Learning to slow down: Balancing ambitions with a healthy, joy-filled lifestyle

Every New Year brings a surge of energy—the urge to explore, take on new challenges, and push forward. It also presents an opportunity to slow down and find a healthy balance, ensuring we don’t take on more than we can handle. Here, Lean In NL Circle Facilitator, Moira Mazzotta , shares her story of learning to navigate both.

I had anticipated how busy this year would be since last November, yet nothing could have truly prepared me for the level of stress my ambitions would bring. Moving to a new house, starting a professional project, joining Lean In (yay!), taking Dutch classes, maintaining my day job—and, of course, keeping up with my personal life—might have been too much to handle all at once.

The Dilemma

I had set these new challenges for myself with the promise that I would do my best while not stretching myself too thin. But by February, I felt like I’d already lived half a year since the New Year, with the comfort of summer’s warmth still too far away. Exhausted and in pain, my body and mind were sending me a clear message: I needed to slow down. But how to achieve my goals without collapsing? In the midst of chaos, how to slow down when we’ve taken on more than we can handle?

If you are an expert juggler and cannot relate, please send me a DM to share your secret, or share it with all of us in the comments section! But if you find yourself in a similar predicament, looking for ways to navigate chaos better, I hope my experience can help.

Acknowledging the Overload

As the pressure of my goals steadily increased, I began to realize that denying I had too much on my plate wasn’t going to make it easier. Nor was trying to convince myself that I should be able to power through unscathed—literally and metaphorically (I have a scar on my hand from the first painting day at my new house). So, I assessed all the balls I was juggling and let one drop—a task that could wait. One ball down, and I felt a little better.

Making Time for Fun

Even after that adjustment, though, my days remained packed. My body was constantly at work, and my mind never stopped—I even dreamt about dining chairs. I felt like a hamster on a wheel. Eventually, I identified another issue: my days were filled with commitments, but I had no time for fun.

I had dropped one of the most important balls in my juggling act—the one that keeps everything else moving: self-care. I quickly remedied that by rewarding myself for all my hard work with my favorite activity these days: dancing. Instantly, I felt joy again.

Breaking the Survival Cycle

Looking back, I can see how, in trying to juggle so much, my body and mind had entered survival mode, leading to physical pain and an overloaded, constantly forgetful mind (it’s never good to leave your house keys somewhere else). Gaining awareness of this and practicing mindfulness in everyday tasks helped me slow down.

Returning to Center

With my biggest preoccupation—the move—finally behind me, I am beginning to regain the space to reconnect with myself, reflect on the chaos of life, and embrace the lessons it brings. Making time for activities that bring joy, being present in my actions and thoughts, embracing limits instead of self-imposed external expectations, and learning to do less in favor of what feels right—these are all part of my ongoing journey.

A Reminder to Slow Down

We all have dreams, ambitions, and challenges we want to achieve. However, in a world that constantly demands more of us, the first priorities to be dropped are often the ones that sustain our inner energy. Slowing down and holding on to the things you enjoy most is essential.

Easier said than done, I know. But remember, you’re not alone in this struggle to balance it all. And thankfully, life gives us plenty of chances to learn and do it better next time.

Join me for my upcoming Lean In Open Circle on February 24th at 20h CET.