It’s semana santa (holy week) this week and since Spain is a catholic country it’s one of the most celebrated holidays of the year. People from all over Spain flock to the city I live in, Malaga, to witness the processions and engage in the celebrations for the week. So you can imagine, the streets are packed, the noise level increased, and running a quick errand could take you hours weaving in and out of crowds and the processions.


Because the crowds and noise levels seem to bother me more and more the older I get and knowing my wiring, I’ve decided to pack my bags and head down the Costa del Sol for a week with a good friend of mine. It was literally a 45 minute train ride down the coast but I feel like I’m miles and miles away from Malaga. I’m waking up to the birds chirping, some dogs barking in the far off distance, and even have heard some owls hooting. As I type this now, I’m hearing about 4 different types of birds singing and chirping. It’s delightful to say the least.


Although, I’m still working this week, it’s really nice to be getting away and escaping the city during this busy week. I’ve been taking long walks down the boardwalk, relaxing by the pool with an entertaining read, and sitting on the balcony with a warm cup of tea in my hands just being in silence with no distractions. It’s so lovely to be building these pauses within my day and it’s got me thinking how I can build them into my life back in Malaga a bit more.


You probably already know I’m a big advocate of slow-living and teach and share about it often. But I have a confession; I feel like I haven’t been living very slowly lately. Honestly, life has been feeling very fast and my days have felt busy. I’ve caught myself rushing from one thing to the next and have noticed that I haven’t been staying present.


Now I don’t believe slow-living is actually about living at a turtle pace speed. To me slow-living is more about living intentionally, knowing WHY we are doing what we are doing, so we aren’t  just bouncing from one activity to the next without mindfully checking in. Of course, there are some seasons of life that are going to be faster than others and that’s okay. Again, if we are clear with our Why than we aren’t just filling our days for the sake of being busy, but we know on a deep level why these commitments are important to us. Our Why matters so much.


If you also are finding yourself in a busy season of life here are some questions you can ask yourself:

  1. Why have I said yes to each of the commitments on my calendar?
  2. Having a look at my commitments, is there anything that I can remove or say no to?
  3. Where can I build small pockets of joy and moments to be still during my day to create more space?
  4. How can I prioritize my health/well-being knowing that it will support me during this busy season?
  5. Is there anything I can outsource? (Ex: hiring a part-time baby-sitter, someone to clean the house and/or take care of yard work, anything with business or work, etc….)