Never too old to learn.

stockholm library

Being human is being curious, keen to learn and to develop. Getting better at what we do, learning completely new things or setting goals as part of our own development journey – personally or professionally. I’ve always enjoyed studying and feeling like I’m actively educating myself on various topics. Since graduating from university a decade ago I’ve been keen to study, ‘properly’, but it just hasn’t happened, and I haven’t taken the time to do it.

But then came the pandemic. And all that spare time sitting at home, feeling worried / confused / lonely / bored / non-productive. I realised I wanted to do something more valuable and felt it was the perfect time to educate myself in a more structured way than just reading on my own.

These days there are fantastic opportunities of online education on platforms such as Coursera. And in Sweden, we have the huge privilege of free education. I didn’t take advantage of this for my Bachelor as I did my degree in the UK, but I’ve been meaning to explore the wide range of courses the Swedish universities offer online. And so, mid-pandemic I did.

New perspectives

Whether you’re learning something completely new or exploring a topic you’re more familiar with, you’re always going gain new perspectives. Either from reading something new, challenging your mindset or getting someone else’s point of view presented to you. So surely, doing a course in anything will benefit you in some way? Maybe it could even be seen as a sort of self-care?

I opted for something I’m already very interested in – environmental writing – and found a comparative literature course in ecoliterature that I got accepted onto. A chance to broaden my horizon and read books I may not have found or chosen myself, at the same time as I got a chance to explore the importance of literature when it comes to investigating our role in nature and in our environment.

To pass the course we had to write an essay based on some of the novels, poems and essays we’d read and I wrote mine exploring what type of literature may be best suited to encourage us to take better care of our planet. I won’t dwell on that here (I may do so later in a later blog post) but what I wanted to highlight here was the joy of getting an opportunity to learn and develop, as a student / learner / person.

I can truly recommend it. Whether it’s a course in French, art history, ecology, philosophy or pottery. Whatever it is, it will most likely be time well spent. To learn something new, to meet some new people, or even just to avoid being bored at home during a global pandemic.

p.s. if you’re interested in the course’s literature list, let me know and I’ll pass it on. Some of the books you can find in English were: The Vegetarian by Han Kang, The Great Derangement by Amitav Ghosh, and The History of Bees by Maja Lunde.

Photo credit: Unsplash

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Learnings from a year of no shopping.

At the end of 2019, I decided that 2020 would be a year of no shopping for me. Little did I know that it would be the weirdest year in our lifetime, challenging in so many ways forcing us to change the ways we live and prioritise differently. But I had decided to commit to a no-shopping year, and didn’t want to abandon it even though circumstances changed. So I stuck with it, and with us having entered 2021, I thought I’d share some of my reflections and learnings.

Why did I do it?

Over the last few years, I have changed the way I consume and have become increasingly more conscious of what I buy, what it’s made of and who made it. But the biggest shift has probably been around the notion of whether I need to buy something at all. Why am I buying it? Do I really need it? It is something I will treasure over time? Could I do without it?

I’ve also been exploring the act of consuming and what it does to us, and I wrote this piece questioning happiness linked with consumption.

A shift towards conscious consumption that questions the very act of purchasing something has been an interesting one and I wanted to explore this further. Trying out a year of no shopping seemed like a good test. To see what the challenges would be, what the benefits could be and what it would do to me.

Guidance or rules?

I didn’t set any specific rules but the whole idea was to try to avoid shopping anything, especially not for myself, unless I ran out of a beauty product for example. Some people make a list saying they can’t buy clothes or accessories, and others have a stricter no-shopping policy that covers all kinds of shopping. I opted for something in the middle but with a clear aim of exploring whether I could avoid all shopping.

If you’re considering doing something similar, I would recommend thinking about why you’re doing it and then set your guide or rules depending on this reason. Are you trying to save money? Then maybe try to avoid all shopping, apart from the absolutely necessary. Is your wardrobe too full and you feel overwhelmed by all the fashion you’re buying? Then maybe focus on setting rules for the amounts of clothes, shoes and bags you can buy.

My motivation came from wanting to explore what it would do to me to not shop so I set my aims based on that.

How did I do?

I started this year travelling in South America and bought a few books to read and I also visited a slow fashion boutique in Paraguay’s capital Asunción that I had read about and bought a top and a tote bag. I really wanted to support the girls running the shop and felt I could start the challenge once I got home…

Fairly early on in the year I realised my sports bra wasn’t doing what it should (after 10 years or so), and I had to buy a new one to be able to do my ballet classes without pain. It felt like a legitimate purchase.

And once the pandemic was our new reality and we had self-isolated in the countryside; I bought a jigsaw puzzle to have something to do.

In the autumn, I did a course (more on that in a different post) and even though I borrowed most of the books from the library, there were some books on the reading list I had to buy to get hold of them in time for the lectures. I also visited Gothenburg for work and wanted to visit a store doing clothes rentals, but because of the pandemic they had to close down and whilst I was in town, they hosted a sale selling off all their stock. I wanted to support them and bought two blouses, one of which I was able to wear at the (digital) conference where I was speaking.

And that’s pretty much it. We bought a few things for the flat over the year, but in terms of things for myself, that was it.

I didn’t manage to not buy anything at all, all year, but to only buy a handful of things over 12 months is definitely a result I’m happy with.

And how was it?

To do a no-shopping year during a pandemic had its challenges as well as advantages. When we haven’t got much to bring us joy, buying ourselves nice things to cheer us up is fairly common. But I had to just stop myself from thinking that buying stuff would cheer me up during such weird and challenging times.

The pandemic has been particularly hard for small businesses and the urge to wanting to support them has been particularly hard to deal with to be honest. And if anything, it has definitely showed me what kind of businesses I want to continue supporting once we’re out of the pandemic.

Being recommended to stay at home and avoid shops and crowded places has of course helped enormously when trying to avoid finding myself in situations where I might get tempted to buy stuff. Not going to shops is most definitely an easy way to not shop! But it has also made it clear how much stuff we buy just because we get inspired once we’re in the shop. If you spend a year barely being in any stores, you won’t find yourself impulse buying shoes / clothes / towels just because they looked good when you walked past them on a shelf in a nice boutique. And you realise you don’t actually need anything because your home is already full of stuff to use and wear.

What have I learnt?

Not shopping for a year was to some extent easier than I thought it would be. I’m privileged enough to already have a lot of things so I don’t need to shop. I also haven’t missed going around in shops feeling pressured to buy stuff just because it’s pretty / useful / on sale. What I have missed though is second hand shops and flea markets, which also says something about my shopping needs. I’m not necessarily interested in buying stuff on the high street, but instead I’m interested in finding rare objects, finds and old things that inspire me.

Going forward, this is definitely what I will continue focusing on. And as I mentioned earlier, the pandemic has made it even clearer that we need to be supporting the businesses we want to survive and thrive. Spending money on companies not doing much good for the world isn’t very satisfying, but every dollar we can give to the companies doing better is a much better investment. I’m aiming to continue being very selective with what I do buy and try to support conscious businesses as much as possible. To contribute to shifting the world’s capital towards better business.

During the year of no shopping, I’ve been working on a wish list on my phone. If I think of something I need or see something I really like then I put it on the list and let it stay there. Obviously this year, because I haven’t been buying anything, it’s stayed on the list for a long time, but what I’ve realised is also that quite a lot of those things get taken off the list after a while. When I realise I actually don’t need it, or even want it anymore.

An aim going forward will therefore be to continue the list, add things I’m interested in but then leave them on there for a while to see whether I still want it. That way, I’ll be able to avoid impulse shopping and it’ll also help me to make more conscious choices. I won’t do another no-shopping year this year, but I’ll try sticking to the list, I’ll definitely limit my purchases, and I’ll focus on second hand and conscious, small businesses.

Not shopping for a year has made me much more aware of what I do have already. It’s made me realise I don’t need a lot of new things, it’s made me appreciate what I have, and it’s helped me clarify what I do want and need going forward.

Anything else?

Whatever reason you may have for doing a no-shopping year, taking control over your spending is most definitely a useful lesson. I’ve never had much money to spare at the end of the month but with no shopping I’ve found myself in a different situation.

I’ve never been a big spender but have obviously spent the money I’ve had. Until this year. I’ve been lucky enough to keep my job this extremely difficult year and this has given me the very fortunate opportunity to properly start a savings account, to create a cash buffer, and even (on a very small scale!) enter the stock market. I’ve started taking control over my finances in a way that I haven’t before, and I’m certainly going to keep this up. I’ve set up a budget, monthly savings and a budget for charitable giving each month, and I’m hoping this will also help me be a more conscious consumer. With better control over my money and what I spend it on.

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Reflections halfway through my year of no shopping

evening light

Six months into this bizarre year of 2020 also means six months into my year of no shopping.

It hasn’t been an ordinary year so far and this has most definitely affected my experience of not buying anything for myself apart from essentials (e.g. toiletries). It’s affected the experience in several ways and has given me additional layers of reflection, so I thought I’d share some of them here.

External influence & pressure

When the whole world stops, in a way my generation hasn’t experienced before, it gives us this weird new perspective on life, on living, and on co-living with others on this planet. This pandemic has forced us to take a break from living our normal lives, from going to work, from seeing friends, from being out and about, and we’ve instead had to spend our time with ourselves, mainly in our own homes.

Going out shopping hasn’t really been a thing this spring, but neither has being amongst people in general. No parties where one might feel the need to buy a new dress, no trips where some new attire is needed, and no activities with others where we might be inspired, influenced or even pressured by others to buy something we’re missing.

This has certainly made things easier for me in terms of not buying anything. I’ve barely had any reasons to actually buy anything, at all, during these last few months and I know this is because of the fact that I’ve been isolation with my boyfriend. Not having to show up in public means I’m just using/wearing whatever I can find at home. The pandemic meant I had to go cold turkey but it’s also shown that I have a lot of stuff, more than enough, that I can and should use.

The online aspect

These days, a lot of our external influence and pressure comes from social media rather than people we see or meet in real life. During a pandemic where everyone’s at home, probably spending an awful lot of time on their phones, this is obviously even more prominent. Some may have increased their online shopping during the pandemic but since I’ve never really been into online shopping, this hasn’t been the case this year either.

And is it just me or have we actually seen a decrease in shopping-mania on social media during the pandemic? It might just be my own filter bubble, but I feel there’s less talk about shopping and that people have been genuinely less interested in consumption.

As people are losing their jobs, as the economy is crashing, and as we’re all feeling uncertain about the future, feeling less inclined to spend money is natural. But since I’m doing this no-shopping year anyway I’ve also had the chance to reflect on this from a more long-term perspective, and I think many others have too. Reflecting on what we actually do want to spend our money on, not just now but when we’re on the other side of the pandemic too.

Taking the time to prioritise

The key thing that’s made my no-shopping year pretty easy so far is the fact that I’ve barely had any opportunities to shop or even to be tempted to shop, because I’ve barely visited a shop all year. If you don’t put yourself in the position of actually being inside a shop full of things you’d normally want to buy, not buying anything isn’t actually that hard.

I’m hoping I can keep this up, post-pandemic too. To not tempt myself by going to shops I like just to browse, but instead to be more pragmatic and to take the time to prioritise and to plan my purchases.

During this no-shopping year, I’ve got a list on my phone that I keep adding things to that I feel like I need or want. I just leave them on there and some I’ve deleted because I realised after a while that I didn’t actually need or want them. Some might stay on the list this whole year and I can then reflect on whether I still need/want them and whether I should buy them in 2021. My aim is to keep this list going after this year too. To be able to make conscious purchases of things I actually need and to wait a while before buying them to see whether it was something I really wanted.

The result so far?

So far, it’s been pretty easy but I’m conscious of the fact that it probably wouldn’t have been this easy if it wasn’t for the pandemic.

Early on I realised I needed a new sports bra because the ones I had were old and not supportive enough. I made the decision that breast pain during exercise was a good enough reason and an exception I had to make, so I bought a sports bra. And a couple of months into the pandemic, when I desperately needed something to waste time with I bought a jigsaw puzzle for our small household.

But apart from that, I haven’t felt the need for anything really. What I’ve missed though is the excitement of walking through an antiques or second hand shop, looking through the shelves for some interesting/beautiful finds. I haven’t been to any shops though, mainly because of the pandemic but also to not tempt myself.

On a day trip the other week, in the rural countryside of Småland, we ended up in a small shop to buy ice cream and realised it was also an antiques shop. They probably don’t get a lot of customers normally, and probably even less so during the pandemic so my urge to support them got the better of me. So I bought a pair of small, ceramic candle holders.

A couple of slips and a necessary purchase to be able to do exercise during the pandemic. I feel that’s an ok result after 6 months.

I’m pleased it hasn’t actually been that hard and I’m most definitely motivated to carry on. I thought I might have felt more inclined to shop because of these weird/upsetting times but instead it’s actually helped me to truly think about what kind of life I want and what I want to spend my money on. Let’s see what the second half of 2020 brings.

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What’s this year’s Earth Day telling us?

nature

It’s been 50 years since Earth Day started being celebrated as a way to instill hope and optimism and to encourage action for our planet. And as we’ve started to see the true damage we’ve been doing to it over the last few decades, I feel this day has become increasingly important over the last few years.

This year though, everything is different. It’s still an important day and we now know we’re in the middle of a climate crisis, but we’re also in the middle of the corona crisis that is giving many of us new perspectives. Skies in China have cleared up and people in northern India can finally see the Himalayas after 30 years of smog. Some are seeing very little of nature at the moment as they’re at home in quarantine, but some might be spending more time in nature than ever. Because there’s not much else to do. And maybe, because we’re finally learning to appreciate nature.

Nature and people

As Sweden isn’t in complete lockdown I’ve been able to spend quite a bit of time in the forest, socially distancing. I know in these times, not everyone is able to spend much time in nature so I feel very grateful for my forest walks. I also feel very privileged to live in a country with such immediate access to nature. Because it is a privilege and it’s one that an increasing amount of people are missing out on as we collectively move to cities, destroy natural habitats and make our connection with nature more difficult.

This pandemic may also be sending us a message. As we’re putting pressure on Earth, through global heating and the destruction of the natural world for activities such as mining and farming, we’re driving wildlife into closer contact with people. Scientists speak of more deadly diseases that could be coming our way if we don’t change our behaviour and one could see Covid-19 as a warning sign from Earth.

Earth Day is celebrated every year with a varied range of campaigns, and with a lot of nice pictures on social media. Each year we’re seeing more disturbing statistics but probably not enough real action. Action that will truly shift people’s mindsets into doing better for the planet.

This Earth Day is different. And it might be one that really, truly creates a difference. Because Earth is literally shouting at us, showing us what damage we’re creating, and locking us up in our homes to think about what we’ve done. And I feel we’re actually starting to put two and two together.

Will things be different?

We’re slowly, actually, starting to appreciate nature – because we’re missing it when we can’t enjoy it because we’re forced to stay at home. And for those of us who are able to spend some of our social distance time away from people, in nature, we’re learning to appreciate what it really means for our wellbeing to be able to spend time in a forest, on a hill, by the seaside. To just be, in the moment. Listening to the wind, to the birds, or to the silence.

The jury is still out on whether the corona crisis will create a long-lasting impact on the environment. We’re seeing a lot of short-terms improvements as carbon emissions are going down but we’ll have to wait and see whether people’s ways of living will continue in a different manner even when we’re on the other side of Corona.

It’s most definitely given us food for thought though. What if we don’t need to travel around so much? What if we can host most meetings online to avoid travel? What if we don’t actually need to buy that much stuff all the time? What if, to be truly happy and healthy, maybe what we need is to take a step back and to start really appreciating Earth by living with it rather than just on it?

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Is a slower way of living here to stay?

Slow living

I started writing this piece pre-corona as a reflection on slow living, self care and the potential need for a re-brand of being lazy. But now, because of this almost unreal situation where we’re forced to sit back and watch our world being turned upside down, these reflections have taken new turns. One can only guess where this will end but for now, we’re forced to slow down and I’m wondering whether it’ll lead us to carry on with a slower way of living afterwards?

Many of the latest self care trends are about taking time for ourselves, to treat ourselves to a facial or going to the spa or going out for a long walk. But the time for ourselves when we’re actually not doing anything is normally not called self care though. It’s in most cases just called being lazy. And with that comes, mainly, bad connotations. Why?

lazy. unwilling to do work or use energy

I think the above definition gives us a few hints as to the complexity of the meaning of the word lazy. Because the unwillingness to do work could be an arrogant act by someone who refuses to do something others might be expecting them to do. But the unwillingness to use energy could just be when someone just wants a break from it all. A time to relax, to disconnect, to avoid using energy to gain new energy.

Using the word lazy when someone isn’t doing anything in particular, just laying on the sofa for example, makes it sound like a bad thing. It makes it sound like we should feel guilty about not doing anything more productive.

Taking the time for nothing

Today, having time is seen as a luxury, but maybe we should also see it as a chance to do nothing. We don’t necessarily have to fill that time with a pilates session or a visit to an expensive gym.

It’s on us though to make the time for this. I for one don’t feel I have time to do ‘nothing’ if I’m stressed about things I haven’t yet done. So for someone like me it’s about making a list of things that needs doing, ticking them off, and then relaxing afterwards. Probably to feel like I ‘deserve’ it.

Forced to slow down

Because of the corona virus, many of us are now forced to slow down, whether we want it or not. Maybe you’ve been ill, maybe you’re in quarantine or maybe you’ve decided to self isolate as you’re able to work from home. We’re not able to socialise, we’re not supposed to be in crowded places. Some of us are having to do with what we have within our four walls and some can go out for a walk or jog, away from people, ideally in a secluded forest.

We’re essentially being forced to do mindfulness and self care, forced to stay inside and do nothing. We’re forced to be lazy and in this case, being lazy is most definitely a positive thing because it helps stop the spreading of the virus.

We can only speculate what the total damage will be from this worrying and challenging situation, but we can hope that it will pass fairly soon. And we can hope that it’ll also bring something positive amongst all the sadness and tragedy. Because this is a time for us to think. Think about how we have been leading our lives. How we want to live our lives going forward. How we can reconnect with nature and take better care of our planet.

It’s a time for reflection and it may be a time when we learn to appreciate a slower way of living.

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2020: The year of no shopping

A new year means a new start for many. A chance to reflect on the past and set new ambitions and goals. This often leads to a feeling of having to get bigger and better, to achieve and to have more. But does it need to? Is maybe what we have enough for the new year? I will explore this during 2020 with an aim of doing a no-shopping year.

At and earlier stage of my conscious journey, ‘conscious consumption’ used to be more about sustainable brands and eco materials. Second hand increasingly got into the mix and I definitely see myself as a conscious consumer today. But over time, this has come to be more of a question of whether I should buy something at all.

My conscious consumption journey has been a lot about what brand or material to buy, and it still is, and I’m really enjoying seeing new brands and new innovative efforts to find new ways of creating fashion. But now I tend to ask more often whether it’s something I should buy at all, whether I really need it. And this goes for second hand items too.

Buying things second hand is a very sustainable option because it means buying something that already exists. Many second hand shops are also run by charities which means your purchase till often go towards supporting charitable work in your community or globally. And this is of course a great thing, and it’s something that’s very important for many charities to be able to continue carry out their work. But in terms of sustainability, the most sustainable option is using the clothes/things we already have.

Questioning our consumption

Conscious consumption has to me always meant asking myself questions. Doing the research and asking myself why I’m buying something and what it is I really want. To make myself more aware and to question my own routines.

I’ve reached a point on my conscious journey where I’m questioning all consumption, for environmental and cultural reasons. A key question now is therefore whether I need something at all. Even if it’s a sustainable, second hand option. Even if it’s cheap.

At the end of last year, I wrote about consumption making us feel bad, even if we’re buying eco-friendly things. Research shows that buying less makes us happier and I think this is something worth exploring. I’ve done a few no-shopping months and have really enjoyed them because they allow me to ignore campaigns, sales and all things shopping. Once you start buying things, there’s always a want for more, but I feel when I’m not buying anything, I also want less.

A no-shopping year

Having a shop-stop year is increasingly popular and it’s something I’ve been getting more and more interested in doing. Some do it because they shop way too much and need to cut back, for environmental reasons, for financial reasons, or for mental reasons. I don’t shop that much but I’m intrigued by the challenge. I want to see what a shop-stop year means. How hard is it? Will I save money? What will I do with my money instead? What are the judgement calls I will have to make over the year?

Will it force me to be more creative with what I have? Mending things? Renting things? Forcing me to consider waiting, or not buying something at all. Because maybe I don’t actually need it, maybe I just want it?

The rules?

I’m expecting judgement call to be something I feel I (or we) really want or need. Something that’s been handmade by someone. Something that is really beautiful. Or something that supports someone or a good cause. But the aim is to not buy anything that isn’t a consumable, or something that breaks that needs to be replaced, or something that we really need for the flat.

I can trade things at clothes swaps for example, and I can buy meals at a restaurant or tickets to a play. I can buy beauty items, but only when I’ve run out of something and the aim is to stick to the basics (schampoo, moisturizer, deodorant, mascara). If we (really, really) need something for the flat then I will aim to buy something second hand, and if not, then handmade/sustainable/eco-friendly.

Have you done a no-shopping year? What were your rules and what are your best tips??

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Slowing down and settling in (but gearing up for a decade of action)

settling

Settling in to a new place takes time. And maybe you’re never done. Maybe you shouldn’t be because maybe that’s a way of staying active, staying curious. But many of us need to feel settled in some way at least. To feel secure, to feel we have the energy and strength to live life fully or to aspire for more.

2019 has most definitely been a continuation of 2018 in terms of continuing the work of settling in to my new life in Sweden. Settling in to a new way of living whilst also exploring how I do want to live. And it’s been a year of settling in to my conscious way of living and defining what that means. Finding what I can and want to focus on, and finding comfort in knowing what I cannot focus on. To be content, and to slow down.

Reflecting to look forward

New year’s resolutions don’t work for everyone and many may not put much emphasis on a new year being a new beginning. But for me it helps picturing a new start, or a time when you can make positive changes. Reflecting on what’s happened over the previous year is therefore a useful exercise as a means to look ahead.

2019 has been a year of personal learnings and progress as I’ve continued to explore what conscious living means to me. And this has happened whilst the conversations on the topic of true sustainability has stepped up around the globe. Greta has sailed across the Atlantic twice to spread her appeal for everyone to listen to the scientists. Many, especially the young, are listening, but it also seems that many most definitely aren’t.

COP25 and the climate negotiations that have taken place in Madrid over the last two weeks were a huge disappointment. The big, rich polluters are trying to get away with doing as little as they can to change and fight climate change. Australia is literally on fire at the moment but the people in charge refuse to connect any dots are only focused on continued coal mining and money making.

Less talk, more action

The way the world seems to be going, with increased polarisation and all the rest of it, makes me, on some days, really worry. But on other days it inspires me, to continue leading a more conscious lifestyle and to continue working with things I believe can change the world for the better. 2019 has given us a lot of worries for the future, but with 2020 around the corner, I’m staying positive.

We’re entering a new decade. A decade that’s extremely important in terms of fighting climate change and I’m hoping the sense of urgency will reach a more mainstream audience. I’m also hoping we’re entering a decade of less talk, less greenwashing, less confusion, and more action. We’ve had a few years of talking about it, now we need to change mindsets and start creating real change.

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What is luxury these days?

opera luxury

The notion of what defines luxury is becoming blurrier by the day. A previous concept of glamour and wealth that may have been associated with luxury is diminishing as new trends and sub-cultures emerge. This is happening at the same time as globalisation and advances in technology are allowing a larger market access more products. Where does this leave the concept of luxury and where is it going?

It’s relatively clear that the idea of big cars, big houses and flashy fashion doesn’t necessarily equal luxury anymore. Luxurious things, that are made from delicate materials and have been produced with skill and care, may still be desirable, but the value of the craftsmanship is increasingly out-doing the actual monetary value of the material. However, as this Quartzy piece highlights, amongst a younger audience, we’re simultaneously seeing a surge in the importance of the brand and the image. The importance of a big visible logo on the most basic white T-shirt.

I would also argue that there’s a luxury trend in something that isn’t even related to material things. Where we may want things but if so, they ought to be natural. Or we don’t want things at all, and instead we want time. Time for ourselves and for the things and people we already have and love. And we want to be closer to nature.

A state of comfort

The Oxford Dictionary defines luxury as ‘a state of great comfort or elegance, especially when involving great expense’. I feel we’ve for a long time associated the word with material things, but that we’re moving more towards what the actual definition outlines: a state. Maybe even a state that excludes material things?

Before, we wanted more of everything. Now we want less stuff.

Some of course still aspire to a Hollywood luxury of having MTV Cribs style houses with big TVs, big cars, loads of bling and a massive walk-in closet. And you don’t have to look far when scrolling through social media to find popular accounts showing off this kind of lifestyle as luxury and success.

But I would also argue that there’s an increasing resistance to this. Resistance to all of the stuff and resistance to social media. Instead, we’re increasingly aspiring towards being free from having to be online, share things on social media all the time, and to consume others’ views on what defines success. Digital detoxing is increasingly popular and being unplugged is a new kind of luxury. Especially if it involves being at a remote yoga retreat or in a cosy, stylish cabin in a rural forest. Or maybe it’s even less extravagant than that. Maybe a new luxury is something so basic as being able to take the time to switch off, by lighting a few candles and sinking in to a warm bubble bath?

Luxury vs consumption

Luxury may for many mean material things and being able to engage in mass consumption used to be a luxury. But when production and materials got cheap, which resulted in more people being able to shop loads of (cheap) stuff, mass consumption has been put in a new light. And we’re seeing a trend where having just a few, key pieces that are well-produced, is more of a luxury.

Conscious consumption can potentially be seen as a new kind of luxury as it’s not always affordable for normal people on normal salaries. But one could of course also argue that when aspiring towards sustainable consumption, you are also shifting your mindset towards buying less, meaning more people can in fact afford it. However one feels about it, I do think this is where we’re heading.

Where, rather than buying everything because you can, being more selective is a new luxury. Where we can show the reasoning behind a purchase as well as the craftsmanship. Being able to tell a story of where our food, shirt, or piece of jewellery is from, how it was made and who made it.

The concept of luxury being when you can be selective is also interesting. Because one could argue that it’s only when you already have everything, or at least enough, that you can chose to be selective with what you buy, or even chose to not buy at all.

Luxurious uniqueness

In a world of mass consumption, luxury is also to have something unique. It doesn’t necessarily need to be expensive and luxurious in the traditional sense but can instead be something unique as in something old. A vintage piece that none of your friends will have because you found it in some random vintage boutique in some random village you visited. One that will have a style, feel, and story that will display a sense of luxurious uniqueness.

It also doesn’t have to be the most elaborate items. It can be something simple and pure, hand made, created with passion and love. The revival of craftsmanship goes hand in hand with the new kind of luxury, where more people will put greater value into knowing that time and effort has been put in to make something unique that you now have in your home.

The luxury of time

Showcasing wealth with luxurious material things won’t be going out of trend any time soon. It has been and will be an apparent way of displaying success, both to yourself and to others. But in a busy world where we work hard, we’re always online, and we’re often stressed to fit everything in between work, family, friends, activities, chores, a true luxury is often time. Time to take care of ourselves. Time to learn, to take a course in something, time to develop. And time to be off, to go to the theatre, to the spa, to the mountains for a hike.

To me, these days, luxury is not quite being able to buy something expensive. It’s to take the time to go to the beautiful Royal Opera to watch the ballet. Or to go for a long walk along the waterfront close to where we live, on a warm summer’s evening after work. And I’m hoping this is where we’re heading. For the sake of mental health as well as the planet. Where success and luxury isn’t measured by more things. But instead, we take pleasure in enjoying more by having less.

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Consuming less is better for the planet and your happiness

consume less

Having less stuff helps us stay more organised and zen, and consuming less allows us to save money or spend it on experiences instead. Consuming less has great benefits on the environment, and recent studies are also showing that buying less makes us happier.

The endless consumption wheel we’re all in is supposed to provide us with things we both need and want. It’s supposed to give us joy as well as help the economy. But this wheel often spins out of control for many as we buy things we don’t actually need or can afford. This excessive consumption is affecting the planet, as well as our wallets and minds.

Happier with less

Even though many of us may feel an immediate, short-term joy when buying something new, there is increasing evidence that consuming less makes us happier. And this goes for us who try to buy environmentally-friendly things too. A recent study by University of Arizona compared two groups of people, to monitor happiness and mental health. Both groups were trying to consider the environment: one by buying eco-friendly items and the other by buying less.

The study showed that those who bought less and instead started mending stuff they already own for example, had increased levels of happiness. One might think that those who were buying eco-friendly things may feel satisfied because they were buying things that are good for the environment but it didn’t actually seem that way. Which I would argue is an interesting point to consider in the ‘sustainable shopping’ debate.

To shop or not to shop?

Despite what many companies and brands will tell us, we won’t be able to shop ourselves out of the climate crisis. Even though we’re buying things that are supposedly green, eco or sustainable. Using what we have and making it last will always be the most sustainable option. And now we can fall back on research that shows that this is also a better option for our happiness.

I’ve done quite a few ‘no-shopping-months’ over the years but I have yet to try a full year of no shopping. Some argue it’s not for them as they enjoy the shopping and shopping only second hand for example is a good sustainable option. But I also hear of those who really enjoy a no-shopping year.

Not shopping for a year of course has financial benefits but maybe there is also a psychological benefit? Maybe I should give it a go for the happiness reason? What are your thoughts? Have buying less or nothing for a period of time made you happier?

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Are you experiencing eco-anxiety?

Nature ocean

Are you suffering from anxiety about climate change? Is trying to live consciously stressing you out? Or is ‘ecological grief’ making you depressed? You’re not alone. The climate crisis is increasingly affecting the mental health of people around the world.

Seeing how our world is being destroyed whilst world leaders and many with them aren’t doing anything to cut carbon emissions is most definitely something to be stressed about. Seeing your home and life being directly affected by global warming is next level anxiety and something the people of Greenland are currently living through. A study shows they are experiencing ecological grief as they are traumatised by the way climate change is affecting their traditional way of life.

An increasing eco-anxiety

As I’ve followed a large number of, often young, often female, green living individuals on social media and blogs for quite a while now I’ve seen various responses to various issues, but I’m increasingly seeing mental health issues emerging in response to the climate crisis. Young women who are feeling overwhelmed by the sustainability lifestyle, trying to be good and do good. Either feeling like they’re failing, or feeling like they can’t enjoy life because they’ve set up too many rules for themselves in the name of the planet. Or feeling like they’re being judged by others that don’t think they’re ‘green enough’.

I’m personally going through various stages and levels of eco-anxiety. Some days I’m awfully pessimistic and genuinely worried about the hardship so many of us will endure due to the climate changing over the next few decades. Other days I see hope when I think about the younger generation that want to change the ways in which things are currently run by wealthy, white, middle-aged men. And on some days I find it hard to know whether any of the small changes I’m trying to make are in fact making a difference.

American research shows that “people’s anxiety and distress about the implications of climate change are undermining mental health and wellbeing“. This is to a larger extent affecting people who are directly affected by climate change but eco-anxiety is also experienced by people across the globe who are feeling powerless. Many are having to go to therapy for it, which however, in this piece, is being highlighted as a beneficial method of working through your eco-anxiety. Psychology professor Susan M Koger argues in the same piece that it’s unhelpful to be paralysed by fear and she’s also talking about guilt as an unhelpful emotion as it’s not motivating.

Dealing with our eco-anxiety is essential, to feel motivated to create change, but also to find a sustainable approach to our own wellbeing. No one is perfect and trying to be perfect is never going to be sustainable but doing our bit and living in a way that we can actually sustain, might be.

Walking in nature

Finding your own conscious journey

I do believe that we can all make a difference. That we can inspire others. that we can improve our own communities, and that we can have an effect on brands and companies by raising our voices and demanding change. But we, as individuals, can’t do it all. Individual changes are important but systemic change is most definitely needed to combat climate change. Companies and governments will have to do more to change regulations and to change the way we do business and make the world work.

Putting the climate guilt towards big companies and world leaders might have an effect but putting too much of the guilt on ourselves won’t do us any good. Spending time feeling guilty because you’re not doing something planet-positive all day every day, or putting guilt on others on Instagram for not doing so just isn’t going help.

I’ve previously highlighted the importance of finding your own conscious journey and I stick to this. I believe we have to find our own way of living sustainably for it to be truly sustainable. Otherwise, we might feel we’re sacrificing too much, or we’ll feel we can’t do it or that we’re not doing enough, and it won’t last. It’s important to believe that our individual changes and actions can make a difference, but this also needs to be put into a bigger picture, where we can’t take on all of the responsibility or guilt.

Consider what can you do to make the greatest positive impact? How can you change your lifestyle to be more conscious of the planet, whilst also being conscious of your own wellbeing? To keep you going, to keep you motivated, and for you to feel that you can continue making a difference.

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