Living at the speed of life
When did we forget how to move at a human pace?
Emails arrive faster than we can think. Messages ping before we’ve taken a breath. “Catching up” has quietly become a full-time job.
Somewhere along the way, we started living at the speed of technology — not the speed of life.
Our nervous systems were never built for constant acceleration. We process, connect, and heal slowly — through rhythm, repetition, and rest. Yet we’re often praised for moving faster, doing more, pushing through.
Maybe the real question is: Is it still possible for us to slow down to a human pace?
What would life feel like if we gave ourselves permission to go slower — to move in ways that honour both our body’s limits and our mind’s need for space?
Research shows that even small, intentional pauses — micro-actions like one minute of breathing, stepping outside for air, or focusing on one simple next step — can lower stress and help us reset our focus.
As performance coach Graham Betchart reminds us through his WIN approach — What’s Important Now — clarity often comes when we stop trying to solve everything at once. One mindful action at a time. One breath. One human moment.
Perhaps slowing down isn’t about doing less, but about coming back into rhythm with life itself.
The world will always move fast. But we don’t have to.
Maybe the most radical thing we can do in a world obsessed with urgency is to remember: We can still live at the speed of life.
Thanks for taking the time,
Mark Davidson AMHSW
