I'm Adali Mone and this is The Slowdown.

The other night I was at a group dinner after a reading and we were discussing the importance

of putting your phone down, of not always rushing, or not always taking on so much, learning

to say no more, to set healthy boundaries.

Everyone we knew was stressed, everyone we knew needed to do a little less.

And then the woman to my right said something to the effect of, I'd do less if someone

would pay my rent.

And we all nodded and mm-hmm.

We want people to practice authentic self-care and not take on so much that they burn out.

We want our friends to be less busy and happier.

I mean, I host a podcast called The Slowdown.

I legitimately want you to slow down.

But it does beg the question, who can afford to slow down?

In my poetry community, so many of us are working numerous jobs as instructors, editors,

freelance copywriters, teachers, grocery store clerks, bartenders, servers, and so on.

Of course, we care about making money and want security and freedom like everyone else.

But we also care about making poems, about staring long and hard at something until it

changes and transforms.

Still, we want food on the table and safety.

And even, yes, luxuries, poets love luxuries, don't be fooled by our somber countenances.

We are very into pleasure.

And we work hard for it.

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