B&B chat to Beth, Founder of Slow Living LDN 

A personal value I care about deeply is community, and it's one I aimed to instil in Bundle & Beau. I love connecting with fellow creative business owners, drawing inspiration from their approaches to both business and life.

I started exploring the concept of Slow Living, when I launched Bundle & Beau last year. It was through researching the idea of 'Feminine Business,' or as it's also known, 'Slow Business’, that I wanted to incorporate its principles into my own business and daily life. Feminine Business embodies a path that honours a softer, more receptive way of being. It's about embracing feminine integrity, embracing slow and cyclical living, tapping into natural wisdom, and nurturing deep trust in your authentic self.

Down the magical rabbit hole that is the slow living movement, I came across Beth’s beautiful content. I fell in love with her calming social media presence and insightful journal posts, filled with Slow Living wisdom. Connecting with Beth, I had the opportunity to discuss her own personal Slow Living journey and how she lives her day-to-day life, embodying her values. 

If you ever find yourself lacking inspiration, bouncing between a ‘boom - bust cycle’, where you have bursts of energy followed by burnout, feeling endlessly busy but somehow never achieving what you set out to do, then this conversation is for you.

How did your slow living journey begin and what inspired you to start Slow Living LDN? 

Slow Living LDN. began as a personal project while living in London. I realised I wasn’t prioritising my well-being or other things that were important to me. I remember looking around at the other commuters glued to their smartphones and thinking, “I can’t be the only one who feels like this.” I started researching slow living for myself to seek a greater sense of well-being, and soon wanted to share the slow movement with others. It was clear how much the concept of slow living overlapped with so many of my other values, including seasonal living and striving to reduce my environmental impact. 

Today, Slow Living LDN. aims to inspire others to live better not faster and reap the benefits of a slower, more considered lifestyle. The brand has evolved to include meaningful content in various formats, including journal articles and a newsletter, and our shop which includes products aligned to our values. 

Could you share one of your slow living values and what it looks like in practise? 

At Slow Living LDN. we believe that slow living is a mindset whereby you curate a more meaningful and conscious lifestyle that’s in line with what you value most in life. We all value different things which is why slow living is inherently personal. Living in pace with the seasons is one of my values and also a really important part of the brand. Doing so helps reap the benefits of connection with nature through mindfulness and gratitude, plus fosters environmental consciousness.

In practice, I enjoy cooking seasonal meals, making the most of in-season, local and foraged ingredients. I also find a lot of joy in the garden, growing our own cut flowers and vegetables. It’s great for the mind, body and even soul. There’s nothing quite so rewarding as biting into the first juicy tomato of the summer or gathering armfuls of dinner-plate sized dahlias with which to fill the house. 

What are your thoughts on the Slow Business movement, and do you integrate any of its principles into Slow Living LDN?

I understand the slow business movement to encompass brands led by their values and considered, impact-conscious decision making. Those adopting a slower approach to business champion quality and craftsmanship over quick profits that come with compromises in sustainability, purpose and brand longevity.

There’s a common misconception that slow living means living at a snail’s pace. There’s also a few negative connotations attached to the word ‘slow’, such as sluggish or unproductive. With this in mind, it’s easy to understand why some may see a paradox between running a business and slow living. Adopting a slow mindset means living in line with your values and building pauses into your decision making for your own well-being and that of the planet. Sometimes ‘considered’ can be a good synonym for ‘slow’. You can still lead a full or busy life and business while embracing slow principles.

Slow Living LDN. certainly keeps me busy but it’s an invigorating kind of busy because I’m creating something in line with my values and focusing on what matters most to me in life. At Slow Living LDN. we champion conscious British production, limit our packaging impact and strive to create content and products that add real value to our audience’s lives and inspire them to seek a slower, more seasonal lifestyle. We’re not compromising on our values when it comes to producing products, therefore our expansion is slow and considered. 

What does any average morning in your life look like?

I’d love to say that I have a perfect morning or evening routine, and while I do try to build in meditation and exercise, adopting a slower mindset takes work! It’s not a quick fix and life’s pressures will always pull us in different directions. I love this quote from Brooke McAlary in her book Slow: “This isn’t a race with a start and finish line. This is slow, imperfect, intentional and evolving.” The key thing with a slower mindset is cultivating a greater sense of self awareness to realise when you’ve slipped into autopilot mode. 

Finally, what's your top tip for living slower and more seasonally this Spring? 

Spring is a magical time of year, full of new growth and abundant seasonal ingredients. Natural showstoppers - blossom, bluebells and wild garlic - soon come and go, so make time to notice and enjoy the small seasonal shifts. When you live in pattern and pace with the seasons, there’s always something to be grateful for and something to look forward to. It’s a great way to become more mindful.

Keep in the loop with Beth by following @slowlivingldn on Instagram, she has a treasure trove of articles on her website that will leave you completely inspired to live a more slow, intentional life.