Conscious living is a pretty hype concept today. Many brands even built whole marketing strategies, persuading us that buying from them is a part of conscious consumption and life.

They say that the modern world offers endless possibilities. You may become whoever you want, wear clothes you like and have endless opportunities to spend your free time. But is it so?

If the possibilities are unlimited and choices are so wide, it seems pretty strange that so many people drown in debt, waste their lives and skills at dead-end jobs or commit to toxic relationships. Not to mention growing numbers of depression rates and mental illnesses, especially in big cities – the places that seem to offer ultimate freedom and happiness.

Do a simple experiment. Take a look at your pictures taken ten years ago. Don’t that outfit, haircut, or makeup look funny? However, back then, it might have seemed to be the trendiest look. Believe it or not, you will feel the same looking at your best today’s selfie ten years from now. So is it possible that you like those things and lifestyles not because they represent your choice, but because someone told you that they are hype and fashionable?

Here and there, we see revelations of how brands and shops force us to spend more money. “Forewarned is forearmed!” – this is what we think, but then we continue growing our credit card debts buying things that we didn’t even know that we wanted before entered the mall.

No worries – there is a strong chance that you have been living consciously long before it has become mainstream. But, to be sure, keep on reading, and let’s determine together what conscious living is and how you can start taking control over your life today.

 

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

 

What is so special about conscious living?

Even if you are unfamiliar with the concept of conscious living, you have experienced it’s a fundamental principle at least once in your life. Imagine that you can choose among various options or settle for something because your budget or capabilities are quite limited.

It is generally what conscious living is about taking charge of your life without compromising your comfort, safety, or joy. Sometimes we justify our poor choices by lack of money, skills, education, social obligations, or any other factors. All those are indications that your life unconsciously.

You go with the flow, spend all day at your work, hardly see your family make a living, but don’t know where the money eventually goes. You don’t like how you look and seriously think that you should go to a doctor with this pain in the back, but who has time for all those things when there is a project deadline, and you already promised to go to that boring party?

If you have recognized yourself in at least one of those statements, we’ve got some news for you. Remember, as a child, you dreamt of living however you like when you grow up? Well, you never did.

In other words, conscious living is a way of growing up. Once you understand that someone is still telling you what to wear and eat, how to behave, and what to do with your life, you get your chance to cast off those restraints and start living your life.

 

The first step on a very long path

Unfortunately, there is no step-by-step guide to living consciously that will revolutionize your world in a fortnight. It is essential to understand that conscious living is quite a broad concept. It is more like a state of mind than a set of particular habits and behavior patterns.

But there is one ground rule that determines conscious living as a lifestyle: you need to start thinking! You may be surprised by how many decisions in your life have been imposed on you once you start thinking your every action through.

 

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” – Buddha

Yoga for your life

Whether you have nothing to do with yoga or attended at least one class at the local gym, you notice that there is something special about those people who mastered this art of living. Except for the ability to do a perfect split, those people seem to walk and talk differently. Their every move looks full of meaning and purpose.

Well, it is pretty understandable as once you have spent several years taming your body and mind, you don’t want to ruin it with ill-conceived decisions or actions. This attitude may be quite handy once you try to adopt conscious living principles. Once you look at every bite of food, every beverage, or act as a means of either going forward in your progress or a load that will pull you down, decision making will become much more logical.

Start asking questions

To make an informed decision, you may need a lot of data. So if you want to start living consciously instead of going with the flow, it is high time to ask some questions!

It may seem pretty overwhelming from the beginning, but you will have to question many things about your life. Does buying new stuff worth spending a couple more hours at work instead of taking kids to the park? And by the way, does your work bring you that professional and financial satisfaction you deserve? And what impact do you make on the outer world? You may support sustainable brands, raise awareness about important matters, and encourage others. Or you can pollute, waste and over-consume.

Once we realize that our every action has a reason and implications, our conscious starts to wake up and take charge, leading us to a happier and healthier life.