It’s Not a Slow Life, It’s an Intentional Life

“Real life is not always neat and tidy. The beauty is in the living, not in the arranging.” — Unknown

Lately, my feed has been flooded with picturesque scenes of the slow life—rolling hills, steaming cups of tea in perfectly lit kitchens, cozy linen dresses swaying in the breeze. It’s as if the only way to slow down is to move to a cottage in the English countryside, raise chickens, and bake sourdough from scratch.

And listen, if that’s your dream, go for it. But I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to subscribe to that version of slow living. You don’t have to overhaul your entire life, become a minimalist, or trade in your current reality for a homestead in order to live intentionally.

The Problem with the Aesthetic of Slow Living

Somewhere along the way, slow living got a rebrand. It went from being about how we live to how it looks. If you spend any time on Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok, you’ve probably seen it: the impossibly calm mornings, the perfectly arranged bookshelves, the unhurried rituals of people who seem to have nowhere to be, ever.

And while those images are beautiful, they can also be discouraging. They make slow living feel like something that’s only achievable if you have the means to escape modern life entirely. But the truth is, intentional living isn’t about where you live, what you wear, or whether you’ve mastered the art of sourdough. It’s about how you show up in the life you already have.

What It Means to Live Intentionally

An intentional life isn’t about rejecting modernity or romanticizing the past. It’s about choosing what matters to you and letting go of what doesn’t. It’s about making space for rest, for joy, for real connection—without feeling like you have to earn it by checking off some aesthetic checklist.

You can live intentionally:

• In a city apartment, even if the only green space you have is a potted plant on your windowsill.

• With a busy schedule, by learning to say no to the things that don’t align with your values.

• With kids running around, by creating small, meaningful pauses in the day instead of striving for uninterrupted tranquility.

Intentional living isn’t about escaping your life; it’s about being in it. Fully, presently, and on your terms.

This Is Why I Share My Real Life

This is exactly why I share my real life on YouTube. My vlogs aren’t a curated, picture-perfect version of slow living—they’re the real thing. They show you that intentional living can be messy, loud, and busy. That sometimes, the kitchen is full of dirty dishes, the kids are yelling, and the to-do list is still there at the end of the day.

But that’s real life. And you don’t have to wait until your life looks like a dreamy countryside aesthetic to start living more intentionally. You can do it right now, right where you are, in whatever season you’re in.

You just have to start paying attention—to how you feel, to what’s adding to your life and what’s draining it. And then, little by little, you start making choices that align with what actually matters to you.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not about living a slow life. It’s about living a life that feels like yours.

Want to Dive Deeper into Intentional Living?

If you’re craving a reset—a chance to step away from the noise, reconnect with yourself, and create a life that feels like yours—I’d love to invite you to The Cozy Life Retreat.

This isn’t about chasing some impossible ideal of slow living. It’s about embracing your real life, letting go of the pressure to do it all, and finding more peace and joy in your everyday. Whether your life feels too chaotic, too busy, or just a little off-track, this retreat is designed to help you re-center, reset, and step into a more intentional way of living.

More details coming soon, but if this sounds like exactly what you need, stay tuned. 💝

P.S. Just a heads-up—my pricing is going up next month. If you've been thinking about joining but keep putting it off (no judgment, I do it too), now’s the time to get in at the current rate before it rises on April 7th.

This space is filled with thoughtful, kind-hearted humans who are craving less chaos and more intention—just like you. And honestly? It’s a cozy little corner of the internet I think you’ll love being part of.

So if you’ve been on the fence, consider this your gentle nudge (not a shove, I don’t do shoving).

You in?