Day 83 of 100 Days of Hope
The Power of Slowing Down: Finding Your Essence Pace
This season brings a kind of busyness that can feel overwhelming. The lists, the events, the expectations—it all nudges us to speed up. To push harder. To keep moving so we don’t fall behind.
But here’s the truth: speeding up rarely brings relief. In fact, it often works against us.
When we run faster than our natural rhythm, we tend to:
Feel more stressed
Lose our breath
Become scattered and unfocused
Disconnect from ourselves and others
Burn out emotionally and physically
I used to tell myself that doing more would finally lead to feeling better. That if I could simply keep up, everything would fall into place. But instead, I felt untethered, tired, and overwhelmed. My joy disappeared under the weight of speed.
Then I learned something from Katie Hendricks that changed everything:
“Your essence has a natural pace—and when you honor it, life flows.”
She teaches that when we move at our essence pace—the pace our nervous system, body, and heart are designed for—we feel more grounded, alive, and connected. It’s not slow for the sake of slow. It’s slow enough to stay present with ourselves.
Slowing down even for a couple of minutes can create a powerful shift:
1. You can breathe again.
Your breath becomes deeper and more spacious, sending a signal to your body that you are safe.
2. You notice what’s beautiful right in front of you.
Appreciation naturally returns when your pace matches your presence.
3. You reconnect with others with more ease.
When you’re not rushing, empathy and warmth come effortlessly.
4. You reconnect with yourself.
Your inner goodness, creativity, and clarity rise to the surface again.
5. Stress releases its grip.
Doing less creates room for calm.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed today, take a moment—just two minutes. Slow your steps. Let your shoulders soften. Breathe more gently. Let yourself come back into alignment with your essence pace.
Going faster isn’t making life better.
But going slower, even a little, just might.
Here’s to living in a way that helps you feel more like you again.
With love,
Julie Burningham
The Hope Coach