You know that feeling when you realize you haven’t actually felt anything in weeks?
I’m not talking about being numb or depressed (though if that’s you, please talk to someone). I’m talking about that low-grade autopilot we all slip into. Where days blur together. Where you get to Friday and can’t remember what happened on Tuesday. Where you’re technically living, but you’re not really here.
Yeah. That feeling.
Here’s what I’ve been thinking about lately: What if we’re all just really bad at being human right now?
We’ve Optimized Ourselves Into Corners
Somewhere along the way, we got really good at productivity. At efficiency. At doing more with less. At hustling and grinding and optimizing every minute of every day.
And look—I’m not anti-productivity. You’re reading this on a blog about organization, for crying out loud.
But we’ve gotten so good at doing that, we’ve forgotten how to be.
We’ve forgotten that humans aren’t supposed to run at maximum capacity 24/7. That feelings aren’t obstacles to work around—they’re actually the whole point. That a life spent racing from task to task, no matter how “successful,” might actually be a life half-lived.
We’ve optimized the humanity right out of our lives.
The Slow Revolution Nobody’s Talking About
There’s this growing whisper I keep hearing from different corners: What if we slowed down?
Not in a lazy way. Not in a “give up on your dreams and live in your parents’ basement” way.
But in a “what if I actually experienced my life instead of just cataloging it” kind of way.
What would happen if you:
- Actually tasted your coffee instead of just using it as fuel?
- Felt your feelings instead of immediately problem-solving them away?
- Created experiences for the sake of the experience, not the Instagram post?
- Enjoyed a conversation without thinking about what you need to do next?
- Sat with discomfort instead of scrolling it away?
This isn’t about doing less. It’s about being more.
Feelings Aren’t the Enemy
Let’s talk about feelings for a second, because we’ve gotten really weird about them.
We treat emotions like inconvenient notifications we need to dismiss as quickly as possible. Sad? Fix it. Anxious? Meditate it away. Angry? Definitely suppress that one.
But here’s the thing: feelings are information. They’re your body’s way of telling you something important about your life, your relationships, your priorities, your boundaries.
When you numb out the uncomfortable feelings, you also numb out joy, contentment, connection, and meaning. You can’t selectively numb. It doesn’t work that way.
Getting better at being human means getting better at feeling. Not wallowing, not spiraling, not letting emotions run the show—just… feeling them. Acknowledging them. Learning from them.
Turns out, emotions you actually feel tend to move through you. Emotions you suppress tend to set up camp and never leave.
The Art of the Moment
I have a friend who takes forever to eat an ice cream cone. Like, embarrassingly long. We’re talking 30-45 minutes for a single scoop.
I used to tease her about it. Now? I’m kind of jealous.
She’s not scrolling while she eats. She’s not thinking about her email. She’s just… eating ice cream. Experiencing it. Enjoying it.
She’s mastered something most of us have forgotten: how to be present for our own lives.
We’ve become so focused on capturing moments that we forget to have them. So obsessed with productivity that we’ve forgotten pleasure. So good at doing that we’ve forgotten how to simply be.
What if we got intentional about creating experiences? Not for content. Not for productivity. Not even for self-improvement.
Just for the experience itself.
Reordering Your Priorities (Without the Guilt)
Here’s where people usually get uncomfortable: What if your priorities are… wrong?
Not morally wrong. Just… misaligned with what actually matters to you.
We’re told to prioritize:
- Career advancement
- Financial security
- Productivity and achievement
- Checking boxes and meeting goals
And sure, those things matter. But when did they become the only things?
What if you also prioritized:
- How you feel during your day
- The quality of your relationships
- Experiences that bring you joy
- Moments of genuine rest
- Creative expression with no goal attached
- Being present for your own life
This isn’t about choosing between success and happiness. It’s about questioning whether the way you’re defining success is actually making you happy.
Slow Isn’t Sloth
Let me be clear: Living slowly doesn’t mean being lazy.
It doesn’t mean you stop working toward goals. It doesn’t mean you abandon ambition or settle for less than you’re capable of.
It means you stop treating your life like a to-do list to rush through.
It means you give yourself permission to:
- Work with focus and take real breaks
- Pursue goals and enjoy the journey
- Be productive and be present
- Achieve things and feel your feelings along the way
You can be ambitious and still be human. In fact, you’ll probably be better at both.
Starting Small (Because We’re Not Trying to Be Perfect Here)
If any of this resonates, you don’t need to overhaul your entire life tomorrow. That’s the old way of thinking—all or nothing, start Monday, whole new you.
Instead, maybe just… start noticing.
Notice where you’re rushing. Notice what you’re avoiding feeling. Notice the moments you’re missing because you’re already thinking about the next thing.
Then, maybe:
- Take one meal a week with no phone, no laptop, no distractions
- Sit with one uncomfortable feeling instead of immediately trying to fix it
- Create one experience just for yourself, with no productive purpose
- Have one conversation where you’re fully present
- Spend one moment really feeling something good
Small steps. Slow progress. No pressure.
The Permission You’re Looking For
Here it is, in case you need it: You’re allowed to slow down.
You’re allowed to prioritize feeling over doing. You’re allowed to create experiences that serve no purpose other than joy. You’re allowed to be inefficient sometimes. You’re allowed to be human.
Your worth isn’t measured by your output. Your life isn’t a project to optimize. Your feelings aren’t obstacles to overcome.
You’re not a machine that needs fixing. You’re a human who deserves to actually experience being alive.
So Maybe…
Maybe it’s time we got better at this. At being human. At feeling our feelings. At living slowly without guilt. At enjoying moments instead of just documenting them. At placing “being present for my life” somewhere higher on the priority list.
Maybe the real productivity hack is remembering that all of this—the work, the goals, the achievements—means nothing if we’re not actually here for any of it.
What do you think? Are you ready to get better at being human?
What helps you slow down and actually experience your life? I’d genuinely love to hear about it in the comments.