Aparna Sharma explores the intersection between personal wellbeing and environmental stewardship.
Can sustainable living be a stepping stone to increased personal wellbeing and attaining higher levels of consciousness? The simple answer to this is an astounding YES. Sustainable living fosters a heightened awareness of our interconnectedness with the environment and society. In my opinion, the simple definition of sustainable living is to live in a way that you can coexist peacefully with nature and other beings on the planet. This includes consuming in a way which puts the least pressure on the planet and other living beings. This might often feel very difficult, as the economic system is based on making us over-consume products we don’t need, but we can all begin by taking one step at a time.
A good place to start this journey is by becoming more mindful of the things we consume by asking ourselves if we really need them. Differentiating between wanting and needing something is crucial to living more sustainably. This will lead us on the path to a more conscious lifestyle, where we become more mindful of our consumption habits and the impact our lifestyle has on the wellbeing of otherpeople and the environment; allowing us to connect more with the ‘oneness’ of the universe. Because everything is interrelated, this awareness usually extends beyond the environment to other social justice issues.
Once you begin to differentiate between ‘needs’ and ‘wants,’ you will slowly progress towards asking yourself if you have to kill or torture an animal for your makeup, shoes, bags, food, etc., and what the implications of doing this are on the collective consciousness of the planet. This, in turn, cultivates mindfulness in our daily choices, leading to greater consideration of the long-term impacts of our actions on the planet and future generations. You don’t have to change yourself overnight, you can begin by slowly reducing and decluttering your mind and physical space. You don’t have to stop consuming leather overnight, you can switch to buying second hand leather or sustainably- sourced leather. Sustainable living does not mean we have to give up everything we love, we just have to become more mindful.
A simple exercise to connect more with the environment and the ‘oneness’ of the planet is by spending more time with soil. You can start by having one or two plants at home and sitting with your hands placed on the soil for a few minutes every day. You can also try walking barefoot on grass or soil every day. This helps in grounding and absorbing the positive energy from the earth. This simple exercise can also help stop you from overconsuming; you can go for a walk in the park instead of going shopping at a mall. You will go back home feeling more refreshed and you don’t have to spend any money. ‘Retail therapy’ is a term created by marketing professionals to make us consume more. If it really worked, we would not be living on a planet with increased levels of mental health issues and depression.
We cannot buy happiness by shopping for the latest trends. They might make us feel temporarily happy, but they won’t give us long lasting joy. On the contrary, spending time in nature helps both our brains and our bodies to relax. Exposure to nature basically switches the body from a state of high physiological arousal to one of rest and relaxation. People who walk through a park for an hour regularly will feel less anxious than those who go to a mall for ‘retail therapy.’ Try this for yourself.
Sustainable living teaches us that the earth is within all of us, and when we begin to understand that we are all interconnected, we can feel more one with the earth. This feeling can take us into higher levels of consciousness and help improve our overall mental wellbeing, because it will enable us to feel less lonely and more connected.
Aparna Sharma is a non-conformist who believes that fashion must become a force for good and style must meet sustainability. She breaks down the nuances of slow fashion and how we can stay stylish without being trendy.
