3 Simple Alternatives To Consumerism That Anyone Can Afford

Four years after emigrating from America to Spain, I started living a sustainable life and discovered more fulfilling life that consumerism couldn’t provide

Everywhere today we hear about sustainable living and it is becoming a new trend. Maybe because of climate change and the urgency to do something.

What exactly is a sustainable life?

It can mean many things to many people. How I understand living sustainably may not be the same as how you understand it. I did a little digging on the internet and here’s what I found written by Rinkesh at Conserve Energy Future:

“Sustainable living is the practice of reducing your demand for natural resources by making sure that you replace what you use to the best of your ability.

Sometimes that can mean not choosing to consume a product that is made using practices that don’t promote sustainability, and sometimes it means changing how you do things so that you start becoming more of an active part of the cycle of life.”

When I left the US, I wanted to try different lifestyles and experiences. I chose to live sustainably.

I decided to live on a budget, spend less, eat less, walk more, and drive less.

Consume less and shop even less.

I must say, it was easier than I thought. I live in a 100% walkable city which is very affordable. I recycle our clothes by buying low-cost at the local secondhand stores.

I started to travel locally. Instead of buying things, I create them from cheap or recycled materials.

So far on my ongoing journey to lead a sustainable life, I have discovered new ways of life:

1. Frugality

2. Health and Diet

3. Creativity

Developing these 3 ways has allowed me to get closer to myself and have a deeper relationship with myself which has led to better relationships with others, especially with my family.

Frugality

When I decided to start living frugally, I became obsessed with budgeting and looking for free things to do. I started living on one. When you live on a budget, you feel like your life is more under control.

To be realistic, I always set the number 20% higher than the actual budget that I am willing to spend per month. This way you can meet your monthly quota more easily.

I only buy things I need, not what I desire (the desire I replace with creativity). I love the moments when I don’t throw the food into the trash, or don’t have stuff piling everywhere.

I feel the freedom of not going shopping for things I don’t need. I’m not telling you to start a minimalist life which sometimes is used by some big corporations to persuade people to spend a ton of money on another boring product. No, that’s not minimalism or frugality. That’s another marketing scam of capitalism.

Life should be simple.

Reuse is the new recycle.

You can replace shopping with reading, writing, socializing, or creating. When you practice a sustainable life, you discover how to be. A life enjoying its simplicity. You will become a role model for your kids, too. Give it a try, it will free up enormous amounts of time to do things you enjoy.

Health and Diet

I started to eat a true Mediterranean Diet and lost 35 pounds within a year. I am not only following the diet but its lifestyle and it works.

It works. Also, I started yoga and rolfing sessions.

These exercises helped me with posture, energy levels, and creativity. Of course, I continue to walk all day long everywhere.

Creativity

Creativity gives me the richest experience and satisfaction. By creativity, I mean everything made with hands such as cooking, writing, or painting.

The reason creativity is so satisfying is that it makes you slow down. Also, to be in the moment while enjoying the process. This process allows you to be more aware, inflow, and feel the joy. Only then can you experience a deeper level of living and find your meaning in life.

We are preoccupied with technology and consuming empty information without content. This information is superficial, nothing else.

Thus, creativity can fill the void of meaningless. The need to create something with our hands and minds is in our blood. It is our nature. Humans crave seeing the results created by us.

These results are more essential for our emotional balance than clicking likes, watching mindless videos, or surfing social media. It is very abstract, and not tangible. It prevents us from seeing the whole picture.

But creativity gives us something concrete, something magnificent. For me getting tired after doing something creative is the most beautiful experience in life.

Carl Honore, the Canadian journalist explains in his bestselling book In a Praise of Slowness how being slow is important in our modern life:

“To use slowness is to unlock your creativity. Anyone can do it. Start by cleaning some space in your schedule for rest, daydreaming and serendipity. Humans think more creatively when they are calm, unhurried and free from stress and distraction. We all know this from experience.”

Later, he continues that even your best ideas and aha moments, seldom come from multitasking, meetings, or reaching deadlines. They come from walking the dog, swinging on a hammock, or taking a shower. Exactly in those moments, we are calm and slow.

A sustainable life is about practicing frugality which paradoxically improves the quality of life. Anyway, we spend so much money on unnecessary things which we toss later on. These activities are mindless which leads to a disconnected life.

You only need to replace consumeristic activities with creative ones. Second; take care of your health by eating prepared food made by hand. Your body will be thankful.

Also, replace driving with walking. It will give you the needed energy for the next passion: creativity. By slowing down, you will awaken your mind to creativity and many eureka moments.

Are you ready to live sustainably?

What did you discover about leading a sustainable life?