Welcome to Slowtober
I’m so excited October is here! This month has a very special meaning for me.
It’s the month where I start slowing down.
But it wasn’t always this way.
Two years ago, I enrolled in a Master Gardener program. It’s intense - 16 weeks of half-day classes, two exams, a big research project, a diagnostic test, and 40 volunteer hours.
It was amazing and I loved it!
And it was also a lot. Especially when added onto my full-time job, building a business, taking a nonprofit management certification course, having a family and home to take care of, and everything else on my plate.
Because, you see, I’ve always been an all-the-things-doer. I do and I do.
And then one day I realize how tired I’ve become.
And it was in late August of 2021 that I knew something had to change.
Everything was due by the end of September, so I told myself I’d slow down on October 1.
That I’d celebrate Slowtober (Slow October) by not taking on anything new.
But by the end of October 1, I started justifying:
The all-day basket weaving workshop I signed up for on October 2nd wasn’t really taking on something new. I did weave a basket in second grade.
And that LinkedIn Content Creation challenge…I was posting on LinkedIn anyway, so it was no big deal…
And, yes, I finished October as tired as I started it.
Last year I didn’t do much better.
In fact, I forgot about Slowtober altogether until someone reminded me mid-month.
But this year…
This year will be the year I really do Slowtober as Slowtober was intended to be done.
I took on fewer shifts with my part-time job.
I carved out an evening each week to ensure I don’t make plans.
I’ve committed to not signing up for anything new all month!
(That last one’s probably the hardest one for me!)
I’m going to go to bed earlier.
Spend more time journaling.
Read more good books.
Connect with family and friends.
I’m intentionally slowing down so I can pay more attention to what’s happening around me and inside me.
And my aim is to feel more rested on October 31 than I do today.
How are you doing?
Do you need a little Slowtober in your life?
I invite you to think about what Slowtober could look like for you using the journal prompts below.
Use these prompts as written or as inspiration to uncover what you need in your life this week. And know that I’m always here to support you and answer questions you have along the way!
What areas of your life seem too full or out of balance?
What do you need less of right now?
What choice can you make so you can have less?
How can you invite more rest into your life?
What needs to be put on pause for now or removed entirely?
What does slowing down look like for you?
What would you do with the extra time and space you create by slowing down?
The Wheel of Life
The Wheel of Life The Wheel of Life is an exercise designed to see how in balance our lives are.
Click HERE to get a copy!
You’ll see it’s broken down into 8 sections: Career, Finance, Personal Growth, Health, Friends, Relationships, Recreation, and Spirituality.
For each section, rate your satisfaction in that area by coloring to the corresponding number (for example finances may be an 8, career a 6, relationships a 10, etc.).
Then look to see how balanced your wheel is.
If it was an actual wheel, would it roll?
What do you need more of in your life to bring your life in better balance?
How can you invite it in?
What do you need to remove from your life to bring about better balance?
How can you draw those boundaries?
Good Things Come to Those Who Journal Livestream - Tuesday, 8 pm Eastern
Join me for my livestream on Tuesday at 8pm Eastern as I welcome my friend Bri Johnson for a conversation on living our purpose. Expect real talk about journaling, motherhood, and becoming who we were truly meant to be. Tune in on LinkedIn, YouTube, or Facebook.
Journaling Mini-Retreat - Wednesday, October 18, 7:30 pm Eastern
Gift yourself some self-care with this Journaling Mini-Retreat. Join us for our monthly group journaling celebration. Register HERE.
Magic Moon Circles - October 14 & 28 1 pm Eastern/6 pm BST
My magical friend Pippa Haywood and I have partnered to bring you two special events this month: a New Moon Circle on October 14 and a Full Moon Circle on October 28, both at 1pm EST/6pm BST. Join us for visualization and magic, journaling and connection. Learn more and register HERE.
One-off:
Does your journaling practice need a little jumpstart so you can really see the benefits in your life? Join me for my favorite on demand workshop: 3 Simple Ways to Jumpstart Your Journaling. You’ll walk away with:
✍ A comprehensive understanding of the benefits of journaling
✍ Hands-on experience with three different journaling techniques
✍ And the skills to put them together to confidently create a journaling practice that you love
Purchase HERE for $27.
On the Regular:
Registration for The Journaling for Growth Membership Program is open! Each month we’ll write our way to a life we love by journaling through a different topic. With curated prompts and weekly group sessions, this program gives you the variety of tools you need to uplevel your journaling to learn and grow. October’s topic is Money Mindset. Join now for just $97/month.
Diving In Deep:
I’m offering my biggest, most exciting program early in 2024. Together in Unveil Your Inner Magic we’ll take a look at those assessments and personality tests that we’re taking and blend them together with what we already know about ourselves so we can truly find and celebrate what makes us so special! Learn more here.
Customized Solutions
I offer a range of services, all designed to help you embrace journaling for personal growth and discovery, achieving your goals, and writing your way to a life you love.
Let’s hop on a call to discuss!
Happy Journaling!
Wow, I've never heard of 'Slowtober' - this is probably just what I need right when I need it, Amanda! Thank you! I'm going to explore this using your prompts and see what I discover.