How to Slow Down in the Middle Years
Here in Spain, the bells ring every evening. They don’t wait for me to finish the laundry or close my laptop. They just ring. A reminder that time keeps moving, and that I’m invited to pause and notice.
In the middle years, life rarely feels slow. You’re pulled in many directions — aging parents, growing kids, shifting work, a body that feels different than it used to. You long for margin, but your days feel tight and noisy.
Slowing down may feel impossible. But what if slowing isn’t about emptying your calendar? What if it’s about noticing what’s already here?
Here are three gentle ways to practice slowing in your own ordinary life:
Light a candle before opening your email.
A small pause, a breath, a reminder that your soul matters as much as your inbox.Take a five-minute “notice walk.”
No phone, no agenda. Just notice what’s blooming, what’s changing, what’s been overlooked.Ask one question at the end of your day:
Where did I feel most alive today? Write it down. Over time, you’ll start to see patterns that lead you back to yourself.
You don’t have to do all three. You only have to begin.
This is what we practice at The Table — not rushing, but noticing. Not hustling, but belonging.
If your soul is craving this kind of space, your seat is waiting.