My Current Slow Living Essentials

Good morning, afternoon or evening, wherever and whenever you are reading this. As I sit down to write this week’s blog, it is just after 6:30am here in the UK. The house is quiet, the kettle has only just gone on, and outside the world still feels half asleep. I hope you are having a wonderful week, wherever you are. I also hope last week’s blog inspired you with some thoughtful reading practices to help you work your way through that ever-growing TBR pile. I have just come back from a week spent down south, and after being slightly out of my usual routine, I found myself noticing all the slow-living habits I had quietly been building for myself this summer.

It's funny how stepping away from your normal rhythm can make you realise what you have been missing, or what you instinctively crave when life feels a little busier than usual. For me, it was the small, ordinary things: early mornings, candles burning in the background, a tidy space, cereal for breakfast, and a morning coffee either in my garden or office chair. So, with that said, I thought this week I would share my current slow living essentials, the little things that have genuinely been making my countryside / cottage-core heart feel calmer, cosier and more aligned this summer.

Early Mornings

This is a habit I have been subconsciously slipping into for years. As soon as spring arrives in March, my mind and body seem to develop an urge to wake up earlier and begin the day more slowly and intentionally.

In winter, when it is still dark outside, that ritual does not feel quite the same. There is something about waking up with the sun that feels much gentler and more natural.

I try to "just be" for the first part of my morning as much as possible. That means not immediately reaching for my phone, making a coffee, opening the curtains, and giving myself a few quiet moments before responsibilities begin. Even if it is only ten or fifteen minutes, it changes the tone of the entire day.

Candles & Aromatherapy

There is something about scent that can completely transform the atmosphere of a room. For example, Lavender can soften the edges of a stressful day, while sandalwood brings a warmer, earthier feeling to a space. When I created my A Story To Light candles and wax melts, I wanted them to feel less like individual fragrances and more like a scene captured in scent.

One of my favourite combinations for a cloudy work-from-home day is Breezy Meadow, with its soft cotton and wildflower notes. It instantly makes me picture washing blowing in the countryside breeze and wildflowers swaying along a footpath. It brings a sense of calm, cosiness and a little bit of whimsy into the room, which is exactly the feeling I want my home to hold.

And as we slowly begin to move towards late summer and the first hints of autumn, I have also found myself reaching for By The Windmill more often in the evenings. It has that gentle countryside warmth with hints of lavender that makes you want to curl up with a blanket, a book and the windows slightly open while the evening air drifts through.

A Package of Cosy Essentials

Perhaps the hardest slow-living habit for me has been learning to allow myself to have unproductive time. It is so easy to become addicted to the quick burst of satisfaction that comes from ticking things off a to-do list. Sometimes I catch myself chasing that feeling all day long, moving from one task to the next without ever properly resting.

That is one of the reasons I love the idea behind my Blind Date With A Book packages. There is something wonderfully comforting about not knowing exactly which story you are about to receive. The little extras tucked inside — a bookmark, cosy treats and reading companions — turn it into more than just buying a book.

It becomes a small ritual in itself:

• boil the kettle,

• light a candle,

• open the parcel slowly,

• place the bookmark in the first chapter,

• and allow yourself an hour where you are not trying to achieve anything other than enjoying a story.

Sometimes doing nothing productive at all is its own kind of achievement, am I right?

Nature Walks

For me, a slow life has to include time spent outside. Even a twenty-minute walk can completely change my mood. Part of it is probably the movement itself and the endorphins that come with it, but I think it is also the simple act of noticing the natural world around you. When I walk through the countryside, I stop paying attention to notifications, emails and endless mental checklists. I notice the way the trees move in the wind, the sound of birds hidden in the hedgerows, and the feeling of the air changing as the seasons slowly shift. It reminds me that not everything has to be perfectly controlled. The branches sway in whichever direction the wind takes them, and perhaps it is okay for us to move through life with a little more flexibility too.

A Weekly Declutter

I truly believe in the phrase “tidy house, tidy mind.”

Alongside my weekly clean, I always try to do a small declutter as well. It is rarely anything dramatic. More often it is refolding the pyjamas I shoved into a drawer after a long day, cleaning muddy wellies after a countryside walk or sorting through that drawer that seems to collect receipts, pens, hair clips and random bits of life.

Even spending thirty minutes once a week putting things back in order makes me feel noticeably calmer and more put together. A peaceful home does not have to be spotless; it simply needs to feel cared for.

Pen to Paper

My journal has become something of a sanctuary. Yes, I take it very seriously. It is not necessarily where I wind down at the end of the day, but rather a place where thoughts can spill out freely and creative ideas have room to breathe. I like to leave my phone charging in another room and sit with a notebook and pen. I plan, brainstorm, reflect, write snippets of dialogue, jot down candle ideas, and sometimes simply record what the weather looked like that morning.

One slightly odd habit I have is that when I finish a notebook, I rarely start a brand-new one straight away. I will go back between the pages and continue writing on the right hand side of the page as usually it's left blank when writing from the right hand side if that makes sense? It probably only makes sense to fellow notebook lovers, but I find it strangely comforting.

Journal Prompt

If a stranger spent one quiet morning in my home, what tiny rituals would tell them who I really am when no one is watching?

A Little Thought to Take With You

Perhaps this week you could give yourself permission to slow down a little.

You do not need to completely change your routine or fill your days with elaborate rituals. A quieter life is often built from very small things: opening the window in the morning, making a cup of tea before checking your phone, reading a chapter before bed, lighting a candle while you cook dinner, or taking a short walk without listening to anything at all.

If you would like to bring a little more of that feeling into your own everyday life, you can find my cosy, story-inspired shop over on Etsy, A Story To Light. Where you'll find Blind Date With A Book packages, Breezy Meadow wax melts, By The Windmill candles, bookmarks, snail mail and many more stories to be found.

And if you would like to follow along with my slow-living adventures, you can find me on Instagram and TikTok @AStoryToLight, where I share books, seasonal living, cosy rituals, countryside moments and the little things that make ordinary days feel a little more magical.

Remember, you do not have to be productive every minute of the day for it to have been a day well spent.

All my love,

Eleanor x