How I detox my life, live sustainably using Marie Kondo's Spark Joy theory

From leaving toxic work culture to choosing the tea I drink everyday. Thanks to Marie Kondo’s “The Life Changing Method of Tidying Up”, my life has started to turn to the brighter side.

I started by asking myself this question:"What does freedom look like to me?" To be free from objects and cultures that doesn't serve my values. So my goal is to remove them from my life, and try to live as real and as sustainable as possible. 

My life before last year was kind of a mess, I must admit. Here’s the story: I woke up one morning, realised that probably 10% of my ENTIRE lifetime had been spent flipping through unworn clothes in my closet. I could never decide what to wear — and I could never find my socks. There’s either too many irrational holiday purchases tucked in there, or those blouses that didn’t fit and I promised myself to lose weight for. Totally stupid. I never lost that weight, and the list of things I owned kept growing. Think about it — 10 per cent of my life!!! If I’m lucky enough to live until I'm 80, 10 per cent is EIGHT YEARS. This was a OMG wake-up call for me. I had to make some changes. If you can relate, this post is for you.

pic: My closet - embarrassing but real.

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So I committed into making shifts, here are my process of 5 life changing shifts to live more sustainable and happier:

1. Read this book: The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Reading this book was a turn-key event for me, because nobody ever taught me the value of being tidy. My family members are is clean and tidy, but none of us were taught how. In order to get a clear view on life, I've found getting rid off things first helps so much. Marie Kondo spent years figuring out the easiest way to organise life, allowing only the things that spark joy to stay. You’ll never find your closet to be messy again after reading this book. It’s like quitting smoking.  

This book is a real eye-opener. I blocked out a full week sorting out every little thing according to Marie’s method. I finished with 12 huge boxes that I sent to charity, and I now only live with the things I truly love(Included my designs from The Rushing Hour of course). The Konmari theory applies to everything in life. In order to make space for things, people, anything that matters to you, you must first let go of the “not good enough” stuff. Living mindfully is living sustainably.

One thing we must all understand: nobody can ever be 100 percent sustainable. The minute you are born, you have started to contribute landfill in some way. This we cannot change, but we can take small steps that add up to a big difference.

It's been 2 years since I did my first Kon Marie detox, and never looked back. Highly recommend.

 

2. Stop gifting: Less things, more love

This step is extremely important. Love doesn’t need to be shown by gifts. I've never understood the whole stressing over, “Oh it’s Christmas, I've got to get this person something, that person something”. A week after New Year, I see department stores roll out banners reading: “Got an unwanted gift? Donate it here."

image credit: unknown

Do we really need to live through this toxic circulation of gifting? I honestly don’t give a damn about peer pressure. Grown-up people don’t need that shitty little card or gift from you to be happy. Give them a call, a text message greeting. It will make them happy, too. Imagine how much plastic, card, and wrapping paper we’ve thrown away during this gifting season. My partner and I have been together for seven years now, and we rarely gift, but we don’t love each other any less. If there’s a day worth celebrating, we’ll go out for a yummy meal or take a scenic stroll and enjoy nature. People with high self-esteem don't need things or gifts to feel validated. Spending time together is more valuable. and for kids, teach them how to enjoy and be mindful for experiences instead of things.

If anyone complains to you about you not gifting, you probably don’t need them in your life. Yup I said that.

 

3. Be a smart shopper

I’m sure you can name at least 10 companies not doing their part to be ethical. Question them, do your research! In my household, we never buy certain brand of tea, not going to name names here, these labels are not treating workers in India and Sri Lanka with the dignity and respect they deserve. Next time, leave them on the supermarket shelf and gravitate towards those doing good deeds instead. Choose brands that package their products with recycled materials or use sustainable ingredients. Choosing Earth-friendly options is good for yourself, too. There are always sustainability-conscious companies making things you need in your life.

 

4. Know where to trash what garbage (and work for people who do know)

This topic gets me really fired up. Here's a short story. I was once working at a company and my manager one day came over to check on some work progress. At the time, the wireless mouse I was using was showing “low battery”. The manager took the batteries out of my mouse, and threw them straight into a “landfill” bin under my desk. I confronted him right away, while picking the batteries out from the bin.

"How could you throw used batteries into the bin like that?” I couldn't believe what I just saw.

”Where else would you throw them?” he answered (and he really had no clue).

I couldn’t believe my ears. This guy - a leader of a company had been throwing batteries into regular garbage bins for his entire life. A senior director not knowing about where to throw used batteries in 2017 is a bad sign for our future. Does working with this dude spark joy? Nupe. Needless to say, I didn’t stay in that job for long after. 

So speak up. You can be an influencer and soon, company leaders everywhere will consider e-waste and other recycling options as a standard practise in their workplaces.

 

Oh, the change after I withdrawn from those rather average things and people in life !

The first 12 months of stepping into a conscious mindful life has not only made me feel bloody great about myself, it has also made me feel like a boss in both professional and everyday life. I'm now a much smarter decision maker:

• I eat and drink what makes me feel good and healthy — that includes red wine of course.
• I no longer need to spend 50 minutes every morning struggling through my closet. Every piece of clothing is well-loved and makes me feel great.
• I don't try to please anybody for the sake of it. I spend time with people who treat others with respect and have unique qualities that I admire. It’s worth it to detox the circle around you.
• I can now live mindfully with everything I choose in life, becoming a better influencer to everyone around me.

Starting a mindful, sustainable life is what leads to a joyful life. It’s truly the best thing I have ever done for my mindset and body. It allows me to shine from inside out and living a life I truly deserve. Highly recommend! 😉

 

Jac, founder of The Rushing Hour - wearing Jac Paint Top (Sold out)