Make 2010 Your Year for Slowing Down!

THIS IS A SLOW BLOG. It is updated when I have something to say, rather than trying to say something just to update the blog. Learn more about Slow Blogging here. Since this is a Slow Blog, may I suggest you subscribe by RSS by clicking here, or subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here (to learn more about RSS click here for an FAQ).

(Please excuse the brazen “plug” nature of this blog post)

In the spirit of New Years Resolutions, make 2010 your year for slowing down…

If you are serious about slowing down this year and want make certain your succeed, one of the easiest, and most powerful ways is a series of one-to-one coaching sessions.

I will work with you to develop an individual plan for you to start slowing down. A full assessment will be taken of your current situation and then we will work together to help you develop a plan for slowing down.

Throughout the process I will give you all the support and help you need to succeed in your wish to slow down.

To give you idea of the sort of thing that coaching can do, have a look at the process I did for Cosmopolitan Magazine in October 2009. To read the article, go to www.cosmpolitan.co.uk or CLICK HERE.

As a New Year offer, you can book 3 sessions for the price of 2!

Sessions can be carried out over the phone or via skype (which is totall free to install and use and much cheaper than a phone call!), or face to face if you are located in Birmingham or Cardiff, UK. I have worked with people all over the world and sessions can be booked at a time to suite you.

For more information, please go to my coaching page here, or click here to contact me to book a session.

(Here endeth the plug).

Matt

PS, I jumped the gun a bit last week announcing the “Welcome to the Slow Life” eCourse, I have had a few technical hiccups that has slowed(!) the process down, hopefully the first enrolment will start in the next few weeks. To register your interest and get a special “pre-registration” discounted price of $39.99 please click here to contact me putting “Welcome the Slow Life Pre-registration” in the comments box  and I will add you to the list and send you some free goodies!

New Years ReSLOWlutions…

THIS IS A SLOW BLOG. It is updated when I have something to say, rather than trying to say something just to update the blog. Learn more about Slow Blogging here. Since this is a Slow Blog, may I suggest you subscribe by RSS by clicking here, or subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here (to learn more about RSS click here for an FAQ).

Well hello and welcome to a new year and a new decade. You may think it is a bit late for a New Years Resolutions blog entry. But I only came back to “work” today, as yesterday was Plough Monday.

Plough Monday

References to Plough Monday date back to the late 15th century, and was the traditional start of the English agricultural (therefore, working) year.

Plough Monday is generally the first Monday after Twelfth Day (Epiphany), 6th January. So, those of you that started work before this day, shame on you! Call yourself an Idler or a follower of Slow?

The day traditionally saw the resumption of work after the Christmas period. A plough was often hauled from house to house in a procession, collecting money. This was often accompanied by musicians, an old woman or a boy dressed as an old woman, called the “Bessie”, and a man in the role of the “fool”. There would be “goose dancing” and considerable drinking and revelry.

The Plough Monday customs (like most cool old traditions) declined in the 19th century with the change to an industrialised society.

Resolutions the Slow Way

Did you managed to slow down your Christmas and eek it out until Epiphany? Or was it as hectic as ever and went the blink of an eye?

Have you made any New Years resolutions? It all seems to be a bit ridiculous really, as the start of each day is technically a start of a New Year, but I have to admit to quite liking the idea of New Year as a time to take stock, reflect and plan ahead. Really that was what the Winter Solstice was initially about and winter is the ideal time to sit back, reflect and plan.

So how do you do resolutions the Slow Way?

1. Be Honest

Do you really want to do it? Or are you just doing it because you think you should? If you really don’t want to do it, you won’t even manage the 1st step! So relax and enjoy yourself.

2. Resolving NOT to do Something?

Unfortunately, we live hectic and busy lives. So trying to add more to it will often mean that you won’t stick to it (the old “last in, first out” principle), so whilst resolving to do some new things, also make sure you resolve NOT to do some things as well. See here for more information on starting your own NOT to do list and click here to download your own, so you can get started straight away!

3. Limit Yourself

Doing too much, will mean you will overwhelm yourself and give in. So do one thing at a time for about 15 minutes a day (if that) and ease into it gently. You will find you will get more done and the changes will last longer than if you try and do it all at once!

Read more about how limiting yourself can make you more productive at Leo Babauta’s excellent blog “Zen Habits” here: www.zenhabits.net

4. Enjoy the Journey

There is nothing worse than aiming for some future goal and having a miserable time trying to achieve it.  Ask yourself “what is the most fun way I can achieve this goal?” (not the quickest). Life is a journey, not a destination…

COMING SOON! “Welcome to the Slow Life” Online eCourse.

Make 2010 your year for slowing down. In keeping with the spirit of New Year’s Resolutions, I am launching a 6-week “Welcome to the Slow Life” eCourse to inspire, guide and support you in your pursuit of a slower life.

Each week you will be emailed a module on a specific topic where you will be given practical tips you can incorporate into your everyday life and exercises and experiments to try out. I hope that at the end of the course you’ll have a new, deeper appreciation of the slow philosophy and a richer, more fulfilling life:

Module 1: Introduction

Module 2: Creating Space to be Slow

Module 3: Mindful Living and Appreciating the Present Moment

Module 4: Slow Wealth

Module 5: Slow Health

Module 6: Bringing it all together and planning your Slow Life

During the 6 weeks of your course, you will access to me via email to ask questions, get clarification or explore a topic in more detail.

You will also receive:

• “Welcome to the Slow Life” eBook and Audiobook
• “Deep Relaxation Primer” Audio Programme
• VERY SPECIAL BONUS: Welcome to the Slow Live – LIVE!!

Enrolment Fee: I am offering a very special rate of $49.99 ($39.99 for pre-registration) for the first run of the course (usual price will be $79.99).

I have to admit, I have got a little over excited and jumped the gun a bit with this announcement, the course isn’t quite ready yet and will be launching very soon.

So, to get a sneak peak and the chance to sign up at a reduced “pre-registration” course ($39.99) fee email me by filling out the contact form here and just put “Welcome to the Slow Life pre-registration” in the message box. I will add your name to the mail list and email you a cool “sneak peak” at the course.

Matt

PS, What are your plans to make 2010 a Slower Year than last year? Leave you comments below…

Bah Humbag: Slowing Down Christmas

THIS IS A SLOW BLOG. It is updated when I have something to say, rather than trying to say something just to update the blog. Learn more about Slow Blogging here. Since this is a Slow Blog, may I suggest you subscribe by RSS by clicking here, or subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here (to learn more about RSS click here for an FAQ).

Well, it is December and I have lifted my self imposed Christmas embargo. I refuse to even think about Christmas until now, no matter how much adverts and Tesco try and make me (I am sat here watching Love Actually. It is the one film that cannot fail to make me feel Christmassy!).

I don’t like Christmas. Well, that is not strictly true. I don’t like what Christmas has become. It seems to have become this secular celebration of consumerism.

All people care about is what presents to get, what presents they will receive, what food they need to buy (and, boy, do they buy! It is only 2 days, yet people seem to shop like they will never be allowed to buy food again), it is all spend, spend, spend…

Go and walk around your local high street now and you won’t see much the “season to be jolly” (or much “good will to all (wo)men” for that matter), all you will see is crowds (and crowds, and crowds…) of stressed and angry shoppers shuffling around.

It is ridiculous, and about as far removed from the original meaning of Christmas as we can get…

What is Christmas? Really?

What are the ancient roots of Christmas and the festivities that surround it?

Well, I am sure you are all aware of the song “12 Days of Christmas’”…

“Fiiiiiiiiiiivvvveeeee Gooooooolllllldddd Riiiiiinnnnggssss….” And all that.

That was because Christmas would last 12 whole days! It would start on the 25th December and finish on the 6th January (12th Night). Originally Christmas Day was celebrated on January 6th, when presents were given in honour of Saint Nicholas (the forefather of Father Christmas).

It was a time of merriment, feasting and general festivity (but still a holy day, with 3 masses on 25th December to start the ball rolling), with plays, processions and merry-making. It was not the family orientated affair we know today, but a celebration that involved the whole community.

Christmas (or Yule, or Christmastide, or the festival of Epiphany, or the Winter Solstice!) was a time of revelry, of community spirit, of celebration and feasting that lasted days (some sources say they started in November!), ending on 12th Night, or the Feast of Epiphany on the 6th January. It combined pre-Christian traditions and Christian elements to give thanks and distract ourselves from the cold, dark winters…

The Christmas We Know Today

The Christmas we know today (with the 2 days – Christmas Day and Boxing Day) was really an invention of those lovers of speed; the Victorians, to reduce the festive period into a manageable 2-day holiday so we could all get back to work as soon as possible (this was in the midst of the Industrial revolution).

However the rot set in a long time before those harebrained Victorians got their mitts on Christmas, around the time of Reformation, when Martin Luther created the Protestant Church (and the gave name to the dreaded “Protestant Work Ethic”) and started to cull the Pre-Reformation holidays and festivals as they deemed them “hedonistic” and “superstitious” (Christmas was even BANNED in Britain in 1647).

The blueprint for the modern Christmas celebrations was laid down in Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” (thanks Charley), with the idea of the one-day of feasting and celebration (Boxing day wasn’t traditionally classed as holiday unitl 1871, when the Bank Holidays Act in the UK was designated a Bank Holiday). It is suggested that Dickens (being a popular author of the time) was unofficially employed to do a bit of PR job on the new, shorter Christmas celebrations, as the workers were somewhat reticent of giving up their festivities (and who can blame them?).

Because of the truncated nature of the celebration and the fact that people were moving into the cities and away from the traditional village community, the onus moved away from the community as whole and focused much more just on the family (remember, most families all lived under one roof back then…).

When you describe Christmas like that, and discover the modern celebrations cynical roots, can you see why I am not a huge fan?!

How Can You Slow Down Christmas?

“We’re all dreaming of a pre-Reformation Christmas, when the festival really did last twelve days and during which time work and trade were forbidden, and instead we all danced, sang, ate, drank and generally made extremely merry. The sour-faced Parliamentarians of the Cromwell state actually tried to ban Christmas altogether, considering it Popish, old-fashioned and far too much fun. Luckily Charles II brought it back in 1660 and the medieval spirit of Christmas has survived.” - Tom Hodgkinson

The fact is, we are going to celebrate Christmas aren’t we? And why shouldn’t we?! I am not against Christmas as festival, I am just not too comfortable with it as the modern celebration of consumerism and speed that it has become.

Christmas should be a little bit of a revolt against the increasing pressure and stress of work and the consumer society and, in my humble opinion, the old Pre-Reformation celebrations were a much “Slower” than our current ones.

The idea here is to introduce (or re-introduce) some of the Pre-Reformation intentions that you may find will reduce you Christmas stress and turn it back into a time for you to enjoy!

1) Celebrate the full 12 Days!

Try and plan to do something for the full 12 days, rather than rushing to get everything done in the 2 days we have allotted to us. The time between Christmas and New Year is often a bit of an empty space and we are not sure what do to with ourselves. Well by celebrating the full 12 days you can use that time to catch up with friends and family at a more leisurely pace.

There are still some organisations that shut between Christmas and New Year (and good on them!), but if not, you can still do something in that time.

2) Go carol singing (or Wassailing as it was traditionally known)

Ancient carol singing was a bit of a rowdy affair, where people would go from house to house and sing and be offered alcohol by the inhabitants. I am not suggesting you go and harass your neighbours for booze, but a spot of drinking and singing does wonders to lift the spirits!

3) Don’t bow to pressure to do things that are “expected” of you

Christmas is a time for celebration not “duty”, if you don’t enjoy it at the rest of the year, why do it now?  Spend it with people you really want to, not people you think you should.

4) Buy gifts that mean something, not that cost the earth

The giving of presents seems to have become the central tenant of the modern Christmas with people stressing and panicking about what to buy people and often going into debt to pay for it.  Don’t buy pointless gifts just because you think you should, take some time to consider what that person would really appreciate and it (or make it!) for them. Presents don’t need to be expensive to be good.

5) Don’t go shopping

The internet is a godsend for this. You can do all your Christmas shopping from the comfort of your own sofa without needing to go out and face the hordes (unless fighting your way through crowds of angry shoppers makes you feel Christmassy).

6) The thorny issue of Christmas Cards

Hand written? Electronic? Don’t bother? Every year we seem to have to send cards to more and more people; work colleagues, neighbours (who we often don’t even know the name of), distant relatives we can barely remember. It gets more and more expensive, it is strain on the poor postal service and all that paper is hardly good for the planet (even if it is recycled or from a sustainable source).  I like the idea that seems to have sprung up of recent years (at least with people I know), and that is to donate the money you would have spent on cards to charity and then just send a generic email telling everyone that is what you have done. Of course, still send cards to people who are close to you!

7) Give something to the community

Boxing day got its name from giving gifts (or Christmas “boxes” to the poor) and Christmas was traditionally a time for community. So why not give something back? You can do anything you want from giving a donation to a charity (see the suggestion about Christmas cards), to getting more involved in something, it is up to you. Giving something back honours the Christmas spirit and will make you feel surprisingly good!

This is will probably be my last post of 2009. So I wish a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (and, in fact, the new decade) and I will see you in the 2010.

Matt

PS, If you liked this post, please bookmark it on Digg, Stumbled Upon, Twitter, etc. I would really appreciate it

The ideal Christmas Present for the Harebrained person:

Your Own “NOT to Do” List

THIS IS A SLOW BLOG. It is updated when I have something to say, rather than trying to say something just to update the blog. Learn more about Slow Blogging here. Since this is a Slow Blog, may I suggest you subscribe by RSS by clicking here, or subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here (to learn more about RSS click here for an FAQ).

The slow life is the simple life is the easy life. Yet we often find we clutter up our lives with things we don’t want or need to do.

A way of releasing yourself from these habits is to do a “NOT to Do” list. I wrote about what it is and how you can do it in this post here. But, for your ease and convenience, I have created this pdf “NOT to Do” list for you!

You can download it and print it out and stick to your notice board/fridge/computer screen/wherever, for ease of reference.

Click on the thumbnail below to download it.

How To Do a ‘NOT To Do’ List?

As a reminder, here is how I suggest you do your list, but feel free to do it how you want.

1) Listing things you never intended to do in the first place can act as catalyst to get you going.

2) Then, begin with things that you feel you should do, never do and then beat yourself up about not doing.

3) List things you are doing now, but you are not sure why. You probably have lots of habits that have just developed over the years that no longer really have any reasonable function; you just do them because you have always done them. Not sure if it should be on the list? Put it on for a week and see if you miss it, if you last a week, leave it there for a month, if after a month you still haven’t needed to do or missed it, put it on forever.

4) Your “not to do” list is not a place to shirk responsibility, or list things you need to do. Don’t put ‘”pay my credit card bills” on the list for example!

5) Then of course, it frees up time and energy (and, often, money too) to do the things you actually want to do…

Matt

PS, If you liked this post, please bookmark it on Digg, Stumbled Upon, Twitter, etc. I would really appreciate it

The Overflowing Teacup

THIS IS A SLOW BLOG. It is updated when I have something to say, rather than trying to say something just to update the blog. Learn more about Slow Blogging here. Since this is a Slow Blog, may I suggest you subscribe by RSS by clicking here, or subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here (to learn more about RSS click here for an FAQ).

“Once, a university professor went to visit a Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked continuously about Zen, his thoughts, his ideas, his understands and his questions… As he spoke the master poured the visitor’s cup to the brim, but then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself “It’s full! No more will go in!” the professor blurted. “You are like this cup,” the master replied, “How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup.”"

I am, I have to admit, a terrible “grass is greener” sort of person. I have always been afraid I am missing out on something…

And, I have very broad interests, because of this I am easily (very easily) distracted, and can spend hours thinking about or researching (the internet can really be a curse) something completely irrelevant that I will forget about almost as soon as I have learned it.

I often feel like my teacup is flowing over and I can’t fit any more in. So I end up scattered and, to quote Bilbo Baggins “I feel… thin. Sort of stretched, like… butter scraped over too much bread…”

Which is not really the “Slow Way” (or if you are trying to sound all pretentious, you could be all faux Eastern, mystic and say the “Tao of Slow…”).

In fact, one of the things that first attracted me to the Slow movement and the Idle philosophy was the idea that I could reduce my field of interest. It showed me that I don’t need to know, do or try everything. That I am not really missing out on something if I am not at the forefront of it, if I don’t know everything about it with five minutes.

(I tell you, I am marketers dreams…)

But how do you practically stop yourself from doing this? How do you start to cut back on your fields of interest, of reducing your desire (addiction?) to the new, the fresh, the exciting, the smell of the grass over the fence?

How do you start limiting yourself?

The ‘Not Reading’ List

Ironically, I started limiting myself many years ago, before I had even heard of the Slow movement or before I even realised that I really, really needed to.

When I was at school I was told I was “word blind” (whatever that is?) and that I wouldn’t able to read very well (nothing like a nice positive suggestion is there??), so I hated reading, I was slow and it would take me weeks to read something that other people would read in a day.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, when I left school and thought “Stuff ‘em, if I want to read, I will read!” and started devouring books (I was – and still am – a slow reader, but at least I was motivated to try and read).

I fell in love with books, but soon found that (because I read slowly), if I just rushed to read a book just for the sake of reading that book, I wouldn’t retain any information and it was a pointless waste of time.

I realised I was probably not going to be able to read every book I wanted (or felt I should) and that I needed some form of plan.

At that point I started a ‘NOT Reading’ list and listed books I had no intention of ever reading:

Number one on the list was Gulliver’s Travels.

Number two was anything by Stephen King.

It was of course a dynamic list and I have since read some of the books I had placed on that list (I put “3 Men and Boat” on there as a bit of a knee jerk reaction, because someone kept pestering me that I should read it…), but the sense of relief I got from the decision not to read a book (and stopping beating myself up about having not got round to it) outweighed the gnawing sensation that I was missing out on something…

I still buy too many books. But there you go…

Anyway, I used this same principle to begin a ‘NOT to Do’ list…

The ‘NOT To Do’ List

Since getting into Slow and embracing its philosophy I have expanded this idea to write a ‘NOT To Do List’, things I never intend to do. Ever.

Number one on the list was “Extreme Sports”. There seems to be an odd belief that to “live life to the full” you need to have bungee jumped off a high bridge in Africa or other such pastimes. I spent most of my teens hanging around with these extreme sports guys, doing climbing and white water canoeing and such. And I hated every minute of it (other than the climbing – see my obituary of John Bachar here). It just scared me silly (it was only years later that I discovered the principle of high and low acting arousal systems and found out why I was so scared when everyone else seemed to love it.)

So when I decided to develop my NOT to do list that went straight at number one.

Number Two was backpacking (or “travelling” if you are more of a pretentious ilk). For years I felt like I had missed out on something because I didn’t go travelling when I was younger (it was besides the point I didn’t fancy the idea of cheap flights and fleapit hostels), and always thought I should do it.

Once I added those two to the list I felt an immense sense of relief. I managed to shrug off 2 massive hang-ups that I had.

Then I was on a role!

(Not that I am saying you shouldn’t be doing those, I am just using them as an illustration of things I have added to my not to do list and why. You may love extreme sports and backpacking. In which case, go for your like!).

Recently I have added Internet Forums to the list  (I just can’t cope with all the bickering) and I am seriously thinking about adding Twitter. I don’t get it and I can’t be bothered and it stresses me out because I feel I should be on twitter (because everyone else is, right? See, how this works?).

Tim Ferriss calls this “selective ignorance”, he uses it mainly in the context of information overload and doesn’t read papers and only checks his email once a week (I am still developing my slow email strategy – I will write about it once I have it sorted-ish).

Sherlock Holmes, that famous fictional detective, was well known for having very little “general knowledge” and avoided anything that didn’t directly effect (or is that ‘affect’? I am never sure) what he is currently working on. Although he knew a lot (he is often considered a polymath), he only knew it in the context of what he needed it for (I am not suggesting you be this strict with yourself!)

How do you start your ‘NOT To Do’ List?

Easy. But it does take a bit soul searching and discipline; you have to be honest with yourself.

I highly recommend you treat your ‘Not To Do’ list in the exactly the same way as a ‘To Do’ list: Write it down. Not on a scrap of paper, but in a decent notebook (so you won’t lose it). I also add a date and a reason why (some things I have added to my list I have come back to years later and can’t remember why I added them in the first place).

So, what do you put your list?

Well, listing things you never intended to do in the first place can act as catalyst to get you going, but it does seem a bit pointless if you have already, resolutely, made up your mind you are not going to do it. I could add “join the BNP” to my list if I wanted, but that seems rather daft…

So, begin with things that you feel you should do (see the “dreaded shoulds” here), these are often the things we struggle with in a our daily lives, never really get round to doing (because you don’t really want to do it), but they seem to gnaw await at you, you get a nagging feeling you ought do them…

Then start listing things you are doing now just for the sake of. You probably have lots of habits that have just developed over the years that no longer really have any reasonable function, you just do them because you have always done them.

Not sure if it should be on the list? Put it on for a week and see if you miss it, if you last a week, leave it there for a month, if after a month you still haven’t needed to do or missed it, put it on forever.

You see, the idea of a good ‘NOT To Do’ list, is to start cutting back on what you are doing now as well as resolving not to do new (irrelevant) things.

Then of course, it frees up time and energy (and, often, money too) to do the things you actually want to do, but we will talk about that next time…

Matt

Welcome to the Slow Life LIVE FROM CARDIFF

THIS IS A SLOW BLOG. It is updated when I have something to say, rather than trying to say something just to update the blog. Learn more about Slow Blogging here. Since this is a Slow Blog, may I suggest you subscribe by RSS by clicking here, or subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here (to learn more about RSS click here for an FAQ).

As promised to all of those that wanted to attend my talk last Saturday (31st October) at the Vision for Living Festival in Cardiff, but couldn’t make it (and for those that attended and want to hear it again!), the audio is now available as a SlowCast.

This is the first podcast for a long time! I will discuss SlowCasting in more details in a future entry or podcast…

Click here to go to my podcast site, or click here to subscribe via iTunes.

Matt

Slow Twittering: Is It Possible? And, Should I Bother?

THIS IS A SLOW BLOG. It is updated when I have something to say, rather than trying to say something just to update the blog. Learn more about Slow Blogging here. Since this is a Slow Blog, may I suggest you subscribe by RSS by clicking here, or subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here (to learn more about RSS click here for an FAQ).

I have never got Twitter. I have, in fact, been quite mean about it in the past (see my “Twittering Nonsense” post here), then I changed my mind and decided, misquoting Shakespeare (one of my all time favourite people), that “there is nothing (inherently) slow or fast, but thinking (or acting) makes it so”.

So, I decided I would give it a go (you can see my thought process on this post here), and set up a Twitter account (twitter.com/theslowcoach), due to a tiny legal issue (which I won’t go into, it is very embarrassing) I had to change that, so I changed to twitter.com/tortoisemind. But I never really got the hang of it and only really used it to bookmark these blog entries (I mainly got talked into Twitter as a way to promote myself, which is wrong, I know!).

I never really tried to get any followers or follow anyone. I just couldn’t get my head round it (I had a friend – somewhat of a self proclaimed internet marketing “expert” – try and explain what I should be doing on several occasions, but it all seemed far to complicated, and cynical – but more on that in a little while – for me).

Blogging Too Slowly?

But, since deciding to make this a Slow Blog, and taking the pressure off myself to write an entry regularly, even if I couldn’t think of anything to say, I thought I would take another look at Twitter and see if I can get into it.

I have to say, I have relaxed a tad too much and have had to really force myself to write something on this blog! For the first two weeks it didn’t even crossed my mind to blog, it was great, I felt a sense of freedom and relaxation I hadn’t had for a long time. And, that is really the point, slowing down, isn’t really about being slow, it is about following your own rhythm and if you are not in the mood to do something you shouldn’t force yourself.

However, maybe I relaxed a little too much…?

After those first two weeks, October became incredibly hectic; I had four trainings courses to run and a very long list of things I really needed to get done (I don’t as a general rule agree with to do lists, but in this case it was needed), so I didn’t get the chance to even think about writing a blog entry until it was all over (which it is now, thank goodness. I was so frazzled I just couldn’t move for a day or two! Idlers like me are not used to that much intense work all in one go…)

Anyway, back to the Twitter thing. I thought, since taking the pressure off myself to try and write a blog every day, I could start using twitter for more regular updates.

Is it really possible to be a Slow Twitterer? I don’t know, I am still mulling it over, I will continue to try and experiment, but here are my thoughts so far.

Three Things About Twitter That I Don’t Like (because they seem “anti-slow”)

1) It seems rather pointless. I already have plenty of ways to keep in touch with my friends (text, email, letter, and – shock, horror – actually talking to them face to face) and facebook (which I use, but am not the biggest fan of – read Tom Hodgkinson’s excellent article on it here) already has a status update option, why do I need another way to tell people what I am up to? And do they really care?

2) The whole essence of Twitter encourages impatience and lack of attention. If you don’t tweet at least every 33 seconds people will stop following you, heading off to find another font of instant information.

But the big thing that about Twitter is this (and it isn’t really twitters fault, but…)…

3) …like all other social networking sites (but Twitter, with it’s simplicity, seems to encourage this behaviour most), the minute it becomes popular, “methods” spring up to help you promote yourself and suddenly it is flooded with wannabe entrepreneurs, all shouting about their own stuff. My aforementioned friend told me that how I should be using Twitter is to search for people who are interested (or tweeting about) the area of work I am in and then become friends with them. Twitter etiquette, apparently, is then that they follow you back and VOILA you have someone you can plug your wares to.

The thing that makes me wonder about that is, if you are following them just to get them to follow you, and therefore, have little intention of reading their tweets, how interested do you think they will be in what you have to say? Surely it just ends up with lots of people muttering to themselves?

It just seems that twitter lends itself much more to this banal, self-centred shouting. Breaking the golden rule of “slow blogging” which is a willingness to keep quiet whilst all other bloggers are shouting “listen to me, listen to me!” It is about not trying to be the loudest voice out there.

Going Out of Fashion?

However it seems that all this worry about whether I should twitter may be irrelevant. Twitter may have had its day. According to reports and the people rarely check back after the first 2 months(read the Tech Crunch article here and the Harvard Business School blog here, there is more research, but I couldn’t be bothered to search for it).

Membership and usage is dropping by the day and Twitter are desperately adding new features including video tweeting and “lists” (which seem unnecessarily complicated) to try and keep users and attract new ones. A slew of celebrities including (the usually very vocal) Lily Allen and Miley Cyrus have abandoned it, it even slipped down the Sunday Times Style cool list last Sunday (which is usually a death knell)…

Is It Really Worth It?

So it seems to me Twitter is full of celebrities trying to circumvent the gossip columns and tabloid presses to talk to their fans directly (which I think is actually an amiable thing to do) and “entrepreneurs” (I use that word advisedly) muttering to themselves trying to flog their snake oil. The true users (the ones I assume twitter was set up for) seem to have got lost in the middle somewhere (and just seem to follow their favourite “celebrities”).

Basically, it feels horribly, horribly cynical.

Of course, this is a very negative point of view and could possibly be me just trying to justify my total confusion (and disinterest) in it?

So, putting my negative attitude and emotions to one side and assuming Twitter doesn’t go horribly out of fashion in the next few days, how can I attempting to embrace Twitter in a Slow Manner?

Well, Here is My (Very Simple) Slow Twitter Manifesto

1. I tweet when I tweet. Don’t expect regular updates, you won’t get them.

2. I will only follow someone, if I genuinely want to hear what they have to say, not so that they will follow me (so don’t follow me just to get a reciprocal follow – you probably won’t get one -  follow me because you want to hear what I have to say).

3. I won’t use twitter just for brainless self promotion, and will only tweet something I think will be of interest to my follows, including links and alerts about new blog entries.

Let’s see how it works out shall we?

Matt

If you liked this post, please bookmark it on Digg, Stumbled Upon, Twitter, etc. I would really appreciate it

This is a Slow Blog

THIS IS A SLOW BLOG. It is updated when I have something to say, rather than trying to say something just to update the blog. Learn more about Slow Blogging here. Since this is a Slow Blog, may I suggest you subscribe by RSS by clicking here, or subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here (to learn more about RSS click here for an FAQ).

This is a Slow Blog

Slow Blogging applies the slow philosophy to the blogosphere. It eschews the current blogging paradigm of “faster equals better” and that posting blog entries frequently is necessary, or in fact, that posting frequently is the “right way” to blog. This blog “happens when it happens” and will be updated as and when I have something I think is really worth sharing, rather than just writing something to get an entry in (often just to keep the search engines happy!). Which means you may get an entry a week, a month, or even several a day, depending on what I have to say and what I am up to.

Because this is a slow blog and by its very nature not updated regularly (I aim for once a week, often I miss), may I suggest you subscribe by RSS by clicking here, or subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here. If you are new to blogging and RSS and not sure what all that means, click here for an FAQ.

A Slow Blogging Manifesto

Inspired by Todd Sieling, below is my Slow Blogging Manifesto (this is only a first draft and may, or will, change). To read Todd’s own manifesto click here (and I can’t help but have some of my manifesto very similar to some of his, one I have quoted directly, as I cannot say it better myself…).

1. Slow bloggers blog for people, not search engines, page ranks or technorati authority.

2. “Slow Blogging is a rejection of immediacy. It is an affirmation that not all things worth reading are written quickly, and that many thoughts are best served after being fully baked and worded in an even temperament.”  Todd Sieling

3. It is a willingness to keep quiet whilst all other bloggers are shouting “listen to me, listen to me!” It is about not trying to be the loudest voice out there.

4. Slow Blogging is not about chasing the news or Google hot trends just for a few hits. It is about not sprinting to a response or reacting to this rush of information in our world of 24 hour rolling news. The world is moving fast and trying to keep up means often that you sacrifice quality for speed. Slow blogging looks at the bigger picture not at micro-trends.

5. Slow Blogging concentrates on one thing at a time.

6. Slow Blogging is about substance to posts, not just banal clichés and one-line sound bites that sound good but are ultimately vacuous. Think. Study. Consider. Write. Then post.

7. The posts won’t rush to get to the point; they will take you on a journey. Some entries may be rambling and long winded (that is, in fact, a good thing. James Joyce didn’t rush Ulysses…).

8. Slow Blogging re-establishes technology as the agent of human expression, rather than technology as the master of human expression. It is about reclaiming the internet and creating an island of calm reflection and consideration in this stormy ocean of information…

To learn more about other slow bloggers, follow the links below:

Todd Sieling: www.toddsieling.com/slowblog

NY Times:  Blogging at a Snails Pace:

Barbara Ganley www.bgblogging.com

Russell Davies’ Dawdlr blog:  dawdlr.tumblr.com

A “Slow Blog” Or Rather, A “Bright Blog” Manifesto

SlowBlogs @ Blogspot slowblogs.blogspot.com

The Guardian: The bloggers who take it one post at a time

Vision For Living

Just a quick post to let you know that I am doing a talk entitled “Welcome to the Slow Life” at the Vision For Living Exhibition in Cardiff on the 31st October at 5:00pm. The talk itself is free and the entry to the exhibition is only £4.95 for the day.

You can learn more about Vision for Living here:

www.visionforliving.co.uk

If you are interested in attending it would be great to see you there. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone you think might also be interested.

I will be hanging around the ACT (Associated Contemporary Therapists) stand for most of the day if you want to come by and say “Hello”.

Matt

Saint Monday Coaching and The Tai Chi Guy

Hello,

Just a shortish post to let you know what I have been up to.

Saint Monday Coaching

Firstly I have a new coaching practice in Cardiff, South Wales, where I will be doing coaching and teaching (one to one at the moment) Tai Chi and Meditation/mindfulness.

I will still be doing telephone and Skype sessions for people who cannot meet face to face, so don’t worry, but if you do want face-to-face sessions and can get to Cardiff, it would be great to see you there!

I will be seeing clients on a Monday between 3pm and 9pm (I have dubbed it my “Saint Monday Coaching Practice”!) at:
Associated Contemporary Therapists LTD
53 The Parade
Roathe
Cardiff
CF24 3AB
www.actcardiff.co.uk

The coaching page will be updated as soon as I can (I am away for the next month and off doing trainings, so I may not get the chance to do it until I get back). If you or anyone you know may be interested, either give the coaching page a read to find out more about what I do, or feel free to contact me by clicking here.

The Tai Chi Guy

I have been meaning for awhile (well since I started this blog to be honest) to write a post waxing lyrical about my addiction to the magical art of Tai Chi. I have been doing martial arts for over 20 years and I have been Tai Chi for 10 years of that and been teaching martial arts since 1999 (Tai Chi since 2007).

I will be adding details about Tai Chi and how you can learn it very soon, until then check out my dedicated Tai Chi site at www.thetaichiguy.co.uk

So, rather than doing a post here about Tai Chi, I have set up a specific blog about my adventures:

Confessions of a Tai Chi Addict

If you are interested in learning more about Tai Chi (and my often idiosyncratic take on the subject) please check it out. It is in it’s early stages at the moment, so I haven’t added any RSS or anything yet, but things will be added soon(ish).

I think that is about it, I will be back next time chatting more about Slow Blogging and my Slow Blogging Manifesto. When I get round to it.

Now if you will excuse me, all this talk about Tai Chi has put me in the mood to wave my arms around a bit…

Matt

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