5 fun ways to practice slow living (solo & group-friendly!)

I feel like we're all in a season of fun right now, amirite?

With summer quickly approaching and many of us making plans for the first time in a long time, spontaneity is in the air! So here are five wholesome, fun, and interactive ways to practice slow living in the upcoming months.

Nature Walking/Hiking/Camping with Friends

I did this last weekend and it was SO much fun! I usually consider nature walks or hikes as a non-group activity but who says you can't invite a few friends out to explore the outdoors together? Make it a group challenge, take the offline time as an opportunity to catch up, and get your body moving. We discovered so many things while exploring which made the social activity even more fun.

Slow Living Benefit: With being out in nature, you'll get to disconnect and learn more about yourself, your friends, and absorb much needed fresh air.

Take Weekend Getaways

While long vacations require a lot of planning and preparation, weekend getaways are low-maintenance, which is perfect for group organizing! This also allows for offline time, because there are plenty of fun road trip things you can do, such as enjoying a feel-good playlist together, playing car games, catching up, etc. And when you get to the destination, you'll want to get the most out of the area since it's a shorter trip.

Slow Living Benefit: With this experience, you'll discover new places, connect with people on a deeper level, and create fond memories.

Visit the Farmers Market (With a Fun Project in Mind)

I know I hype farmers markets a lot, but if you have no idea what to do while there, try this. Think of a gardening project, a new recipe, a gifting opportunity, or a mini competition using things you can find at the farmers market. You'll definitely leave with full hands and lots of ideas for whatever it is you'll be working on!

Slow Living Benefit: This experience allows you to get creative and think about what fun means to you. I firmly believe creativity opens doors to all sorts of spaces you never realized you were into!

Join/Start a Bookclub

Bookclubs can be as casual or interactive as you want, which makes them perfect for slow living. Book curation can have themes, as well as the actual club meeting, and conversations can range from strictly book context to deeper intellectual and personal stories.

Slow Living Benefit: Experiences like this are explorative, experimental, and eye-opening ways to learn more about your values. It's an integral part of growing and progressing in your slow living journey!

Throw Ideas into a Jar and Have a Spontaneous Day

This sparks so much joy in my opinion! The jar of ideas can be 100% yours or a combination of all your friends ideas (the more the merrier). Then, grab a handful of ideas out to get your day started! This is the pure embodiment of nurturing your inner child.

Slow Living Benefit: This experience is so healing. It helps you through past traumas by letting go of your roles and responsibilities, and you will flourish as you put your joys at the forefront, an integral part of slow living.

I hope these ideas, while simplistic on the outside, help nourish your mind, body, and soul. They're rooted in slow living, so while you're having all this fun, you're also developing areas in your life you tend to put to the side! Have fun, enjoy your summers, and let me know if you try any of these (with friends or not - these are all solo-friendly, too!).