How Fly Fishing Taught Me to Slow Down
When I first started fly fishing, I was all over the place—literally and mentally. I had no idea what I was doing, my line was always tangled, and I kept spooking fish before I even got close.
But something about it made me want to keep trying.
It wasn't the catching (I didn’t catch anything for weeks). It was just… peaceful. Different. Slower than anything else in my life. And honestly, I needed that.
I’m not naturally good at slowing down. My brain’s always in motion, and I tend to feel guilty when I’m not being “productive.” But when you're standing in cold water with the sun coming up and nothing around you but birds and moving water, it shifts your perspective.
There’s no rush out there. No pressure. No phone buzzing in your pocket. You just cast, watch, breathe, and try again.
The River Doesn’t Care About Your To-Do List
One of the best things fly fishing taught me is that rest doesn’t have to be earned. You don’t have to hit a goal to deserve a slow morning.
Some of my favorite days now are the ones where nothing big happens—just wet boots, maybe a trout if I’m lucky. But even when I don’t catch a thing, I leave feeling more like myself.
What Slowing Down Looks Like (for Me)
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Not multitasking. Just being where I am.
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Getting outside without a destination in mind.
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Letting myself enjoy the process—even when it’s messy.
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Remembering that simple things are enough.
Fly fishing didn’t just give me a new hobby. It gave me a reminder I needed: slowing down doesn’t mean doing less—it just means doing life more intentionally.