Page 30 - Masala Lite Issue 160 April 2024
P. 30

SUSTAINABLY                                          You don’t have to change

                                                                             and future generations.
                        STYLISH                                              yourself overnight, you can


                                                                             begin by slowly reducing and
                                                                             decluttering your mind and
                                                                             physical space. You don’t
                                                                             have to stop consuming
                         SUSTAINABILITY AS A                                 leather overnight, you can
                                                                             switch to buying second
                          JOURNEY TOWARDS                                    hand leather or sustainably-
                                                                             sourced leather. Sustainable
                              CONSCIOUSNESS                                  living does not mean we
                                                                             have to give up everything
                                                                             we love, we just have to
                           Aparna Sharma explores the intersection           become more mindful.
                                between personal wellbeing and               A simple exercise to connect
                                  environmental stewardship.                 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
        Can sustainable living be a stepping stone to increased personal wellbeing and   hands placed on the soil for a few minutes every day. You can also try walking barefoot
        attaining higher levels of consciousness?  The simple answer to this is an astounding   on grass or soil every day. This helps in grounding and absorbing the positive energy
        YES. Sustainable living fosters a heightened awareness of our interconnectedness   from the earth. This simple exercise can also help stop you from overconsuming;
        with the environment and society. In my opinion, the simple definition of sustainable   you can go for a walk in the park instead of going shopping at a mall. You will go
        living is to live in a way that you can coexist peacefully with nature and other beings   back home feeling more refreshed and you don’t have to spend any money. ‘Retail
        on the planet. This includes consuming in a way which puts the least pressure on the   therapy’ is a term created by marketing professionals to make us consume more. If
        planet and other living beings. This might often feel very difficult, as the economic   it really worked, we would not be living on a planet with increased levels of mental
        system is based on making us over-consume products we don’t need, but we can   health issues and depression.
        all begin by taking one step at a time.                              We cannot buy happiness by shopping for the latest trends. They might make us
        A good place to start this journey is by becoming more mindful of the things we   feel temporarily happy, but they won’t give us long lasting joy. On the contrary,
        consume by asking ourselves if we really need them. Differentiating between   spending time in nature helps both our brains and our bodies to relax. Exposure to
        wanting and needing something is crucial to living more sustainably. This will lead   nature basically switches the body from a state of high physiological arousal to one
        us on the path to a more conscious lifestyle, where we become more mindful of   of rest and relaxation. People who walk through a park for an hour regularly will feel
        our consumption habits and the impact our lifestyle has on the wellbeing of other   less anxious than those who go to a mall for ‘retail therapy.’ Try this for yourself.
        people and the environment; allowing us to connect more with the ‘oneness’ of the   Sustainable living teaches us that the earth is within all of us, and when we begin to
        universe. Because everything is interrelated, this awareness usually extends beyond   understand that we are all interconnected, we can feel more one with the earth. This
        the environment to other social justice issues.                      feeling can take us into higher levels of consciousness and help improve our overall

        Once you begin to differentiate between ‘needs’ and ‘wants,’ you will slowly progress   mental wellbeing, because it will enable us to feel less lonely and more connected.
        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   Aparna Sharma is a non-conformist who believes that fashion must become a
        consciousness of the planet. This, in turn, cultivates mindfulness in our daily choices,   force for good and style must meet sustainability. She breaks down the
        leading to greater consideration of the long-term impacts of our actions on the planet   nuances of slow fashion and how we can stay stylish without being trendy.

































































        MASAL A LITE  ISSUE 160 - APRIL 2024
   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35