Time to Slow Down & Chill Out

It’s time to slow down & chill out! Life is so hectic these days, and that’s a good deal about what is going wrong in England, and everywhere else. Fast causes ulcers, heart attacks and monstrosities like HS2 (a high-speed train that is going to kill 22,000 wildlife a year, just so that business people can get somewhere quicker: when they could either enjoy a slower train ride, or use Zoom).

The Anxiety Getaway uses modern techniques to relieve panic attacks, without drugs. Dr April uses over 20 years of experience to help manage daily life and fear. You can then take back control and reclaim your life.

Everywhere you look are books to ‘cook fast meals’. Good now and then. But why not embrace the art of cooking, and just take 30 minutes to prepare a proper meal? We are now beginning to see the wisdom of slow food, slow fashion, slow flowers. So now it’s time for a slow you!

We are not naturally predestined to rushing. In more primitive cultures, there is no ‘clock’ to finish jobs. Some of the longest-lived cultures in the world often reach 100 years. This is because they don’t rush. If they picking berries from a bush, when the sun goes down, they simply drop what they are doing to go off for dinner, and resume the next day. There is no ‘I must just finish this bit, before I rest’.

2 Parables on Slowing Down 

A fisherman (apologies to vegetarians) has caught enough fish for the day to feed himself and his family, and is relaxing on the beach. A businessman approaches and asks ‘Why don’t you buy a bigger boat, then you could earn more money?’ The fisherman replies ‘Why would I do that?’ The businessman replies ‘Then you could employ staff, make more money and retire’. The fisherman asks ‘What would I do then?’ The businessman says ‘Then you could lie on the beach all day’. The fisherman says ‘But I am doing that now, without any of the stress!’

A woodcutter (apologies to environmentalists) is chopping wood by piece (the more he chops, the more he gets paid). But each day he gets more tired, and chops less wood. Eventually he tells his boss ‘I am sorry, but however much earlier I get up, I chop less wood’. The boss asks ‘Have you tried sharpening your axe?’

Books to Help You Slow Down

1. Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature offers stories, which you can put your life on pause to watch them unfold. See what you find, when you take time to slow down. Around us, nature is always turning, growing and working. Every day, transformations happen in front of you. But it’s not always easy to see them..unless you slow down.
2. Seeking Slow is a book to reclaim moments of calm in your day. If you work hard but enjoy less or are consumed by never-ending to-do lists, this book will help you to slow down and reconnect with your surroundings, your family and yourself. Take time to head outdoors for a walk, learn to meditate, take up a hobby, read a book or simply breathe.
3. The Little Book of Sloth Philosophy is a beautifully written and funny book by writer Jennifer McCartney. Be happy, live better, sleep soundly, eat mindfully. It’s all too exhausting for the sloth, who is mindfulness in action: contemplative, deliberate, relaxed and focused. Sloths don’t log steps on fitness trackers and find sleep more restorative than a 6am run! It really is OK to be a sloth!
4. Take The Slow Road is a book by travel writer Martin Dorey. Take a journey with him in his camper van to take a slow trip around England and Wales, chugging up mountain passes and pootling along the coast. Take time to enjoy the journeys and places, for their own sake. Stop to put the kettle on, or take a photo. Includes places that are steep and bendy, along with interesting bridges, ferries and tidal causeways.

The Serenity Passport offers a world tour of peaceful living, discovering a calmer way to live, with secrets drawn from cultures around the world. A joyful exploration of ways to relax, learn ancient meditation techniques to simple self-care philosophies.

Many of the suggestions involve food, plants and essential oils. So know foods to avoid near pets, plants to avoid near pets (and avoid essential oils near pets and young children – don’t use aromatherapy oils if cats sleep on your bed).

1. Ayliak – the art of living slowly and without worry (Bulgaria)
2. Hózhó – a philosophy of wellness through balanced living (Navajo)
3. Hoppìpolla – jumping in puddles (Icelandic)
4. Flâneur – the art of leisurely strolling (French)
5. Utepils – a beer outside with friends (Norwegian)
6. Morgenfrisk – feeling fresh after a good night’s sleep (Denmark)

The book also covers the interesting Hawaiian method of forgiveness. If you can’t forgive someone, it is difficult to remain remain mindfully serene, yet it is at such times that we may find we need this skill most of all. Perhaps this is why Hawaiians developed the concept of Ho’oponopono, a practical ceremony centred around forgiveness.

About the Author 

Dr Megan C Hayes is a researcher, writer and pioneer of positive psychology, always seeking new techniques to help people flourish and find happiness. Having grown up with family members who experienced bi-polar episodes, she has a personal interest in helping people with mental health issues.

 

Bradt Slow Travel Guides are a popular series of books, beautifully written by local people to find hidden spots that are off the tourist track. Rather than read yet another guidebook to tell you visit big museums, art galleries and shopping centres, these books focus in local walking and cycling routes, tiny little tea rooms and undiscovered gems, that will help you relax – whether you live in the area or are taking a holiday.

Slow Travel Guides: The Midlands

1. The Peak District features dales to abandoned mills, historical ruins, pubs and national parks. Includes an emphasis on car-free travel (walking, cycling, boating, buses and trains) and a guide to the spa town of Buxton.
2. Shropshire features craft beers to gingerbread heritage, plus details of indie shops and galleries. Features Ludlow (the slow food capital of England) which PG Wodehouse described as ‘the nearest earthly place to paradise’.
3. The Chilterns & The Thames Valley covers chalk grasslands, beech woods, streams and wooded valleys, plus rare wildlife and birds like red kits, lapwings and skylark.  Also find Britain’s oldest road, Henley Regatta and Grand Union Canal.

Slow Travel Guides: Northern England

1. Yorkshire Dales features wildlife, history and local food and drink, plus plenty of walking routes. Features info on caves, scenic rivers, waterfalls and limestone flora.
2. Cheshire features a largely rural landscape and forests alongside the town of Chester and ancient castles. You’ll also discover canals, perfect for waterside strolls or boating.
3. North York Moors & Yorkshire Wolds features the anciety city of York and the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe, along with the Yorkshire Nature Triangle, known for its birds and wildlife (barn owls, otters and dolphins). Also covers the 10 long-distance paths in the area, plus sandy beaches and rocky coves.
4. Northumberland features Europe’s largest area of protected night sky, a national park and 40 walks along beaches, over hills and through valleys. Includes info on Hadrian’s Wall, wildlife and islands in England’s most tranquil county.

Slow Travel Guides: Southern England

1. East Devon & The Jurassic Coast features local vineyards, the Blackdown Hills, a car-free circuit map, the best bluebell woods and a chapter on Exeter and nearby seaside resorts.
2. Somerset features Bath, Wells, the Mendip Hills, Exmoor National Park and International Dark Sky Reserve. Also includes info on Quantock and the Blackdown Hills and the Somerset coast.
3. Dorset features rolling hills, thatched houses, narrow winding lanes and stunning stately homes and gardens, alongside enchanting landscape of Thomas Hardy country. Also includes info on the South West Coast Path and seaside walks.
4. North Devon & Exmoor features wild rugged coastline, deep river valleys, heather-covered moorland and family-friendly sandy beaches, plus great surfing and enchanted villages. Along with some of the prettiest villages in England. Exmoor is also home to Britain’s largest mammal, the red deer.
5.  Cornwall & The Isles of Scilly features details of a rugged, storm-lashed north coast and wide sandy beaches favoured by surfers, plus sheltered creeks and coves.
6. South Devon & Dartmoor features car-free travel ideas (walking, cycling and rivers, plus local buses and trains). There’s plenty of local food, campsites and literary links from Agatha Christie to Conan Doyle.
7. The Cotswolds features the three gateway towns of Stratford-Upon-Avon, Bath and Oxford, alongside England’s longest river, the Cotswolds and stately homes.
8. Sussex features car-free travel, bikes, steam trains and volunteer-run buses along with a solar-powered craft in Chichester harbour. Discover the coast and the South Downs and the Royal Paviliion in Brighton, along with a full-sizes replica of the painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in an obscure modern church.
9. Exmoor National Park features 13 walks with maps across 10 regions and includes villages, nature reserves, private gardens and interesting little churches. Exmoor is one of England’s smallest yet most beautiful national parks. Includes tips on the long coastline including wild swimming.

Slow Travel Guides: East of England 

1. Suffolk features bird-watching paradises, nature reserves and coastal landscapes. Find local estuaries, remote marshes, reed-beds, beaches, shingle banks and dunes. Also discover Constable Country and the Stour Valley.
2. Norfolk features car-free travel, walking, local food and pubs. Visit Great Yarmouth and the Norfolk Broads, alongside the Fens and Breckland region in the south. Includes tips on butterflies, hiking and biking and literary connections.

3. Chai-Spiced Rice Pudding, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook

   This beginner’s guide to slow cooking can help you choose which device is best for you, and find recipes suitable. Slow cookers work by cooking food at very low temperatures for a few hours (high) or several hours (low). Buy new for safety, and keep wires away from paws and little hands. 

   If used well, slow cookers can replace expensive hours of roasting in the oven, and is a good way to use dry cheap beans (always boil kidney beans for 10 minutes to remove the toxin, or just use tinned for safety). If you’re the worrisome sort, you don’t have to leave the house: just set it to ‘high’ and cook things in a few hours, while at home. Lakeland sells good ones, including smaller versions for one or two servings. Modern pressure cookers have safety valves (so won’t explode steam in the kitchen). And instant pots do several jobs at once, to avoid a cupboard of gadgets.

   1. Prep first. Chop all fresh produce, and roast onions beforehand, for better flavour.
   2. Liquids don’t evaporate the same in slow cookers, so reduce recipe by around a third, for best results. Don’t use too much liquid (or fill to top) or things won’t cook well.
   3. Don’t take lid off to check ingredients, as slow cookers will take a long time to get back toe temperature. Add quick-cookie veggies (spinach) near the end, and use root veggies first, as they take longer to cook.

   Slow-Cooking Recipe Books

   Check medication inserts, as some foods (grapefruit, green veggies) are not always safe). Avoid nuts, seeds and nut/seed butters for young children. See foods to keep away from pets (chocolate, garlic, onion, scallions, leeks, chives, shallots, grapes, dried fruits, nuts, fruit pits & seeds, avocado, salt, sugar, nutmeg, bread dough, mushrooms, green tomatoes, raw/green potatoes and xylitol (sweetener). If used, choose palm-oil-free vegan butters.

   1. The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for Your Instant Pot has recipes for autumn mushroom bean soup, quinoa chickpea scramble, vegetables in cheezy sauce, tempeh chilli, mushroom stroganoff with potatoes and vegan cheesecake.
   2. The Plant-Based Slow Cooker has recipes for ziti with mushroom & bell pepper ragu, crockery cassoulet with Greek-style beans, chipotle black bean chilli with winter squash and seitan stroganoff.
   3. Vegan Slow Cooking for Two (or just for you) has recipes for breakfast pumpkin polenta, white bean quinoa gumbo and blueberry lemon cake.
   4. Vegan Slow Cooking has recipes for seedy banana breakfast loaf, tofu shakshuka, Satay cauliflower, pulled jackfruit burgers, mac-n-no cheese, sweet potato shepherd’s pie and lemon blueberry drizzle.
   5. The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook has recipes for vegetable lasagne with basil ricotta, red curry rice noodle soup and cookies ‘n’ cream cheesecake.
   6. Vegans Under Pressure has recipes for roasted pepper & white bean dip, harissa-glazed carrots with green olives, pozole chilli, Thai summer vegetable curry, cornbread and pear-almond upside down cake.
   7. Vegan Pressure Cooking has recipes for apple pie steel-cut oats, kale lentil squash chilli and sweet potato enchiladas.
4. How to Feel Less Anxious is a lovely little book for anyone who has frequent feelings of worry, nervousness or unease. Do you wish you could be more relaxed and self-assured? In this book you’ll learn tips for the benefits of mindfulness and better ways of thinking, and how to build better daily habits, from the way you speak and breathe, to the way you stand. There are also tips on healthy lifestyle habits and behavioural patterns. The book covers:
   1. Understanding anxiety
   2. Be kind to your mind
   3. Send your worries packing
   4. Living with Anxiety

   The book also explains the different kinds of anxiety:

   1. General Anxiety Disorder (having regular concerns)
   2. Social Anxiety Disorder (a fear of social situations)
   3. Panic Disorder (pounding hearts, feeling faint or dizzy)
   4. Phobias (extreme fears of things or situations)
   5. Hypochondria (fear of being ill)
   6. Body Dysmorphic Disorder (obsession with appearance)
   7. Perinatal Anxiety (occurs during or after pregnancy)

   Anxiety is at the end of the day, just thoughts. So the book looks at things that trigger anxious thoughts, and how to deal or avoid them. Some ways include:

   1. Working on your mindset
   2. Taking regular exercise
   3. Getting good quality sleep
   4. Minimising digital distractions
5. Slow Down is a book to bring calm to a busy world, with 50 nature stories. This gorgeous for children would be enjoyed by people of any age. Each day (hour by hour), transformations happen right in front of you. But with today’s busy world, it’s easy to miss them.In this beautifully illustrated collection, 50 moments in nature are paused, for you to watch them in detail. Then you can go outside and explore to see what you find – when you take the time to slow down. This charming collection celebrates the small wonders that are happening all around us, every day.
   

   This immaculately illustrated tome, is sure to charm observers outside that audience as well. Splendiferous! Kirkus Reviews

   

   About the Author

   Rachel Williams studied literature, before editing and publishing children’s books. She lives with her family in London. Freya Hartas is a book writer and illustrator who graduated from Falmouth University and lives in Bristol.

Beating OCD & Anxiety is for anyone prone to over-checking or imagining the worst all the time. If anxiety affects everything you do and has affected or destroyed relationships (or you live with someone who suffers), this book can help. Helena Tarrant has recovered from lifelong OCD and generalized anxiety disorder, and shares 75 tried and tested techniques she used to get better. With over 100 illustrated cartoons, for easy reading.

What To Do When Your Friend Has Anxiety is aimed at family and friends, and shows that the solution is to to drag someone out of the house, and force them to socialise. Includes questions and tips from real-life patients and their loved ones.

Simple living may be a buzz phrase these days, but it’s a good philosophy to adapt to suit. You don’t have to live in a white box with no TV. But actively seek ways to slow down and chill out. You and the planet are better for it.

1. Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature offers stories, which you can put your life on pause to watch them unfold. See what you find, when you take time to slow down. Around us, nature is always turning, growing and working. Every day, transformations happen in front of you. But it’s not always easy to see them..unless you slow down.
2. How to Feel Less Anxious is a lovely little book for anyone who has frequent feelings of worry, nervousness or unease. Do you wish you could be more relaxed and self-assured? In this book you’ll learn tips for the benefits of mindfulness and better ways of thinking, and how to build better daily habits, from the way you speak and breathe, to the way you stand. There are also tips on healthy lifestyle habits and behavioural patterns.