Slow Forward

The New Urgency of Moving at the Speed of Soul

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The powerful thing about long vacations is the ability to see things from a different lens.

I can see that the world is accelerating.

But in the Alentejo region of Portugal, among the sun-drenched stones of Évora, time moves differently.

Not because life here is slow.

But because life here is sovereign. (I wrote about that earlier here.)

This is not a retreat.

It’s a rebellion.

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NOW: Speed Is the New Silence

In America, acceleration is a drug.

Every ping, every swipe, every calendar hold whispers: Move faster. Do more. Don’t stop.

But speed comes at a cost.

When was the last time you were actually present at the pace you’re moving?

Speed numbs. Motion disguises emptiness.

We’re rewarded for reacting, rarely for reflecting.

And in that lie lives the burnout, the blur, and the quiet ache we don’t name.

Ask yourself:

~ What am I rushing toward?

~ What part of me am I leaving behind every time I hit “send” instead of “pause”?

~ Is speed helping me grow, or just helping me cope?

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NEW: Slowness as Strategy

In Évora, conversations eclipse cappuccinos.

Lunch turns into dusk.

No one’s asking what’s next. They’re asking what matters.

This isn’t just lifestyle.

It’s infrastructure for intentionality.

Slowness isn’t a privilege.

It’s a practice.

And in our moment of geopolitical unease and AI-fueled overwhelm, it might be the most strategic skill you can develop.

Here, slow doesn’t mean “stop.”

It means start again—on your terms.

Ask yourself:

~ What would it look like to move slower…on purpose?

~ What relationships would deepen if urgency wasn’t your love language?

~ What does your nervous system know that your calendar keeps ignoring?

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NEXT: ShiftStory Is a Map for Reentry

This is where ShiftStory comes in.

Not to give you a personal brand.

But to give you your self back.

ShiftStory helps you create a mosaic, not a résumé.

A rhythm, not a role.

A narrative that’s not optimized, but honored.

Because in a world obsessed with speed and polish, authenticity is now a radical act.

Slow Forward is not about doing less.

It’s about being more of who you already are.

Ask yourself:

~ What if your identity wasn’t a LinkedIn feed but a living portrait?

~ What if you measured life by resonance, not reach?

~ What if your next great move isn’t faster, but truer?

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THE PAYOFF: Time Is the New Status

In the Now, we name the emptiness in the race.

In the New, we borrow wisdom from the slower world.

In the Next, we build lives that run on rhythm, not reaction.

As Esporão reminds us:

“There are many ways to move forward. This is ours.”

Maybe it can be yours too.

Let ShiftStory help you design not just your work, but your way.

Because the future will belong to those who know how to slow down, make meaning, and move at the speed of soul.

Less rush. More ritual.

Less output. More oxygen.

Less proving. More presence.

Slow isn’t weak.

Slow is awake.

Let’s move forward with intention.

Together.

“Slow living is all about creating time and space and energy for the things that matter most to us in life, so ask yourself what you stand to gain.” ~ Brooke McAlary

Join the ShiftStory waitlist: https://shiftstory.carrd.co/

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I’m Tobin Trevarthen, a Narratologist, founder of Spatial Shift by Tobin, co-author of Narrative Generation, and creator of ShiftStory™.

I’ve spent decades in the corporate and start-up worlds, selling over $1 billion in marketing programs before shifting into narrative work designed to help people and organizations make sense of transformation through storytelling.

I’ve worked with founders, executives, startups, Global 1000 companies, and cultural institutions to design narrative frameworks that spark clarity and alignment.

Now New Next is where I reflect on the long game, with a sense of urgency. I write for modern elders, edge thinkers, and curious builders trying to name what matters now, what’s emerging, and what’s worth pursuing next.

You’ll find no hype here. Just a mix of strategy, story, and soulful direction for a shifting world. I also write about narrative worth, identity, and becoming a portrait of you.

ShiftStory™ is my new ideation for building narrative agency in uncertain times. The pilot Walk n Talks have helped to shape the program now in progress with a few test customers.

I am pleased with the early feedback and will be launching the beta program this summer. It will be limited to 10 participants in the first cohort.

Follow me on LinkedIn. Or DM at tobin@spatialshift.com for more information.

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