choosing to be is an act of rebellion.

Presence is countercultural.

It says:

• I am not defined by my productivity.

• I am not a machine designed for efficiency.

• I am here to experience, to feel, to connect.

What would happen if, just for today, you treated presence as the most important thing on your to-do list?

Not something you squeeze in when everything else is done.

Not something you earn after you’ve been productive.

But something that is valuable in and of itself.

Because when we are fully present, life expands.

And that’s where the magic happens.

Learning to Live at the Speed of the Soul

The deepest part of us doesn’t want to rush.

It doesn’t want to check more boxes, move faster, accomplish more.

It wants to savor.
It wants to rest in the good.
It wants to be fully alive in the moment we’re in.

So today, ask yourself:

• Where am I rushing unnecessarily?

• What am I missing because I’m too focused on the next thing?

• How would my life feel different if I slowed down and actually paid attention?

Because life isn’t something we’re meant to get through.

It’s something we’re meant to experience.

And when we let go of the need to hurry, we finally start living.

Shareable Thought:

"The soul doesn’t want to rush. It wants to savor. To rest. To be fully alive. Stop hurrying through life—slow down and actually experience it." 🌿 #SlowLiving #BePresent #MindfulLiving

For more reflections on slowing down and living fully, visit genequiocho.com.