A short while back The Private Life of a Girl became A Considered Life. While the name changed, the blog continued to provide practical advice and achievable tips on minimalism and decluttering, wellness and veganism, minimal style and beauty. I want to dig a little deeper into the term 'a considered life' and share what it means.
'A considered life' is purposeful, intentional, and sustainable. It's a lifestyle committed to compassion, focused on mindful living and eating well, while being respectful of humanity and the environment. A considered life is lived by someone who makes a conscious effort to find out about the businesses they support; who made their clothes, where their food comes from, and the impact their personal choices have on our shared planet.
I have lived a plant-based lifestyle since 2004 and started my journey towards minimalism in 2012 when I set up a business, OMCH, creating minimal jewellery. What I learned about the fashion industry encouraged me to become a more conscious consumer of fashion by learning about ethical brands, ditching fast fashion, and creating an (anti)capsule wardrobe.
But it was a two-hundred mile move across the country into a tiny 500-square-foot apartment that forced me to radically streamline my life. The process of downsizing was therapeutic and freeing. During the move I realised I didn’t need any of this stuff to make me content, I was happier with less. Minimalism changed my life.
There is a deep connection between minimalism and veganism, both teach us about being mindful of how we live our lives through the choices we make so that we can align our actions with our values. Minimalism and veganism both encourage us to consider how our actions have an impact not only on our own lives but on the lives of others; encouraging us to make decisions for the greater good, minimising consumption to put less stress on our planet; reducing excess, exploitation, waste, and pollution in the simplest way possible. Simply put: combined, they create a lifestyle of conscious consumerism - 'a considered life'.
A considered life has helped me to want less and appreciate what I already have. It's redefined what I expect from life and has given me more time and money to spend doing the things that truly make me happy. I've become a more considerate and compassionate person; I have built stronger relationships, become more self-aware, achieved a better work-life balance, reduced stress and made more time for self-care. I'm incredibly passionate about both minimalism and veganism. I care deeply about sharing the "why" and the "how" of both so that I can show it's an achievable goal for most people. That's why I want to share more of both sides of that lifestyle with you through A Considered Life.
