Why I’m Choosing Slow Growth Over Hustle

For a long time, hustle was my default setting.

Like so many women I know, I wore busy like a badge of honor. I ran a brick-and-mortar boutique and an online store, served as the president of our local business association, and raised three kids — all while my husband traveled regularly for work. Most days, I was holding it all together with to-do lists, late-night catch-up sessions, and sheer determination.

I loved the work. I loved the people. I loved the purpose behind it all.

But if I’m being honest, I was tired. Really tired.

The Season That Changed Everything

There wasn’t one big breaking point. Just a quiet knowing that began to take root — a sense that, while everything looked fine on the outside, the pace I was operating at was slowly wearing me down. I was accomplishing a lot, but I wasn’t present. My days were full, but my spirit felt stretched.

Then came the holidays.

Anyone in retail knows — the holiday season is the time to grind. It’s long hours, high stakes, and full throttle from November through the end of the year. It’s supposed to be the most profitable season, and in many ways, it was. But this past year, something felt different.

I still worked through the holiday season — it’s the nature of retail, and it was always our busiest time of year. But this past year, we planned something different. Instead of jumping right back into the grind after Christmas, I surprised our kids with a New Year’s trip to Disney. With the store, we had always built in time to close the first week of January — a short break to recharge after the rush. It turned out to be the perfect opportunity to slow down, be present, and truly enjoy quality time together as a family.

That trip was more than a vacation. It was a reset. A wake-up call.

We laughed. We explored. We watched our kids light up with joy. We made memories that I hope they carry with them for years to come. And for me — it was deeply emotional. I realized how much I had missed in the last two years. Not because I didn’t love my family, but because I was so tied to the demands of my business that I had no margin left for magic.

Being able to be fully present with my kids — without thinking about emails, store tasks, or event planning — was a gift. One I hadn’t given myself in far too long.

That trip struck a chord in me. I came home knowing something needed to change. Not just for my sanity, but for the life I want us to live as a family.

So I started asking myself the hard questions:

• What kind of life am I building?

• Am I creating something that actually aligns with what matters most to me?

• What does success look like for me — not for the world?

These weren’t surface-level questions. They pulled me into a deeper place, a more honest place. And slowly, I started to realize that while I had built something beautiful, it was no longer sustainable for the life I wanted — or the kind of mother, wife, and woman I aspired to be.

That clarity was the first step. What came next was even harder: choosing to let go.

The Courage to Let Go

The decision to close the boutique wasn’t made in haste. It was intentional and thoughtful. It came after many late-night conversations with my husband and deep reflection on where our family was and where we were going.

It wasn’t a failure — it was a pivot. If I’ve learned anything through this, it’s that:

Endings aren’t failures. They are invitations to grow into something new.

Walking away from something good doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it. It means I was ready to step into something better aligned — for me, for my family, and for the vision I now hold for my life.

What Slow Growth Means to Me

Slow growth is a mindset — not a lack of ambition. It’s choosing intention over speed. Clarity over chaos. Peace over pressure.

It means:

• Working smarter, not longer

• Leaving room in my days for flexibility, presence, and joy

• Creating boundaries that support my energy, not deplete it

• Saying “no” more often so my “yes” actually means something

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is this: saying no is one of the most powerful ways to protect your peace — and the peace of your family.

For a long time, I felt the pull to say “yes” to everything — to be everything to everyone. I’ve realized that whatever I say yes to affects every part of my life: my kids, my marriage, my energy, my business.

So I stopped being a “yes” person.
I started setting boundaries that work for me, not against me.
I finally understood that you don’t have to do it all to be successful. You just have to do what matters most.

Choosing Purpose Over Pressure

This new chapter — Inspired by Riah Jane — is born from that shift. I’m still an entrepreneur. I still have dreams. Now, I’m building in a way that feels aligned with my life — not one that constantly competes with it.

I’m choosing to grow at a pace that honors my season.
I’m focusing on quality over quantity.
I’m working from a place of purpose, not pressure.

You know what? It feels really, really good.
Because I’ve come to realize: you can be deeply ambitious and still choose peace.
You can grow a business and still be present with your family.
You can go slow and still get exactly where you're meant to be.

There’s No One-Size-Fits-All

This post isn’t meant to tell you what’s right for your life — only you know that. I’m not here to shame hustle or claim that slow growth is the “right” way for everyone. There are seasons that call for hustle. There are people who thrive in the fast lane.

For me? That season has passed.

I’m choosing something more sustainable, more grounded, and more aligned with the values that guide my family. I’m choosing work that supports my life — not the other way around.

That’s what growth with intention looks like.
That’s what success looks like for me now.

If You’re Feeling the Pull to Slow Down…

Maybe you’ve felt it too. The nudge to pause. The desire to breathe a little deeper. The knowing that something in your life is asking to shift.

Let me tell you: it’s okay.

It’s okay to change your mind.
It’s okay to walk away from what no longer fits.
It’s okay to slow down — even if everyone else seems to be speeding up.

There’s strength in quiet decisions.
There’s growth in stillness.
There’s magic in choosing yourself.

If you’re craving slower rhythms, or if you just want to know you’re not alone in figuring it all out — you’re in the right place.

You don’t have to hustle to matter.
You just have to show up — with heart, with honesty, and at a pace that honors your life.

With grace and gratitude,
Riah Jane