Calling all mindful creatives: this sustainable living guide is for you.
As a songwriter, living holistically and sustainably is such an important element of my creative process. I 100% know that the times I feel anxious, uninspired, and stuck is when I’m:
- Not eating well
- Not drinking enough
- Not sleeping enough
- Not surrounding myself with healthy people or things
- Not doing mindfulness practices
It’s honestly that simple.
This is why I prioritize sustainable living practices to keep me feeling energized and inspired so I have the energy and clarity I need to write music and create content. ✨
But because sustainability means so many things in so many situations, let’s talk about what it actually means for me— and how you can use it to fuel your creativity, too.
What is a Sustainable Lifestyle?
In its simplest terms, sustainability refers to the ability to maintain or endure something over time. You’ll usually hear it referred to in environmental terms, referring to the ability of natural systems and processes to constantly produce with ease.
In our sense, we’re talking about sustainability as the practices and lifestyles that aim to reduce consumption, minimize waste, and promote the long-term well-being of us and the planet.
Note: many people talk about sustainability just regarding the planet. But when it comes to shopping, there is so much out of the consumer’s control. For example, it’s up to the manufacturer of the products we buy to switch to recyclable packaging or use more sustainable shipping practices.
That’s why this sustainable living guide is all about doing what is in our control— sustaining ourselves and in turn, living more healthy and abundant lives.
Let’s break down my sustainable lifestyle formula so you can get a little inspiration for igniting more wellness and creativity in your life.
3-Step Sustainable Living Guide for Holistic Girlies
1. Buying Intentionally (Second-Hand Shopping + High-Quality Items).
This first step to this simple sustainable living guide is incorporating sustainable practices into your shopping habits.
This all started when we did an entire day of Marie Kondo’s philosophy of keeping only items that spark joy. Since that big home organization day, I started practicing mindful consumption everywhere I went. What does this mean:
- Going to thrift shops so I didn’t need to buy new (I bought all my Christmas decorations this past year and they look totally new!)
- Searching on Facebook Marketplace for second-hand finds
- Saving up for high-quality items that last longer instead of re-buying cheap items over and over again.
2. Eating Intentionally (Whole, Plant-Based Foods).
Self-sustainable living when it comes to eating means understanding the impact that our food (and drinks) have on sustaining our own creativity.
For me, sustainable eating means eating as natural, organic, plant-based, gluten-free, and whole foods as possible.
In turn, lots of these foods tend to also be sustainable to nature, too, in terms of production and packaging.
I have a shopping list that includes lots of plant-based snacks (many of which are gluten-free, too!) that we love always have stocked in our home.
When it comes to drinking intentionally, we love our hydrogen water machine in our home! We have the HydraHome Unit that produces ~8.0 pH drinking water and we can really feel a difference when we’re not drinking it. This is water that is:
- Electrolyte-rich
- Antioxidant-rich
- Filtered specifically for our location
- Also has an ozone water feature for all-natural laundry, mouthwash, face wash + more
For a more pocket-friendly alternative, you can always go with the HydraShot, which is a hydrogen water bottle that can do this in mini-form in 5-10 minutes.
3. Living Intentionally (Having a Low-Toxic Home).
Creating a low-tox, eco-friendly home is an important part in this little sustainable living guide. By minimizing exposure to harmful chemicals and reducing waste, you can create a space that supports both your well-being and the planet.
Here are some sustainable living tips and tools for transitioning to a low-tox home:
- Natural disinfectant sprays: Alert: Mrs. Meyers is not a non-toxic cleaning product! Beware of greenwashing companies and stick to the basics as much as you can. For disinfectant sprays, we use half-vinegar, half-water, 5-10 drops of tea tree or lavender essential oil and the Hydrogen Disinfectant Spray.
- Unscented, powdered laundry detergents and ozone water as an optional way to replace or supplement our laundry
- Sustainable, long-lasting furniture like from Sabai (purchase, slipcovers, replace cushions, and go through their recycle program for a closed-loop process)
- Essential oil diffusers with your favorite essential oils— please NEVER scent plug-ins with those awful synthetic scents. These are SO bad for you!
- Sustainable, high-vibrational clothing.
- Practicing mindfulness in and out of the home. This means going to yoga, meditating, therapy, sauna sessions, massages, acupuncture. Self-care for your body and your mind.
- Using air filters/purifiers. Remember that dust can get into your lungs just like smoke can! Air purifiers are a great way to filter out the dust and show you if your air is ever being compromised.
(4. Bonus: Remembering That Nobody’s Perfect.)
Remember that even the best sustainable living ideas won’t be perfect. We’re always dealing with:
- Environmental toxins out of our control (i.e. going into someone’s home with scent plug-ins)
- Limited food choices at restaurants
- Always learning and growing at our own pace
You probably know at least one other person whose way ahead of you on sustainable living. There are many people in my life who constantly inspire and educate me as they’re on a whole other level!
Remember to give yourself grace in taking things one step at a time.
Simply putting in the effort to making your own sustainable living guide is worth celebrating! The fact that you’re here right now means you care enough to constantly learn more. Cheers to living more sustainably, and being more intentional about our surroundings. Our innate, divine creativity is internally thanking us. 🤍
