madebywave Mindfulness: My Top 10 Ways to Live an Authentic Life
As a brand that values living authentically, I try to emulate the madebywave ethics in my daily life. Choosing to pursue a conscious existence and making sure to treat yourself, those around you and the world at large with kindness makes living authentic a truly fulfilling choice.
1. Travel with Meaning
In 2017, it is so easy to travel wherever you want but that doesn’t mean we can’t travel in a conscious way. Travelling authentic is bound to provide a more enriching experience than the traditional two-weeks-by-the-pool-in-the-sun ever could. While we all deserve time to relax and unwind, make sure to discover the authenticity in your chosen location. Take time to explore off the beaten track and engage with the local people. Ignore the tourist tat and choose purchases that have been made locally by local communities. Eat at the restaurants where the locals eat and support smaller communities instead of mass tourism as far as possible.
2. Give Something Back
There are so many opportunities to donate to charity, with adverts at every turn asking for just £10 a month for the RSPCA or another major charity. While this is a fantastic way to contribute, I find that the most authentic way to give something back is to discover those lesser-known charities and organisations that are in desperate need of support. Choose an area that is close to your heart – whether that’s animal welfare, child protection, refugee support or preventing deforestation. A simple bit of Google research is bound to bring up a charity in need of your help.
3. Find Your Joy
It’s all too easy to get swept up in day to day worries and let life pass you by. That’s why learning to find and identify joy in the little things is integral to living an authentic life. Take five minutes just before you go to sleep at night to write down everything you have been grateful for that day. By taking the time to acknowledge all the goodness in your life, you will enjoy a sense of calm and naturally attract more positive experiences.
4. Build on the Positives
The happiest people are those who consistently pursue their own happiness. While it’s wonderful to be satisfied with your lot, you can gain a real sense of achievement from carving out new and positive channels. Try a new exercise class, ask a could-be friend out for coffee or try that new hobby you can’t stop thinking about. You’ll gain a whole new sense of confidence and wellbeing by engaging with life using a fresh perspective.
5. Consider your Diet
We are what we eat, and the clean eating revolution is still going strong. Conscious eating is so important for an authentic life – when we fill our bodies with goodness, our minds stay strong, bright and clear. Consider whether your diet is kind to your body and eliminate anything that doesn’t agree with your system, however much you like it. Minimise caffeine, alcohol and processed foods and you’ll notice the difference in no time.
6. Take Time Out
Work, children, social commitments – with our calendars always packed full, it’s difficult to find time to get away from it all. But ‘me time’ is essential if you wish to retain your authentic life and keep a clear, conscious mind. Create time for yourself on a weekly basis and choose to spend it however makes you feel good. That might be reading a great book, having a manicure, taking a long bubble bath or doing a half hour meditation session.
7. Surround Yourself with Positivity
Some people say that you are the product of the 10 people with which you spend the most time. While I believe that we are all totally independent souls, the attitude and outlook of people that you surround yourself with will inevitably rub off a little. Spend your precious time with people that make you feel good and show you the good in the world. While everyone has their own issues to deal with, life is too short for persistent negativity. It’s amazing what uplifting friends, family and work contacts will do for your wellbeing.
8. Learn to Love Yourself
The old saying goes that you can’t really love someone else until you know how to love yourself – and I can’t help but agree. Loving yourself simply means being kind to yourself and choosing to respect your body and mind. We are all too quick to judge ourselves harshly, but an authentic life means turning this on its head. Don’t gloss over your achievements and always praise yourself where praise is due. If your best friend accomplished a major goal in her work or personal life, you would be full of compliments. Treat yourself the same way.
9. Make Every Choice a Conscious One
Whether that’s the bigger choices such as adopting a dog from a rescue centre rather than buying a new puppy or choosing to walk to the shops instead of driving, it’s incredible how every choice we make has the power to make us – and others – feel and do good. We make hundreds of choices, small and large, every single day so take this opportunity to choose the authentic path every time.
10. Buy Slow Fashion
While slow, sustainable fashion and conscious lifestyle brands were thin on the ground just a decade ago, today there is no excuse not to shop sustainably. Slow fashion is now more stylish and more affordable than ever with trends that stand the test of time. Support the planet, those independent brands that are choosing to do good and those people who already living their authentic life with pride.
