Mabel, Sourdough, and Learning to Live Slowly

At the beginning of the year, one small thing sat quietly on my vision board:
Learn how to make sourdough bread.

Not to master it.
Not to perfect it.
Just to learn.

What I didn’t expect was how deeply this simple practice would shape the way I’m moving through life.

Meet Mabel

My sourdough starter is named Mabel - short for Mother Always Bring Extra Love. And honestly, the name fits perfectly.

Caring for a sourdough starter is an act of attention and patience. You feed it. You wait. You observe. You respond. You don’t rush it - because you can’t. If you try, it simply doesn’t work.

I was lucky enough to learn from a neighbor who shared her knowledge, her starter, and her time. Since then, weekly baking has become a rhythm I genuinely look forward to - one that grounds me and gently pulls me out of the constant noise of everyday life.

Sourdough Teaches You to Slow Down

Sourdough baking requires something we don’t often give ourselves anymore: time at home.

You have to be present.
You have to wait.
You have to check in.
You have to listen.

There’s no rushing fermentation. No shortcuts around patience. No multitasking your way to a better loaf.

It’s repetitive, mindful, and oddly soothing - stretch, fold, rest, repeat. And in that repetition, something shifts. Your breathing slows. Your body softens. Your mind settles.

It’s not just bread.
It’s a practice.

Embracing the Slow Life

After years of chaos, big changes, and learning how to manage stress through constant motion, I’m intentionally choosing something different.

I’m embracing simple and steady.

Writing a daily gratitude list
Practicing deep, intentional breathing
Walking outside and letting sunlight hit my face
Watering my plants (and doing my best not to kill them)
Making something from scratch, with love
Taking a few uninterrupted hours to get lost in a good book

These small moments don’t look impressive on the outside - but they feel like everything on the inside.

Regulating the Nervous System Through Presence

So much of what I’m learning isn’t about productivity - it’s about regulation.

Being present.
Creating safety in my body.
Letting my nervous system settle instead of constantly pushing it.

Sourdough has become one of those unexpected tools - a reminder that slowing down isn’t laziness, and rest isn’t wasted time. It’s essential.

When you’re fully immersed in something tactile and intentional - hands in dough, timer set, phone forgotten - the world quiets just enough to breathe again.

Finding Joy in the Small Things

There’s a unique joy in making something from scratch. In watching flour, water, and time transform into nourishment. In sharing warm bread with people you love. In knowing care was part of every step.

This season of life isn’t about doing more.
It’s about being more present.

More grateful.
More intentional.

More gentle.
More grounded.

And surprisingly, that’s where peace has been waiting all along.

Mabel started as a vision board goal.

She turned into a teacher.

A reminder that good things take time.
That consistency matters more than perfection.

That slowing down can heal what rushing never could.

This is what the slow life looks like for me right now - simple, steady, imperfect, and full of quiet joy.

And honestly?

I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Mark your calendars!

The Ladies Living Out Loud Event is always the THIRD Tuesday of every month!

Tuesday, April 21st

Water2 Wine in Buda

6-8pm

Still in the season of growing and blooming, we will gather to share how we self-care!

How do we care for our mind + body + spirit?

Slow and Simple