Hello friends,
This is Youheum.
Thanks for joining me.
Today, I am sharing 10 eco friendly
practices I focus on as
a sustainable minimalist.
This includes both mindset approaches,
as well as technical hacks
that I use in my journey.
The first transition I made to align
with sustainable, minimalist living
was using reusables
on a consistent daily basis.
To me, this was as simple
and effortless as letting go
of single use products
like plastic bags, disposable utensils,
and food containers as much as possible.
Instead of contributing to more waste,
I made a one time investment on long lasting,
zero waste kitchen ware,
as well as some low waste things
to use wherever I go.
But I do know that sometimes
it is inevitable to run into some
single use plastics and wrappings
when doing groceries or eating out.
For this, I just work on my inner self
to let go and release
my attachment to perfectionism.
I focus my attention on being mindful
of the ingredients and being highly selective
of what kind of products I use
on my body, on my sacred self.
I try as much as I can to let go
of what I think may be toxic
and harmful to my own body.
Including some chemical ingredients
that I am sensative to,
as well as unnatural products.
So I go for something like natural oils,
plant based extracts, like essential oils,
instead of artificial ones.
I also use sustainable fabrics
like hemp, linen, and flax
and biodegradable materials like bamboo.
The objective for me with this is
not to hoard eco friendly products
on top of what I already own,
but to simply return to making
conscious choices when the need
for purchasing necessities rises.
It is not really about accumulating
natural and organic things for aesthetic purposes,
or as a way of demonstrating myself
as somehow a sustainability guru,
but the true intention is
to be mindful with what I do decide
to invite into my life.
I question if what I consume
is really aligned with my values,
my needs, and also the well being of this earth.
I enjoy gardening and growing my own food
whenever I can, in order to deepen
my connection with mother earth.
This I do by contributing to some
permaculture projects as much as I can
and also maintaining a plot of my own
when that is available.
I think that this can be as simple
as growing some potted herbs at home,
signing up for community gardens,
or helping a neighbor out in their garden.
To me, it does not always have to be
about making a full commitment,
as this may be difficult,
depending on the physical conditions.
I also enjoy inviting mindful
awareness when consuming food.
A part of this practice for me
is to keep my compassion alive
by eating in such a way that reduces
the suffering of all living beings.
If this is not available for some,
I also think that simply focusing
on reducing food waste, and composting
when possible, and appreciating my meals.
As well as extending gratitude
to all the resources used during
the growing process, during the harvesting
and distributing process.
It is something that is very important.
So I usually dedicate a moment
to thank the resources with a lotus
prayer before I enjoy my meals.
[What is the purpose of thanking my food?]
It is simply about forming
a deeper bond with what I eat.
And about appreciating the miracle of plants.
To me, consuming mindfully also extends
to material things, including being aware
of what is used in the production process.
Being aware where it comes from.
Who creates and how it is delivered to me.
So preferably, whenever possible,
I try to focus on ethically sourced products
that are sweat shop free, and sold
by small businesses like Etsy shop owners
or mom-and-pop shops.
That is where I source most of my things.
It is true that sometimes I have
to rely on bigger companies,
but as I mentioned before,
it is not really about restricting
myself completely for
the sake of perfectionism.
I feel that what is more important
is to consume whenever needed
in moderation, in a limited way,
so as to keep the waste,
as well as any contribution to possibly
unethical brands as low as possible.
To me it is not about complete elimination.
But it is more about finding the balance.
And doing it with awareness
and intention at the center of it.
Sometimes I feel that the most humble way
of loving this earth without the label
of me being sustainable,
of me being eco friendly,
is to simply appreciate it,
to approach it with gratitude,
and to be one with nature.
I do this by choosing to return to nature,
to immerse myself in the moment
of being with the abundance
of life around me.
I know that opening the path of sustainability,
adopting eco friendly,
and low waste practices,
and inviting conscious awareness
into my life can be intimidating at first.
It can also lead to my feelings of guilt
and shame about my own past habits.
That is why I find it important
to recognize the inevitable ups and downs,
and to apply compassion, gentleness,
and even forgiveness when that becomes necessary.
This way, I can approach it in a more
long term, process oriented mindset.
I can recognize the value of all the challenges
that unfold throughout my consistent practice.
By really taking my time to fine tune
a customized practice that is
catered to my own lifestyle,
to my own comfort level and priorities.
In the past, what I knew about
the sustainability movement,
as well as minimalism was very limited.
Even now, I may not know everything.
I am surely not a minimalist guru.
I have not mastered the way
to be completely green.
But I think that it is okay
not to know at first.
A lot of the times, the initial block,
and mental resistance in diving in
to sustainable living in the first place,
is based on the fear of unknowingness,
the fear of unfamiliarity, and the fear
of admitting my own unawareness.
But I, nowadays, think that it is okay
not to know with perfection.
It is completely okay to want to educate
myself from the beginning.
To actually humbly ask for insights
and learning materials from others.
To me, my practice of sustainable,
minimalist living is a deeply personal practice.
It is not really about knowing more
than others, putting others down,
and blaming other people's actions.
It is definitely not about judging my friends,
pointing out how unsustainable they are,
or about competing against fellow
practitioners on who can be more eco
friendly and environmentally aware.
My approach is to focus on healing the earth
by commiting to my own individual
responsibilities of self education,
of conscious awareness, and intentional
living as much as I personally can.
The focus is always on the self.
And less on the external distractions
or the competition.
It is centered on using my energy,
time, and resources efficiently
on personal development, and self awareness
to bring about positive changes that can
perhaps lead to the wellbeing of all
living beings as a whole.
So first and foremost, it is important
to practice sustainability out
of compassion and loving kindness.
I approach this journey
with love and non-violence.
I do not force others to be just like me,
to think like me.
I do not force educate them
or to manipulate them with guilt traps
and passive aggressive persuasion.
To me, it is so important to extend love
to all living beings on this earth
because I believe that there is no
seperation between earth, life, and us.
We are in togetherness.
We are wholesome.
We are healing ourselves
by healing the earth.
So if you also want to practice with us
on this path of mindfulness,
sustainability, minimalism and wellness
through non-violence, feel free to join
our Healing Circle Songha online forum community,
or simply like and subscribe to my
Heal Your Living channel.
I thank you all for being here, my friends.
I hope to see you again soon.
Subtitles by the Amara.org community