Slowing down as my new currency

contemplation from my life in Italia 🍵

Oct 30, 2025

A song I am loving:

As I write this, I am staring out at my balcony. The sun is setting earlier now, the winter months are arriving, and you can feel the quiet, almost amicable shift in the air, the shedding and the changing colors of the leaves, everyone hurrying into their homes earlier than usual. In the background, I hear the faint chirping of the birds, smoke arising out of my neighbour’s porch. I am unsure what they are burning, but it just looks like a scene from a movie, played in slow motion, except this is real.

Except, this is my reality.

In the blink of an eye, I have been in Italy for over three weeks now.

The 7th country I’ve lived in.

I am currently in the Abruzzo region of central Italy, an area less explored by tourists but a well-kept favorite amongst Italians, especially in the summer and winter months.

My balcony overlooks the beautifully, neatly tucked houses, alongside rows of olive trees sprawling over the hills (colle), with views of the majestic Abruzzo mountains and the coast of the Adriatic Sea.

Perfection would be an understatement.

A couple of days ago, I was reflecting on how my life has shifted since last October.

For those who do not know my backstory. A year ago, I summoned the courage to tell my team I had decided to leave my job. At that time, I was a full-time diving instructor in the Maldives.

Since my second return to the Maldives in 2021, I have been working full-time as a diving instructor and on the side, with my soul-led business, Arawme. The Maldives has been such a profound and activating chapter of my life, one that I will always be grateful for. A country I had called home for over seven years of my life.

But I knew deeply in my G center; my soul was gently nudged in a different direction —one deeply tied to purpose and service, and that nudge had grown louder over time. And I knew change was necessary.

On another level, too, I was waiting for a formal invitation for this significant change in my life. And I did, after almost 2.5 years in the waiting. I received three invitations.

In December 2024, I left for Prague on a one-way ticket.

Fast forward to today —ten months down, here I am in central Italy.

On the periphery, I did the following:

travelled to five countries this year, three of which were new
finally tried my first snow sport (snowboarding! and loved it!)
finally celebrated Chinese New Year with my family back home after missing it for four years in a row because of work
moved back to Mexico after ten years (except this time was the Pacific coast aka new lessons, new experiences)
reunited with decade-old friends
got stung by my first sea urchin (also survived by kiting right after it happened with the spines on my foot)
saw my first mobular ray aggregation!
saw my first humpback whales (mama and calf) breaching!!
kitesurfed for the first time with a community of kitesurfers, finally not alone
kitesurfed in waves and not flatwater (boy, it was such a culture shock)
moved to a new place without knowing anyone (Oaxaca!)
hiked up to Mexico’s 6th highest peak in a single day (La Malinche)
learnt Latin dancing! (salsa, bachata, cumbia)
made many new friends
fell in love again, lost in love too
began dating again
finally reunited with family in England after a decade
finally met the nieces I saw growing up through social media, in person for a chane
finally ate many Asian delicacies and drank decent bubble tea!
made friends with many animals too
currently learning Italian
started Substack and resumed my love for writing
and of course, losing the love of my life, my baby macaw, from a tragic accident

“The thoughts, beliefs, and emotions we don’t consciously reject, we consciously accept.”

On top of all of these, I am still in awe that I have spent this entire year in six countries so far, running a soul-led business that has offered me the freedom and abundance I once dreamt of.

My soul work impacting and activating thousands of Projectors globally.

But the truth was, the biggest shift was not any of the above.

It was in reclaiming myself…

It was shifting out of survivor mode that had been my norm for what felt like eons.

It was befriending Certainty.

It was a 180-degree overhaul of my mindset.

It was embodying intentionality, slowing down, and adopting rest and play as a form of productivity.

It was accepting and trusting the wait as a Projector in life with full Certainty and clarity.

It was anchoring my business ecosystem so deeply in her foundation and aligning it with my capacity.

It was accepting the fact that healing can exist alongside living, impacting, and supporting others.

It was adopting manifestation as a lifestyle instead of a monthly ritual.

It was ritualizing and romanticizing every area of my life with so much intentionality, awe, and playfulness.

It was building new habits and refining old ones.

It was recalibrating my nervous system. (My nervous system has never been this calm and regulated)

It was forgiving my mom (across distance).

It was prioritizing my gut, skin, and brain health.

It was allowing grief a room, and allowing myself to enter when I prefer, but not making it the center of my life anymore.

It was a succession of quantum leaps.

It was the continuous shedding and upgrading of my identity.

It was investing in my growth and expansion in the spheres of business, relationships, manifestations, and inner work.

It was living softly and gently.

It was finding power in moving powerfully, not quickly.

It was challenging my fears, consciously levelling up, and choosing my upgraded identity with worth.

It was the deliberate act of slowing down as my new energetic currency, every single day.

All while sipping my daily ceremonial matcha, of course. 🍵

I don’t think I have been more embodied and empowered as a Projector in my life than the person I am today.

It almost feels like this year was my quiet homecoming.

A dethroning of the outdated version of Sylvia that I deeply and dearly care for and love, and simultaneously stepping into this upgraded version of Sylvia 2.0, who is never looking back.

And you can do that too. Now.

Yes I know what you are thinking.

And no, you do not need the perfect conditions for things to fall into place, nor do you need to wait for the new year to reflect and let go of what no longer serves you. I will write about readiness in another piece.

We are currently in the middle of the Winter Arc.

The Winter Arc begins from the 1st of October through to the end of the year. It is an invitation for you to consider and reflect on what in your life requires refinement, discipline, shedding, and action before we roll out for the New Year.

Consider the following journal prompts below in today’s contemplation:

How do I want to end the year?

How do I wish to start the year?

What old, outdated beliefs, thoughts, and emotions have I outgrown and am being called to gently let go of?

What does my body long for when everything else grows quiet?

Where in my life am I being invited to slow down, not out of resistance, but reverence?

Which parts of me are asking for warmth, softness, or gentler care this season?

Grab a pen and write it in your journal, or comment below. I love to hear from you. <3

“Your new life will cost you the old one.”

Below are a couple of new and old habits that have tremendously shaped and supported my current slow and soft life as a Projector.

I share about these and more in greater depth in my group container and 1:1 clients.

Waking up with the sun

A habit I deeply relish for the entire year is waking up with the sun and falling asleep with the moon, syncing my body with the circadian rhythm. Morning light helps regulate our body’s 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, which I find really important as an Active Brain individual. My body is so wired to wake up at a specific time that no alarm is required. I no longer sleep in blackout curtains or rooms, and would prefer a room facing east for the morning sun! If I do not get to wake up with the sun, I will always spend at least 20 minutes reading in direct, unfiltered sunlight.

Daily morning walk

This has been the most revolutionary for me! I have always been a strong proponent of slower movements as a Projector and indulge in sports like swimming, snorkeling, skating, as opposed to running. This February, I had a health issue, which brought my attention again to the importance of gut health. As my work has now become more sedentary, I decided to give a morning walk a go. My walk lasts approximately 50 -60 minutes (5000-6000 steps, approximately 5km each time), and I do it right after my morning spiritual practice within the first hour of waking up.

During my walk, I also listen to high vibe tracks from my Projector Slay Playlist (it is free, explore it here) and recite my Morning Mantras. Besides feeling really good, I have also noticed significant postural improvement. Walking is a natural form of bilateral movement stimulation because the rhythmic, alternating motion of your arms and legs activates both hemispheres of the brain. As it requires the prefrontal cortex for balance, coordination, and awareness of the environment, walking is scientifically proven to interrupt and reduce the bandwidth of overthinking and looping thoughts.

Walking as a bilateral stimulation also calms our nervous system, soothing the “fight or flight” response, reducing anxiety, and the general feeling of being overwhelmed. I can go on and on about the benefits of walking. For anyone feeling stagnated energetically, I would 100% recommend giving this a go.

Warm gut-friendly breakfast

In recent years, I have noticed more sensitivity around my gut. As someone who had a few health breakdowns primarily from my gut, I have learnt to prioritize brain, gut and skin health through my food choices. Early this year, I made a switch to strengthen my Spleen Qi support by consuming only a warm, nourishing breakfast. My current breakfast comprises a bowl of miso soup (probiotics, protein, fiber), an avocado on sourdough toast (healthy fats, probiotics), and the occasional kimchi (probiotics and fiber).

Most importantly, I made a point of savoring it slowly and intentionally. My daily breakfast often revolves around savoring my food slowly and reading a non-fiction book with zero electronics.

Reading a fiction book for my bed activity as a Projector

So I have a thing.

I’ve noticed that for the longest time, I have only been reading mindset, self-development, and philosophical books. As a slow reader and an open Ajna individual, I often reread, contemplate, highlight, and scribble the little pearl of wisdom from each book in my journal. I decided it was time to stop taking life so seriously all the time!

So I decided it was time to read fiction again.

To read a book as a bed activity where it does not involve a compulsory mental input, and what could be better than a fiction book?

I write more about the importance of a bed activity as a Projector here. Having a bedtime activity has been paramount in decompressing from the day as a Projector, priming you for a deep and restorative sleep.

My current non-fiction read is All The Colors Of The Dark by Chris Whitaker. I love any book recommendations, so if you do, drop it below in the comments!

A daily evening solo date/downtime with myself and the sunset

I share about the importance of solo downtime as an energetic non-negotiable for Projectors. As someone who is always finding ways to romanticize my life continuously, I have decided to dedicate a daily evening moment to myself. This looks like a 20-30 minute downtime with my warm matcha latte while reading a book.

Just me, the book, zero music and oftentimes I am graced by the most astonishing sunsets. It is the most liberating and peaceful feeling ever!

My moment with the sunset may feel like a luxury, but it is always only a choice away. Nature is always reminding you to slow down, to savor, to be present, if you pay attention.

Until next time! As always, stay soft, stay courageous, and fortified, my loves.

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