Sloths are an enigma of the animal world, but with their inquisitive eyes, their innocent faces and their peaceful demeanor, it’s hard not to find them incredibly endearing.
But what about if the sloth is your spirit animal? How can you tell? And what can the sloth teach you about the way you live?
In this post, we answer questions such as these as we tell you everything you need to know about sloth spirit animal and more.
Sloth Spirit Animal – What are the characteristics of the sloth?
Let’s start by talking about the characteristics of sloths.
The word “sloth” means lazy, and many people see them as being idle creatures – and it’s true that they spend the majority of their time hanging around upside down in trees.
However, the word “sloth” also comes from the same root as the word “slow”, and this might be a better way to describe them. They prefer to lead an unhurried existence, taking their time to do everything – indeed, even at their top speed, they can only cover about 15ft in a minute.
They have nothing they need to rush around for though, so they spend their days in trees munching on their favorite food, which is mainly leaves in the case of three-toed sloths, although two-toed sloths will also eat fruit, insects and even lizards – if they can catch them!
Despite the fact that they are unable to run away from predators, they are not commonly caught and eaten since they are so well camouflaged – which is just as well since they wouldn’t be much good in a fight.
Most people think of sloths as being super-cute animals, and although they aren’t particularly glamorous or exciting, they seem to be content with the lifestyles they have without needing anything more.
How do you know if the sloth is your spirit animal?
So how can you know if your spirit animal is the sloth?
First of all, you’ll probably feel a natural affinity with this laidback animal, and you might share several of its traits.
For example, you might be the kind of person who likes to take their time instead of rushing around all the time. You don’t like to be pressured into making quick decisions but prefer to have the time to think things over properly before making up your mind.
You’re an easy-going, relaxed kind of person, and you’re not into causing a fuss or getting involved with any kind of drama. You avoid conflict as much as you can because when it comes to confrontation or violence, you’d much rather just not be involved.
You aren’t the kind of person who enjoys wearing flashy clothes or expensive jewelry, and you don’t like drawing attention to yourself. You’d rather stay out of the limelight and keep yourself to yourself.
You’re more content to just be grateful for what you have without chasing after expensive material possessions, and you have a patient nature, believing that good things will come to you eventually.
And if they don’t, then they weren’t meant for you anyway and you’ll happily do without. You prefer to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, and to you, life is all about taking the time to savor every moment.
Does a lot of this resonate with you? Then you and the sloth are a good match, and this could be the perfect spirit animal for you.
What can we learn from the sloth?
There are many things the sloth can teach us, all coming from the various aspects of its character.
For example, in our hectic modern lives, the sloth reminds us to slow things down and to take one thing at a time. Sometimes, we can be so busy rushing from one place to the next that we forget to appreciate what we have or savor the moment.
Our culture nowadays is increasingly about instant gratification, with everything reduced to the length of a short block of text or a 15-second video.
However, the sloth teaches us the value of taking time to do things properly and that the most valuable things in life are worth waiting for. There is a saying that “patience is a virtue”, and this is something the sloth embodies – and is something the sloth urges us to emulate.
Sloths might not seem to have much, but they don’t ask for much either and this can teach us to appreciate the simple pleasures in life.
You might think you need the latest iPhone or expensive designer clothing, but once you’ve got them, the appeal soon wears off, and you quickly find yourself wanting the next thing on your list.
Constantly chasing more and more material items and luxury goods will ultimately leave you feeling hollow, so instead, take pleasure from what you have, and like the sloth, you will be much more contented on a deeper, more spiritual level.
Above all, always stay positive. Even at times in your life when it seems to be raining every day – in a metaphorical sense – remember the rain that falls on a sloth just drips off its coat, and after it stops raining, the sun always comes out again.
And if you can incorporate the lessons the sloth teaches us into your life, you will find yourself more contented and more fulfilled.
How to channel your inner sloth
If you have chosen the sloth for your spirit animal, how can you channel your inner sloth to the best effect to bring success and happiness to your life? After all, having a sloth as your spirit animal might not seem an obvious advantage for your career prospects.
First, when you are at work, remember to take things slowly. Don’t rush into decisions but rather, take the time to think things over and get things right.
If you’re given a task to do, make sure you do it thoroughly rather than hurrying through to get it done as quickly as possible – and you’ll find your boss appreciates your level of attention to detail.
Focus on your work and reflect on what you are doing instead of trying to do too many things at once – and know how to find a healthy work-life balance because if you push yourself too hard, you will only burn yourself out.
At the same time, realize that someone who has the sloth as their spirit animal might not be suited to fast-moving, high-pressure jobs, so remember your inner sloth when you consider your career choices.
When it comes to relationships, don’t rush into things either. You are the kind of person who prefers to let things develop slowly and naturally, but the depth of feeling between you and your partner will be much more profound than in a fast yet superficial relationship.
And finally, when managing your finances, remember that a sloth doesn’t need to show off or be flashy. Try to live within your means and appreciate simple things, and you will find you never have to worry about money matters.
What messages can the sloth bring us?
Unless you happen to live in the jungles of Central or South America, you are unlikely to meet sloths in your daily life outside of a zoo – but they can still appear in our lives in the form of images, on television or in other ways.
So what does it mean if you suddenly start noticing more sloths around you in your daily life? And what messages could it bring to you? Here are a couple of possibilities.
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Slow down
An obvious message that seeing sloths could bring is that the pace of your life is too fast, and you need to slow down to appreciate what is going on around you.
Are you overwhelmed by too much work and too many responsibilities? Do you not seem to have time to even think about what you are doing because you are busy every moment of every day?
In this case, the sloth is telling you to make space in your day for stillness and reflection. Perhaps you should try yoga or meditation to help you bring some calm to your life – because the high pace you are trying to keep is not sustainable
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Don’t covet things you don’t have
Sloths appearing in your life may be a message that you are too motivating by chasing things you don’t have – and most likely superficial things that won’t bring you true happiness. So try to re-evaluate what is important because it probably isn’t the latest gadgets or designer gear.
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Be patient
Be patient with your projects or with your goals in life. Not everything can be achieved in five minutes, but if you stick at it and never give up, the most important things will come to you in the end.
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Try to resolve problems without conflict
Are you facing any conflicts in your life at the moment? Have you argued with a family member or fallen out with a friend?
If you have, the sloth appearing in your life could be guiding you to resolve your problems through peaceful means rather than aggression, anger and indignation.
Take it easy and enjoy life
Even for people who don’t have the sloth as their spirit animal, there’s a lot we can learn from these wonderful creatures. If, like the sloth, you can take things slowly, enjoy the moment and take pleasure in the simple things, you will find your life a whole lot happier and more fulfilled.