Growing Slow

A Conversation with author Jennifer Dukes Lee

“Growing Slow” is not only the name of author Jennifer Dukes Lee's latest book but the topic of today’s conversation.

Living on a farm in rural Iowa, Jennifer and her husband loved the idea of leaving their fast-paced jobs to raise a family and run a farm. Far from the hustle and bustle they both had become accustomed to, she had no idea that stress, or “hurry sickness”, would ever again apply to her.

Until during a routine visit to her doctor, who told her that she truly needed to make some changes. 

Symptoms of hurry sickness

These symptoms have a seriously detrimental effect on your physical body, often comparable to actual trauma. And the remedy is so much more than just getting rid of some of your calendar appointments. We know this because, as Jennifer points out, many of us still suffered from a crowded mind and hurried heart even when our calendars were wiped clean during the recent pandemic. The source of hurry sickness is internal - it stems from a mind and heart that can’t settle. It can truly be compared to an addiction: being addicted to speed or “hustle”, needing the rush you get from getting things done...and done quickly.

Here are some other symptoms:

1 - The need to be productive

2 - Irritation at the inevitable obstacles and delays that spring up in life

3 - Feeling like you’re working harder and harder and yet not satisfied with the results

4 - Feeling uneasy during periods of slowness

5 - Constantly putting off getting together with the people in your life

Switching your mindset to that of Growing Slow

Here are two simple habits that you can foster to work yourself out of frenzy and into slow…

1 - When you eat alone, sit down and be intentional. Eat slowly and breathe. Enjoy the taste of your food and practice gratitude.

2 - Don’t look at your phone when you first wake up in the morning. Wake up, put your feet on the floor, breathe deeply and welcome the day. Decide how you want the day to look like and what pace you want it to take. Don’t let your calendar dictate how your day will go.

This was such a wonderful, rich conversation, and Jennifer shared so much more about what was behind her book, and many more gifts from her heart. She has even more habits and actions you can adopt to grow slow in your life on her Instagram account @jenniferdukeslee, and in her new book, Growing Slow.

Jennifer Dukes Lee is the author of several books, including Growing Slow and It's All Under Control. She and her husband, Scott, live on the fifth-generation Lee Family Farm, where they are raising crops, pigs, and two beautiful humans.