From Overwhelm to Clarity: The Journey of Slow Living

Namaste, my abundant souls !

A few months ago, Megha reached out to me. Her message was hesitant—“I don’t know if you can help me, but I just wanted to talk.”

On paper, Megha’s life was great. She had a good job at a well-known IT company, a solid group of friends, and a promising career ahead of her. But beneath the surface, she was struggling. When she walked into our first session, I could tell immediately. She was restless, fidgeting with her hands, tapping her foot, checking her phone every few seconds. Her energy was scattered, like she was constantly bracing for the next thing.

“I can’t focus on anything,” she admitted. “Even on my days off, I feel this constant need to do something. I can’t sit still. I’m always multitasking, and no matter how much I do, it never feels enough. I get these terrible headaches, my anxiety is through the roof, and I haven’t had a proper night’s sleep in months.”

She paused for a moment and added, “I don’t even enjoy anything anymore. I just feel… exhausted.”

It wasn’t just work stress. Megha was in a constant state of rush. She had trained herself to believe that she always had to be doing something—checking emails, making plans, scrolling social media, responding to messages. Silence felt unnatural to her, as if stopping for even a second would make everything fall apart.

The first thing I told her was, “You’re like a computer with too many tabs open. Your system is overheating. You need to slow down before you crash.”

She let out a dry laugh. “I know, but I don’t know how.”

And that’s where we started.

The First Step: Learning to Pause

Before we could even get into deeper conversations, Megha needed to slow down her nervous system. Her mind was racing at full speed, jumping from one thought to another. I guided her through a few simple breathing exercises. Even that was difficult for her at first—her fingers twitched, her knee kept bouncing, her mind kept drifting. “What am I supposed to be doing?” she asked.

“Nothing,” I told her. “Just breathe.”

Over the next few sessions, she started noticing small shifts. The tension in her shoulders softened. The tightness in her chest loosened. For the first time in months, she was experiencing stillness. And in that stillness, she began to see what she had been running from.

Introducing Slow Living

When she was finally able to sit still without feeling restless, I introduced her to the idea of slow living.

“Have you ever watched how a tree grows?” I asked her one day.

She nodded.

“Does it hurry?”

She smiled. “No.”

“Does it still grow?”

“Yes.”

Nature doesn’t rush, yet everything gets accomplished. But here we are, forcing ourselves to move faster, do more, chase success like it’s running away from us. Instead of running, what if we could flow towards it? Instead of working harder, what if we worked better?

She was skeptical at first. “But if I slow down, won’t I fall behind?”

“Or maybe,” I said, “you’ll finally catch up with yourself.”

The Shift

Over the next few months, Megha started making small but powerful changes. She stopped checking her phone first thing in the morning. Instead, she gave herself a few minutes of stillness, setting an intention for the day. She began eating her meals without distractions, focusing on the taste of her food rather than mindlessly scrolling. She practiced single-tasking, doing one thing at a time instead of juggling a million. She started walking without earphones, simply listening to the world around her.

At first, it felt strange. Slowing down made her uncomfortable. “It feels like I’m wasting time,” she admitted.

“But are you?” I asked.

She thought for a moment before shaking her head. “No. If anything, I feel… lighter.”

That was when things started shifting.

From Chaos to Clarity

By the sixth session, Megha was different. She no longer felt the compulsive need to fill every moment with activity. She was sleeping better, feeling healthier, and, most importantly, feeling at peace. Her work improved because she was more focused. Her relationships improved because she was more present. She started enjoying life in a way she hadn’t in years.

And then, something unexpected happened.

Within three months, she got promoted.

Not because she worked harder, but because she worked with clarity. She could see the mental blocks that had been holding her back for so long. She wasn’t drowning in tasks anymore—she was making intentional choices. And that confidence led her to something even bigger. She switched to a job that aligned better with her values, one that didn’t drain her energy but instead gave her space to grow.

When she walked into our last session, she looked like a different person. Her energy was lighter, her presence was calmer. “I feel like I was carrying this invisible weight,” she said. “And now, it’s gone.”

The Lesson

If you’re someone who feels like Megha did—overwhelmed, anxious, always rushing—this is your sign. Slow down.

Burning yourself out isn’t a badge of honor. Success doesn’t have to mean exhaustion. If you’re constantly running, you might miss out on the very life you’re working so hard for.

Lao Tzu once said, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”

Slow living isn’t about doing less. It’s about being more present in what you do. It’s about choosing quality over quantity, presence over distraction, and peace over chaos.

You have one life. There’s no point in racing through it without ever stopping to enjoy the journey.

So take a deep breath. Look around. Feel the moment.

Because this moment?

It’s all you truly have. 😊

As your coach, I encourage you to experiment with slow living. Start small. Maybe it’s enjoying your morning chai without scrolling through your phone, or taking a leisurely walk in the park. Remember, slow living isn’t about being lazy; it’s about being intentional. It’s about choosing quality over quantity, presence over distraction, and peace over chaos.   

So, take a deep breath, relax, and embrace the art of slow living. Your mind, body, and soul will thank you for it.

If Megha’s story resonated with you and you’re looking for a safe, non-judgmental space to explore your own journey toward mindfulness, balance, and clarity, I offer 1:1 coaching sessions designed to help you slow down and realign with what truly matters.

Sessions are available on weekends by appointment only.

You can reach me at coachwithsharada@gmail.com to book your session.

I’d love to hear from you. What’s one thing you can slow down and savor today? Let’s talk in the comments! 😊