Why Slowing Down Is So Hard (And How Qigong Helps)
- Stella Rose Sheldon
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Through my own journey, and through supporting my clients, I have learnt that most of us share a common challenge: we find it really hard to slow down. Many of us spend our days feeling on edge, unsettled in our bodies, with racing thoughts constantly moving through our minds.
This creates a great deal of suffering, yet for many people it has become normal.
It can be hard to switch off, sleep well, or simply sit still for very long. There is always another job to do, another message to answer, or another thought demanding our attention.
It can feel as though we have too many tabs open in our minds, slowly draining our battery.
You might notice it in your body too. Perhaps your shoulders feel tight, your jaw is tense, your chest feels heavy, or your stomach is constantly fluttering with nerves.
For each of us, this constant state of doing can look different. For me, it looked like always needing to be productive and feeling as though I had to prove something. Somewhere along the way, I had learnt that stopping meant I was being lazy.
Eventually, my body made the decision for me. A wave of chronic illness forced me to stop, and I had to learn how to pause again.
Even now, I still notice these patterns from time to time. Like many people, I have to keep practising the art of slowing down.
I think of it as the 'busy train' that we struggle to slow down or get off. It gains momentum in our body and our life, and we get pulled along with it.
As difficult as slowing down can feel, I believe it is one of the most important things we can learn if we want to feel healthier and create a more balanced life.
Looking back, learning to slow down has been at the heart of rebuilding my health over the past eight years.
There are many reasons why we become stuck in this state. Past experiences, stress, trauma, learned patterns, and the pressures of modern life can all leave our nervous system constantly on alert. When our body is stuck in fight or flight mode, even ordinary parts of life can begin to feel overwhelming.
Thankfully, Qigong came into my life around the time of my health crash, and honestly, I don't know where I would be without it. It gave me a gentle, practical way to slow down and helped me begin creating a different relationship with myself.
I discovered Qigong whilst coordinating a wellbeing group for the charity where I was working. As I stood at the back and joined in, something in me ignited and I knew I wanted to explore it more.
Since then, I have seen that same spark in many new students, and it never stops making me smile.
I practised every day for years. Little by little, it helped me rebuild my health and rediscover the art of slowing down. Not everyone enjoys sitting quietly in meditation, and that's okay.
One of the things I love most about Qigong is that it allows us to slow down without asking us to simply stop. It is often described as a moving meditation, combining gentle movement, breathing and mindful awareness.
When we bring these elements together, our body begins to shift out of a constant stress response and into a state that supports rest, repair and healing. We feel calmer, breathe more deeply, and often notice a greater sense of ease.
My experience has shown me, time and again, just how powerful a regular Qigong practice can be.
The more regularly I practise, the better I generally feel. There is a running joke in the Qigong and Tai Chi world that you can never quite tell how old the experienced teachers are because they often seem to have so much vitality.
If you find it hard to slow down, please know that you are not alone. You are certainly not failing. It is part of being human. Whether your nervous system feels overwhelmed or your busy "monkey mind" never seems to switch off, change is possible. Qigong can be a wonderful way to gently begin that change.
The more we practise slowing down, the more familiar it becomes. It is a little like strengthening a muscle. At first it can feel difficult, but over time it becomes easier to access that pause when we need it.
Qigong has taught me how to move through life with a little more ease and grace. That doesn't mean I always feel calm or get it right. Far from it. But every time I practice, I notice that I feel a little lighter, clearer and more open to life.
For me, Qigong is a gentle defiance against the demands of the modern world. Its movements are slow and simple, reminding us that we don't always have to keep pushing. They invite us to find our own balance, one breath and one movement at a time.
Ways to explore Qigong
If you'd like to explore Qigong with me, you'll find upcoming classes, workshops and online sessions on my website. I'd love to welcome you.
You can also email me at info@soulspaceunlimited.com or send me a message on WhatsApp on 0778 75 76 735.
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