Can slowing down bring you closer to happiness?

Did you ever read a book that brings you to tears? Where the emotions are so high that you feel everything that's being said with such deep intensity?

It means it may be stirring something in you. Not for nothing. There may be something important to notice here.

I just finished reading Kilomètre Zéro by Maud Ankaoua. I read it in French, as the author is French, and if I can, I always enjoy reading books in their original language.

The book follows a highly accomplished Parisian executive whose best friend, facing a serious illness, asks her for an unusual favour: to travel to Nepal to retrieve something that could help her heal. Reluctantly, she goes — and what was meant to be a quick errand becomes a journey through the Himalayas that changes her completely. Guided by Shanti, a wise Nepalese guide, she slowly learns to slow down, to notice the beauty around her, and to be fully present. She learns about connection over isolation, love over fear.

This book deeply moved me — and not just because of the story itself, but because of how much it mirrored my own.

As I reflect on my own journey, it's only once I took the time to slow down that I could finally hear what truly brought me joy — and start to glimpse what felt like my calling. When we're moving too fast, that quieter voice doesn't get a chance to be heard.

I used to work in corporate, and my body and mind only knew one pace: acceleration. Getting more things done, responding to more emails, working longer hours.

I was busy. But deep inside, I was feeling empty.

Now, my life is slower — but it's so much richer.

Reading this book brought back some of the personal lessons I've learned over the years. I'm not sharing these to teach — just to share what I've lived, in case it sparks something for your own journey too.

1/ The art of slowing down

When we slow down, we see life in a new way. We notice things around us, we become more creative, our perspective opens. We become present.

I personally find that waking up half an hour earlier gives me a chance to start my day with ease and intention. I intentionally don't check my phone for the first 30 minutes of the day.

Over the next few days — when can you take a moment to slow down?

2/ Find joy in simple pleasures

There's a tendency for people to think "I'll be happy when XYZ happens" — focusing on the destination rather than the journey. But the journey is often where happiness actually lives: a deep conversation with a loved one, a quiet walk in nature taking in the smells and the view, a meal made with the flavours of the season.

There's also something here about simply being, rather than always doing. So much of our day is spent producing, achieving, checking things off. But some of the richest moments come when we're not doing anything at all — just sitting with a cup of tea, watching the light change, being fully where we are.

What brings you joy in your daily life? And where might there be room to simply be, rather than do?

3/ Surround yourself with people who lift you up

There's a popular saying that we're shaped by the people we spend the most time with. Whether or not that's exactly true, there's something to it: it really does matter who we let into our circle.

When I was in corporate, the environment I was in felt quite competitive at times. There often was some tension, conflicts and politics. Lots of things said behind people’s backs. And many people would behave a certain way just so that they could advance their own agenda- often to the detriment of others. 

This impacted how I felt. I was often feeling disconnected, like I didn’t belong. 

Today, I’m happy to say I've found what I call “ my tribe” — other coaches who, like me, find joy in being of service to others. There's something energizing about being around people who share that same instinct to give, to support, to lift others up. 

Think about the people you connect with most during the week — how do you feel after talking with them? And is there someone, or some group, where you feel that same sense of "these are my people"? How can you bring more of this into your life? 

4/ Do work that feels meaningful

And speaking of where we spend our energy and time, we spend over 90,000 hours of our lives at work. To put that in perspective: That’s nearly one-third of your entire adult life spent on the clock.

With that in mind, having a meaningful career isn't just a "nice-to-have"— it's the foundation of how we experience our lives.

When I reflected on what was meaningful for me, I asked myself: Does my job align with what I'm good at and what brings me joy? Is my work aligned with what I value? And maybe most importantly, what gives me energy, and what drains it?

That reflection is ultimately what led me from corporate to the work I do now. Not because the old work was bad, but because it no longer felt like mine.

Near the end of Kilomètre Zéro, the character returns home changed — not because her life looks dramatically different on the outside, but because she's learned to move through it differently.

Slower. More present. More herself.

You don’t have to take a trip to the Himalayas to experience personal transformation (though if that's calling you, go for it!). More often, it looks like small, quiet choices: a slower morning, a moment of stillness, a friendship that we nurture, or a question we finally let ourselves ask about our work.

If anything here stirred something in you, I'd love to hear about it. 

And if you're not sure where to start, sometimes just naming the question is enough for now.

Keep shining,

Warmly,

Laura