Hustle Culture or Slow Living?

Hustle culture is often glorified as the key to success in today’s fast-paced world. This mentality suggests that the more you work, the more successful you’ll be. It’s a mindset that values hustle and grind over everything else, and it can be incredibly exhausting.

On the other hand, slow living is a growing movement that advocates for a slower, more mindful approach to life. It’s about taking the time to enjoy the present moment, rather than constantly striving for more. It’s about finding balance and sustainability, rather than burning out from endless hustle.

So which is ideal? It really depends on the individual and their priorities. For some, hustle culture may be necessary to reach their goals. Others may find that slow living brings them more joy and fulfillment.

I prefer slow living over hustling culture, but my dear readers, please pay close attention to the word ‘prefer’ because, although I desire to lead a slow, simple life, can I actually achieve it given my current circumstances? The answer is clearly NO.

Every day, I hear statements like, “Hey girl, you’re in your early 20s, work as hard as you can!” or “Hey, push your limits, otherwise you won’t be able to see your greatest self,” or “Hey, you’ve got these extra hours, use them wisely”

So these are the kinds of sentences I hear at home and in my office. Everywhere I go, there is some sort of comparison taking place, and now if I do nothing but relax, I feel bad about it. So, even when I have free time, I feel as though I should be doing something.

My body, mind, and soul all prefer a slow pace of life, but that does not mean I don’t want to work or am avoiding my responsibilities. But I want to go at my own pace when it comes to everything important in my life. I want to really experience each moment as it is happening rather than constantly feeling on edge.

Even if I am sad, I want to be sad in present moment and I don’t want to accumulate my emotions for later; I want to experience the pain and tears, I want to feel what I have lost in my life, and I want to allow my emotions some space.

However, the constant wave of hustle culture that surrounds me prevents me from feeling my emotions since, in the opinion of hustle culture gurus, crying is a waste of time when I might be using that time to build or grow something else.

I am not against hustle culture but I somehow will prefer slow living.

So, ultimately, it’s important to find a balance that works for you. Don’t feel pressure to constantly be hustling, but also don’t shy away from hard work if it’s necessary to reach your goals. Take the time to reflect on what brings you joy and fulfillment, and prioritize those things in your life. Whether that means embracing hustle culture or opting for slow living, the most important thing is to find a balance that works for you.