A Resolution to Live at a Human Pace

In years past, life moved at the speed of daylight, seasons, and necessity—not notifications. People rose, worked, rested, and gathered with intention. There was no technology demanding their time and activities were often family-oriented. As we enter 2026, perhaps the most radical resolution we can make is to slow our pace enough to actually live our lives.

Living at a human pace does not mean rejecting progress—it means choosing not to let urgency or technology rule our days. Peace of mind grows when we stop rushing through moments meant to be experienced. It also means learning to say "No" to having too many activities to participate in. Choose carefully what you or your children are committing themselves to. Sometimes we get caught up in the chaos of too many after-school activities and our children are living a life that is even more hectic and rushed than our own. Kids need time to unwind and relax at home just as much as adults.

When was the last time your family ate dinner together and had a chance to engage in "dinner table" conversation?

I was extremely fortunate in that we ate dinners together as a family every evening. What a great time it was to connect with each other! I also fondly remember my summer vacations as a kid. No commitments, just time to play outside, meet up with neighborhood kids, go swimming, and have sleepovers with friends. Nowadays kids are involved in so many activities during the summer, they have no downtime. Help them choose wisely what they get involved in. Remember, less is always better, and it creates a less hectic schedule for you as the parent. Their simple schedule becomes your simple schedule.

A simplistic, peaceful life begins with intention followed by ACTION.

Intention is the starting point, but it takes action to get the wheels moving. Write down things you want to change to improve your daily life so you and your family can begin to enjoy the benefits of a more relaxed lifestyle. Below are some ideas to think on. Create your own few steps and BEGIN FOLLOWING THEM! Commit to a step for 15 days, then another 15 days, and start increasing the timeframe until the new habit becomes second-nature to you. If you get side-tracked, just make a point to realign yourself with your goal and keep going.

Small Steps to Begin:

• Choose one part of your day to slow down deliberately—morning coffee, dinner prep, or evening wind-down. (My favorite evening wind-down activity is reading a book from my home library.)

• Walk when you can instead of rushing. Even a 10-minute walk after dinner can recalibrate your nervous system.

• Remove “false urgency” by asking, Does this truly need to be done right now?

• Eliminate excessive commitments and activities. Allow your children to pick two favorite activities to take part in during the school year so they can have more time at home to simply unwind and relax. Use that time at home to spend together for more "family time".

• Practice doing one thing at a time, as previous generations did out of necessity.

A slower pace invites clarity, patience, and gratitude. When we live more deliberately, we create the life we truly want.