When I first gave up first fashion three years ago, I never imagined the Pandoras box it would open when it came to my emotional health.
I thought, great, I've reached a point where I truly want to honour the planet and people but the reality was it also made me address the real reasons behind my over consumption in general.
And it was much deeper than I ever could have thought. And whilst all our reasons may be the same, the journey of unpacking can have much solidarity.
So heres some accessible ways to challenge your consumerism as you unpack your own journey.
1. Accept That There's No Perfect Under Capitalism.
Challenge yourself absolutely, but don't punish yourself. True sustainability and ethical practice come from proper governmental policy and legislation. Clever greenwashing will have us believe that either the bare minimum is aquete or that the fault is entirely ours. But this is a nuanced conversation and about collective intentions.
Understanding our triggers helps us in multiple areas and one of those can be in how you consume. Triggers and the inability to regulate them meant that compulsive buys under a "treat yoself" mindset kept me in an endless loop.
And that's leads us to one of those most important points, get mental health support. If consumption is tied to trauma, then uncoupling will take time, and ultimately, if it's accessible, having support to guide you through this will make the journey more sustainable.
One of the earliest questions I asked myself was, "Do I need this?" Oftentimes, I didn't. It seems super simple, but in the heat of the moment with compulsive consumption behaviour, it's hard to ask this question. But with practice, you can gently call yourself into consciousness when making purchases.
This takes time. Challenging ourselves, breaking patterns and habits, doesn't happen overnight, so give yourself grace and compassion but do keep going.
