A few days in the desert can teach you more about life than a year of chasing deadlines.
Not long ago, my family and I packed our car and headed west—toward the wide skies and silent beauty of West Texas. Our route took us through Marfa, onto the winding roads of Terlingua, and into the rugged heart of Big Bend. It was the kind of trip that unravels you in all the best ways: trading schedules for sunsets, noise for quiet, and hurry for stillness.
On one particular evening, as we wandered slowly down a dirt road outside Marfa, I realized something that stayed with me. The warm air hugged my skin, my damp hair caught the last light of day, and my mind—so often cluttered with to-do lists and mental tabs left open—was, for once, completely clear. No lingering thoughts of work. No silent self-reminders of what needed to happen next. Just presence.
And that, it turns out, is the real luxury in life. Not time, but the freedom from rushing through it.
The Hidden Habit of Hurry
I’ve always considered myself someone who loves my work, my family, my home. But somewhere along the way, I started rushing through the very things I cared about most. I’d speed through creative projects only to launch into new ones. I’d rush through meals, even when the food was incredible. And perhaps most bittersweet of all, I’d catch myself hurrying through bedtime routines with my kids—those soft, irreplaceable moments—so I could move onto the next item on the invisible agenda.
The desert showed me how absurd all that rushing really is. When we step away from our environments—the emails, the back-to-back commitments, the constant stream of alerts—our nervous system finally remembers: you don’t have to live this way.
Change Your Space, Change Your Pace
One of the greatest gifts of travel isn’t just the escape—it’s the perspective shift. In West Texas, the wide, open landscape didn’t just slow my steps; it slowed my mind. Even my Oura Ring confirmed it: my stress was lower, my sleep was deeper. And I couldn’t help but wonder—what if I didn’t need a vacation to feel this way? What if it was possible to bring that same ease into daily life?
The answer, I’ve realized, starts with our surroundings. You don’t have to cross state lines to step into a slower rhythm. You can invite slowness into the life you already have.
Here’s how I’ve been experimenting with it since coming home:
1. Build In Mini Pauses
Life moves at the speed we allow it. Lately, I’ve been trying to leave tiny gaps in my day—five minutes here, ten minutes there—between tasks and meetings. These are not “wasted” minutes. They’re intentional breathing spaces. Sometimes I’ll stretch, sip water, step outside, or do nothing at all. And strangely enough, these pauses leave me more energized, not less.
2. Turn Habits Into Rituals
The smallest actions can feel special when we slow them down. Lighting a candle before diving into work. Playing music while chopping vegetables for dinner. Sitting at the table without phones, allowing the meal to unfold without distractions. These moments might look ordinary, but they hold the power to make daily life feel deeply meaningful.
3. Take Digital Detox Seriously
One thing the desert offered—without me even realizing it—was a break from screens. I wasn’t checking emails at dinner, or scrolling through newsfeeds during quiet moments. And the difference in my mood was striking.
Now, I’m trying to protect that peace by setting clearer boundaries at home: no phones in the bedroom, no scrolling at the dinner table, and regular “No-Screen Saturdays” where the entire family disconnects from devices. The result? More conversations, more laughter, more real life.
4. Make Space for Micro-Adventures
The urge to “get away” often isn’t about the destination—it’s about the shift in perspective. So instead of waiting for big trips, I’ve started planning micro-adventures: an afternoon walk in a new neighborhood, a solo day at a favorite café, a one-night stay somewhere nearby. You don’t have to go far to feel refreshed. Sometimes a change of scenery is all it takes to remind you of what matters.
Living Beyond the Hurry
I’ve come to believe that the real challenge isn’t squeezing in another vacation—it’s creating a life you don’t need a vacation from.
It’s about learning to slow down and savor the in-between moments. About building space for presence, even on a random Tuesday. About understanding that rushing through life doesn’t get us anywhere worth going.
The desert gave me that lesson. And now, back home, I’m trying to live it.
Because the goal isn’t to escape your life—it’s to fall in love with it.
