12 Comments
User's avatar
Cassie Wilkins's avatar

Oh, I love this one. I've actually written a guest post about my own experiences with slowing down - forced, more than desired - and what it's taught me these past few months and how it fits with the Noongar seasons where I live. Reading your post gave me even more reassurance that I'm absolutely where I'm meant to be. Love it! Thanks x

Expand full comment
Kat Nieh's avatar

Awww, thanks so much, Cassie! Please share the link to your guest post here. I'd love to read it and hear more about your experiences with slowing down as well.

Yes!! You are totally where you're meant to be, and you can learn so much in these slowdowns.

I've gone through my own forced slowdown lately, too. Instead of quickly trying to get out of it, I decided to lean further into it, which honestly felt so uncomfortable, unsettling, and totally guilt-ridden. But now that I've gone through it, I feel so much stronger and more aligned to who I want to become and what I want to build, too.

With that said, I'm so excited to see what blossoms from your slowdown, too. Thanks for your comment, Cassie!

Expand full comment
Cassie Wilkins's avatar

Aw thanks for the invite to share, Kat! It's here: https://cassiewilkins.substack.com/cp/164134612

I agree. These slowdowns are so interesting and teach us so much. My most recent one has led me to rebrand and restructure my entire business, though I'm still figuring out the ins and outs of that. But yeah, absolutely uncomfortable and absolutely worth it! Glad to hear you've found your way through it and are reaping the rewards now :)

Expand full comment
Lee Yaf's avatar

A lot to consider.

Thank you.

Expand full comment
Kat Nieh's avatar

Of course, Lee! Glad this post got you thinking. I'd love to hear more about what has came up for you since reading this post, and whether it sparked any changes, too.

Expand full comment
Flora M Brown's avatar

You just described what I’ve been experiencing with a slow-down and rethinking brought on by a series of health challenges that demanded my attention over the last 5 years. Having once being nicknamed the ”energizer bunny” by my friends, having to slow down and rethink my goals has caused me to run the gamut of emotions. I’ve felt frustrated, behind, stuck, sad, and unsure if I’m even on the right track anymore.

Expand full comment
Kat Nieh's avatar

Biggest hugs to you, Flora!! All those feels are so normal, as I've faced those same gamut of emotions, too. I believe there are a lot of entrepreneurs who are quietly going through this struggle and feel alone in the process in a world where we're told to flaunt our successes to prove/grow our authority and hide our struggles.

That's why it's so important to have more discussions about topics like this, because we are not the only ones who have felt this.

What if you no longer made any of that wrong but saw those as opportunities to discover what really feels aligned, Flora? Frustration, stuck, sad, and unsure are all signs that something's off. Leaning into the why can guide you to what does feel right. What if you're not behind but exactly where you need to be to find the right answers for you?

I believe in what's possible for you, Flora. There is so much gold in your slowdown that's just waiting for you to discover! You got this.

Expand full comment
Flora M Brown's avatar

I agree that there’s gold in the slowdown and tremendous value in having these conversations so we can heal and grow together.

Expand full comment
Dr Donna Blevins's avatar

"What if the guilt you’ve been feeling isn’t meant to shame you but show you a different way?"

Ah, yes. Guilt and shame have been travel buddies for decades.

It's so good to find the different way and tfinallt ell the truth of it!

This is a soul-soothing post, Kat. Thank you 🤗

Expand full comment
Kat Nieh's avatar

Awww, thanks so much, Donna! I so appreciate your continual encouragement. Glad this post was soul soothing for you!

Thanks for highlighting that one line, and I resonate with what you shared about guilt and shame being travel buddies for decades. They often come in together for me as well, and were very loud and highly vocal during my latest slowdown.

I had to find another way because my old approaches felt like dead ends, so why continue lingering around there when they are other possible ways available, right? Hope by sharing the truths I discovered can help others find their own, too.

Expand full comment
Jeanette Martin's avatar

Such a deeply wise insight, Kat. That stillness is a teacher as much as momentum is. And that forward progress sometimes needs to give way to depth. Important truths can only be heard in that stillness. As always, you got this!

Expand full comment
Sieran Lane's avatar

Another superb post, Kat. I've been feeling this lately. Been indulging in this graphic novel video game too. I'm enjoying it, losing myself in it. The storytelling, voice acting, and character drawings are superb. So I feel guilty for becoming obsessed with a video game graphic novel, yet it's been such a wonderful escape from the stressful and daunting life goals. Also, I'm feeling very inspired by the storytelling in this graphic novel game, that it gives me ideas for my articles and posts too, lol. It's relevant to my business as a fiction book coach!

Expand full comment