There’s a particular kind of magic that settles over the world this time of year. Maybe you’ve felt it too, that gentle call to exhale, to let things soften a little. To stop chasing the next thing and instead linger in the moment, barefoot in the garden with dirt under your nails and absolutely no idea where your phone is (and honestly, not caring either).

Summer has its own rhythm. She doesn’t rush. She unfurls. She shows up unapologetically, sun-kissed, slightly overgrown, humming with bees and possibility. And every year, I find myself needing to answer her invitation again. To slow down. To live with less noise. To breathe more deeply.

And if I’m honest, this year more than ever, I need that exhale.

Walking the Walk (Even When It Feels Uncomfortable)

I talk a lot on the podcast, here on Substack, on Instagram, about slow living, simple living, seasonal living. I share practical ways to strip back the chaos, to live more intentionally, to reconnect with rhythms that feel more human and less machine.

But here's the thing: sharing about slow living is not the same as actually living it.

I’ve had to sit with that recently. Because while I believe deeply in everything I write and teach and podcast about… I can also be incredibly good at staying busy in service of slowness. Isn’t that wild? I can fill my calendar with things that all “support” my values and still end up frazzled, overstretched, and a little bit disconnected from the very life I’m advocating for.

So this summer, I’m choosing to walk the walk. For real. Which means creating more space in my schedule and energy. Saying no, kindly but firmly. Letting some things rest. Including, most notably: the podcast.

🎙️ A Gentle Shift: What’s Happening With the Podcast

Starting this month, The Slow Living Collective Podcast will be moving to an every-other-week rhythm for summer. No big drama. No huge announcement. Just a quiet recalibration to match the season.

This isn’t about burnout. It’s not about stepping away.It’s about alignment.

It’s about recognising that slow living isn’t a marketing message. It’s a lived experience and one I want to fully step into over these next few months. The podcast is still a core part of my work, and I’ll continue showing up there with love and thoughtfulness. But with more space. More intention. More… summer.

Think of it like this: the podcast is taking a long, luxurious exhale just like the rest of me.

What This Actually Means (And What It Doesn’t)

It doesn’t mean I’m disappearing.It doesn’t mean the podcast is any less valuable to me or to you.It doesn’t mean you’ll stop getting thoughtful, heartfelt, seasonal content.

It does mean that I’m choosing to let things breathe.It does mean that I’m putting my values into practice, even when it’s a bit uncomfortable.It does mean that I’m honouring this season, both literally and metaphorically, and giving myself space to feel it fully.

And maybe, it’s an invitation for you too.

Slowing Down With Me

I think so many of us are tired of being told to go faster. To do more. To produce, perform, and push through no matter the cost. But the cost is real, isn’t it? Exhaustion. Disconnection. That foggy, always on feeling that leaves us wondering when life will actually feel like ours again.

Slowness is not the enemy of success.It’s the soil from which meaningful, sustainable, joy filled lives grow.

So this summer, I’m giving myself permission to rest more. To be outside more. To put my feet in the grass and my face in the sun. To write when inspiration strikes, not because there’s a deadline looming. To read books that aren’t “productive.” To eat tomatoes warm from the vine on my balcony. To notice. To live.

Maybe you’re craving that too.

So here’s your permission, if you need one.To listen to fewer things.To unsubscribe from urgency.To let some things be undone.To say, “That can wait.”

Because here’s the truth: the world will keep spinning whether you respond to that email or not. And in the meantime? There’s a whole summer waiting for you. Sunlight through trees. Sand between your toes. Cold drinks, warm friends, long dinners that stretch lazily into the evening. A slower, simpler, softer version of life that’s not just possible but available, right now, if we let it be.

What You Can Expect (And a Few Teasers)

On the podcast: A new episode every other week, filled with the same thoughtful, grounded reflections you’ve come to expectvjust delivered at a slower, more nourishing pace. I’m actually excited to go deeper, not wider, with the stories I share.

Here on Substack: I’ll still be writing regularly. Some longer essays, some short seasonal notes, and maybe the occasional behind-the-scenes of what slow living actually looks like with a home-educating household and a second-floor balcony garden.

And behind the scenes? I’m dreaming into future offerings that support slow, small-space living, slow business, and the ongoing unraveling of hustle culture.

But for now… I’m sinking into the slowness.

And I hope you will too.

P.S. If you’ve been feeling the itch to slow down but needed someone to go first, consider this your sign. I’m with you.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theslowlivingcollective.substack.com/subscribe