How did I start to live more consciously?

By Sanskrit Airon

A few years ago, if someone talked about living a conscious and sustainable life, most people would have silenced them up. However, revisiting this idea today has become the need of the hour. While the concept of conscious living has been out there for quite some time, it was during these six months of quarantine that I could take out the time and understand what it is and its importance.

Every day, we go about doing our work and following a routine. After a point of time, it all becomes robotic. A break from monotony is where conscious living comes in and encourages you to take a pause, analyse and look into what you are doing. It is about getting in touch with our inner selves and our surroundings. It is about being aware of everything being consumed by us, not only in terms of food and clothes but our daily lifestyle.

“To live consciously means to seek to be aware of everything that bears on our actions, purposes, values and goals and to behave in accordance with that which we see and know.”
-Nathaniel Branden
Canadian-American psychotherapist

The talks about conscious living are not new. It is just that the world is changing now. People have started questioning practices and have become more aware of the impact of different things in the environment and the planet.

I believe that to make a difference; I don’t need to do something big. It is the small acts of kindness, giving attention to little details, and being positive can help bring about a positive change.

Here are a few things I did in the past few months to bring a change in my lifestyle:-

Table of Contents

Take out time for things that matter

Apart from working and developing new hobbies, I made sure that I spend enough time with my family and loved ones. I also take out a few minutes daily for myself. Taking time out for myself has helped me get through the pandemic without much difficulty.

Use what’s already there

The pandemic meant no shopping for a while. The lockdown gave me an opportunity to deep dive into what I have. To my surprise, I discovered some great pieces in my wardrobe that I had been neglecting. Thus now, I have decided to use what I have to the most.

Declutter and donate

You know that wardrobe or cabinet we all have that just stores things. Things that are are a misfit and put away.

With all the free time in hand, I finally got an opportunity to clean up that wardrobe in my house. Guess what, it was full of things which I no longer needed. By the time I was done cleaning up, I had two big boxes ready to be donated and be of use to someone who needed it.

Ditch those use and throw products

The pandemic has just amplified the use and throw culture. If earlier plastic bottles were flooding the water bodies, now its face masks, shields and PPE kits. Single-use products might seem tempting, but their consequences to the environment are damaging.

So start by using whatever single-use items you have to the most and then on your next purchase, buy more consciously.

Shop eco-friendly

For every plastic packet we have paper bags, for every thermocol plate, we have banana leaves. Plastic bottle or box can be replaced by steel or glass alternatives, all of which are readily available at home and in the market.

Sustainable swaps are how we become conscious of our consumption. I have personally switched to menstrual cups, reusable cloth mask, beeswax wrap for food and carrying my bottle wherever I go. There are a lot of ways in which we can cut down on our waste.

The whole idea of conscious living is catching on, and several people have started following it. It is not something that comes overnight. It is not just a change in our actions, but about a shift in our lifestyle. Conscious living is something that evolves throughout our life. The more aware we become, the more unexplored territory we realise there is to it.

I may not have figured out all the pieces of this puzzle. I do though have seen a considerable change in my choices and my relationship with my peers. While I continue exploring the territory of conscious living, I sincerely hope that the people reading this, give this lifestyle a chance.

Sanskriti hails from Lucknow and is presently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Media and Communication. She enjoys exploring new avenues. She has previously worked with Hindustan Times and enjoys writing about fashion and lifestyle, particularly sustainable practices.