Slow down...

The fast paced world is something I muse on, something sometimes I feel stuck in, something I'm aware my body is no longer really up for. It amuses me further that I work in a field considered alternative, a field aware that this fast paced world suits few of us; yet still I try to push it. The programming is strong.

At a time, years ago, when I claimed Tax Credits and for a short time Housing Benefit, that feeling was intensified. I should be doing everything I should to do more, be more, have more. I feel it now if I sit in the middle of the day and watch something mindless, and at times it takes my partner to point out that I'm always on the go and sitting in the mid-week daytime is totally OK and to get over myself. He phrases it way better than that, but that's the drift.

How we do enough to pay the bills (buying food, and organic food in particular, is important to me), slow, make those meaningful connections instead of surface ones our modern world seems to have a-plenty and have time for ourselves is something that intrigues me. In my former life as a single parent it was particularly challenging. Sharing the bills, tasks around the home and the rest now means I can breathe more easily, but I'm mindful just how many out there don't have this luxury. How far removed from communal living our society encourages us to go. For the purposes of what? Growth? For the machine, for the capitalist system we live with.

Growth without stopping in our body has a special name, at times so feared some won't say the word and instead call it 'the C word'. Not the see you next Tuesday one; cancer. Not healthy for us, so I'm unsure how we think it can possibly be healthy for the planet. And yet the answer from the powers that be seems to be we need to do more, have more, be more, just do it greener. What about slowing? Consuming less? Growing less? Growth for growth's sake. That said, growing more food for ourselves could be a good plan. Growth is sometimes great.

Anyway, as usual I digress. Reading two books (well, listening to one) at the same time is nothing new to me - often there's several on the go at the same time. I love it when they sync together, as the latest two have done. On Audible I've enjoyed Rest is Resistance by Trisha Hersey. There's an interview with her here which gives an insight, though I recommend the book strongly to anyone who has ever been close to burnout, experienced burnout, felt exhausted with the system or has an inkling something is not quite right. It's thought provoking, challenging in parts and simply brilliant. In my opinion and as the queen of my website I'm happy to share that here. My opinion. And this book.

Alongside that, also from Amazon, but this time a self published work, 18 Months by Claire Sheffi. I first met Claire through our local triathlon club, and she's a delightful, engaging woman who has a great handle on beautifully expressed joy, in particular, though not exclusively, from the natural world around us. Juxtapositioning brilliantly for me alongside Rest is Resistance, Claire explores how something felt not right for a long time for her, and the book shares her steps to find a way of living that's more in tune with what she feels. She has some outstanding reviews on the book with one critical one (the reviewer didn't like her views on a recent global situation). I'm currently loving sharing views with others who oppose them, having conversations that challenge me, reading books that push me (I confess I nearly gave up on after his moan about a fabulous company owned a friend of my partner's). Anyway, whilst I might not resonate with views in some books, I feel there is so much to learn from those with other opinions to me.

This book, 18 Months, I found a joy to read. I found myself wanting to go to bed early to snuggle down and devour it. That funny feeling of doing that whilst wanting it to last too. A sequel? Yes please. And yes too, as one review mentions, there are some typos, but I'm always bemused how some professionally published books do too. I think I've missed a career as a proof reader - or maybe just not yet begun it. Not that I've never spotted one on a re-reading of my blog... There is so much beauty, so much tranquility described, seeing the world through different eyes is a gift in itself. You could read parts of it alongside Alaister Humphries' Microadventures book. Claire describes trips to the Lake District on mini adventures, with others or with her Twatterdale (a gorgeous companion - not entirely unlike Hairy McLairy from Donaldson's Dairy). I won't go on too much, but to say go and read it. Thank you to Claire for sharing, for being vulnerable, and I hope many people get to read this almost meditative work on slowing, on being more connected to the natural world.

I borrowed a friend's copy, but wanted to purchase one especially as it's a self published work, so have bought one to gift to a friend. The book made me smile, made me nod along, made my world a more reflective space. For all that I am grateful.