Pura Vida
What Costa Rica and Blue Zones Taught Me About Slowing Down
When I planned my sabbatical, I didn’t want it to be just a break. I wanted a reset. A chance to live differently, create new habits, and let life feel more whole. I longed for more balance, more energy, and more connection with people I loved. And honestly? More fun.
But as I mapped out my time away, I started making a bucket list: learn to drive stick shift, pick up a new hobby, get certified in something. A friend finally stopped me and said, “Isn’t this about recharging, not achieving?”
That simple question revealed my mindset. Even in planning my pause, I was still trying to optimize it.
Discovering Blue Zones
Around that time, I discovered the research on Blue Zones, regions where people live the longest, healthiest, and often happiest lives. Costa Rica stood out. If I wanted to learn how to live differently, why not immerse myself in a place where people were already doing it?
The patterns weren’t complicated:
Eat simply
Move naturally (walk, garden, stay active)
Stay connected to community
Keep stress low
Simple ideas. Radically different from my over-scheduled, meeting-packed, productivity-driven life.
The Lessons of Costa Rica
Once I arrived, slowing down wasn’t optional. I had to stop the car for cows in the road, errands took half the day, and cell service was often spotty.
Nature itself was in no rush. I watched sloths barely move in the trees and realized they were still carrying out their purpose—slowly and steadily, with an entire ecosystem thriving on their backs. Horses showed me how they conserve energy by standing still for long stretches, completely present and unhurried.
Then something shifted. I started noticing my own breath. At first it felt shallow, almost held. As I let myself exhale, my nervous system softened. Breath by breath, my body let go.
And then there was a phrase I heard everywhere: Pura Vida. It wasn’t just words. It was a mindset. Life lived from the present moment, not from worry or fear. People had a work-to-live mentality, rather than living to work.
Why It Matters for Leadership
Costa Rica showed me there is wisdom in slowing down. Stillness creates space for clarity, helping us notice what really matters…whether that’s a decision, a priority, or the person right in front of us.
As I slowed down, I started to show up differently. Calmer. Clearer. More present with others. I stopped multitasking and started listening more deeply. Decisions came more easily. Even small moments with people felt more purposeful.
My definition of productivity began to shift. It became less about how much I could accomplish in a day and more about the quality of what I was creating, and the presence I brought to it.
Just as ecosystems thrive in balance and renewal, so do teams. Constant activity can narrow our thinking and pull us into short-term decisions. Pausing allows energy, trust, and creativity to regenerate.
For me, that was the biggest lesson: slowing down is a leadership strategy. If we want to create organizations that truly thrive, we need to pay attention to this kind of pause…for individuals and teams.
Reflection:
What would it look like to measure your day not by how much you got done, but by the quality of your presence and decisions?