Hi friends,
Maybe you’re feeling it too: the more our world speeds up, the more I’m craving the opposite.
More time outside. More face-to-face conversations. More walks without my phone. More moments where I’m fully present for my life instead of constantly thinking about what’s next.
We’re living through a bizarre chapter of human history. Technology is advancing at a pace that’s hard to comprehend, and the long-term impact is harder to predict.
As you may remember, I recently made the decision to get off social media. Even though I knew it had become an energetic drain for me, quitting somehow felt irresponsible. That feeling lasted about a day. 😂
What surprised me most wasn’t what I lost … it was what I gained. I felt lighter. More grounded. More connected to myself and my actual needs, rather than the endless stream of noise convincing me I needed something more.
These days, instead of posting a photo online, I often text it directly to someone I care about. It’s such a simple shift, but it feels different. More personal. More real.
The more our lives become digitized, the more valuable human experiences become.
Last weekend, I took a dear friend to Sedona to celebrate her 40th birthday. We rented a cozy cabin along the river and spent two days hiking, swimming, picnicking, laughing, and simply enjoying each other’s company. Nothing extraordinary happened, yet we both came home feeling deeply restored. That simple, mindful weekend filled our cups far more than either of us expected.
I think many of us are hungry for that right now.
Not more information. Not more content. Not another productivity hack.
We want belonging. Community. Meaningful conversations. Experiences that remind us we’re alive and awake in this beautiful, messy human experience.
And when the world around us feels rushed, our bodies often know exactly what we need: presence, nature, movement, rest, connection.
It’s been a big year for me … not because of accomplishments or milestones, but because of a deliberate slowing down. Between caregiving for my grandfather and creating space for more stillness in my own life, I’ve found myself in a season of pulling back rather than pushing forward.
And honestly? It has felt like healing balm for my soul.
Not as an escape from life, but as a way of fully returning to it.
That’s what mindful living means to me: becoming present enough to experience the life that’s already here. It means trading autopilot for awareness, rushing for intention, and remembering that this moment is worthy of our attention too.
And perhaps that’s one of the gifts of summer.
Summer has a different rhythm. It’s the season that says, don’t dip a toe in … cannonball in! Don’t wait until you’ve answered a few more emails or crossed a few more things off your to-do list.
The days are longer. The evenings linger. The sun invites us outdoors. Kids seem to understand instinctively what many of us adults forget: life is meant to be experienced, not just planned.
So often we’re preparing for the next thing: the next project, the next goal, the next season of life. We tell ourselves we’ll slow down later, rest later, enjoy life later.
But what if later isn’t the point?
What if this summer became an opportunity to practice being here?
Feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin. Savoring your morning coffee. Taking an extra few minutes to talk with someone you love. Pausing long enough to remember that your life is happening right now.
As we move through June, that’s my intention: less rushing, more noticing. Less striving, more presence. Less living for the future, more fully inhabiting the moment that’s already here.
I hope you’ll join me.
Here’s to a beautiful summer filled with meaningful connection, simple joys, and moments that remind us what it means to be human.
With gratitude,
Ashton
P.S. Our final Tuesday live class will be Tuesday, June 16 at 4:30pm PST / 7:30pm EST. Then live classes will move to Sundays, 9am PST / 12pm EST beginning Sunday, June 21. I’d love to practice with you this month!
