Baring it all and sharing my sustainability confessions from 2018

This is me. RAW.

Striped down to my undies -- a simple nude bralette, and a pair of briefs I borrowed from my aunt after a freak outburst of overprotective mothering, when I jumped into her pool fully clothed to “save” my daughter.

I am not sharing this to get approval. Trust me, caring about anyone's approval slipped off my give-a-shit list years ago. Whether it was due to working in corporate fashion and seeing how no one cared about the wellbeing of the environment and others involved in the garment industry, or just being fed up the damage we as a human race are doing to the world our children and our children’s children will grow up in, I’ve stopped searching for approval altogether.

I’m baring my soul (along with a little skin) and sharing my confessions to show you that I am not perfect by any means. I mean, this is what I wore on my first night away with my husband in years - sexy wife, right?

But for the entire year, I have battled with even buying new undergarments because of their material and/or country of origin. So this was as good as it was going to get for our romantic getaway.

Here’s the thing: living sustainably and responsibly isn’t easy.

There are sacrifices that come along with it, sacrifices I’ve already had to make. And it can feel so overwhelming looking at the world and seeing everything that needs fixing. But making an effort to live sustainably truly can make a difference.

Staying Fluid in Your Sustainable Journey

I often don’t fully know what I am doing or where I am going. We all try to act like we have everything figured out, but I’ll admit that I really don’t. I have an idea of what I want, but even those desires are fluid and changing. My ideas shift as I grow, as my children grow, as my understanding of sustainability and mindfulness reach new heights, and as the world around us changes. All that uncertainty can be hard to deal with.

Sometimes when I look in the mirror, I don’t even recognize the woman I see.

I think sometimes I expect to see the young girl I once was staring back at me, full of confidence and a kickass attitude, obsessed with fashion and looking her best.

That girl is long gone. She’s morphed into a determined mother who barely has time to look put-together at all, let alone her best. But that woman’s stronger, with the understanding that true strength requires showing some weakness and vulnerability. She knows that we have a responsibility to take care of those around us and leave the world better than we found it.

When I say I’m a mother, I don’t just mean that I have children. For me, it goes so much deeper than that. I am a mother by nature, with a desire to mother anyone that comes into my life. I’ve been that way since I was a small child.

As a mother, from my core and soul, I can only hope to inspire others to dive right into this same difficult yet rewarding journey of sustainability I’m on.

Feeling Crippled by Sustainability

I’ll be honest. This past year has been really challenging for me.

Launching RAW has been a dream come true, but that dream keeps growing. And with growth comes more and more changes, challenges, and decisions on how to live sustainably, not only in everything that I do for myself but everything I do for my family.

Even in this hotel room, on what should have been a relaxing night away, I questioned every move I made. Is opening the sample lotion and shampoo necessary? What will happen to the plastic containers they are in? Should we share our coffee cup to cut down our waste even further? Where can we go to eat that will actually listen to me and not bring out straws?

I’ll confess: I can find the desire to be sustainable crippling at times. It’s crippling in the sense that I don’t always know what’s the best thing to do. Sometimes, I just can’t find a sustainable, eco-friendly and ethical alternative to things I need.

For example, just this year, I purchased underwear and bras. I definitely needed them -- I was still wearing old ones from my maternity days (back when my breasts were bursting with breast milk… and much bigger than they are now!). But when I got home, I felt the deepest sense of regret since they were made from synthetic fibers. So I promptly returned the items and went back to my ill-fitting bras.

We need to be patient with ourselves through this journey. No one is perfect, and there is no perfect (or easy!) way to live sustainably. All we can do is do lots of research, look for the best products that fit our individual criteria, and do our best to not give in to the pressure we face every day to consume irresponsibly. It takes time and a change of mindset.

But it’s possible, and it makes a difference. After doing a lot of research, I found eco-friendly, sustainable undies and bras and replaced my old ones. (In case anyone else is going through the same dilemma I was, some of my favorite sustainable underwear brands are Miakoda (bralette pictured), Naja, Pact, and Hara!)

Sustainability Runs Deep

I’m striving to make every decision I make a conscious one. I’m constantly questioning how I can make a bigger impact, cut my waste, transform my wardrobe, and upgrade my beauty products on this journey to live sustainably. I’ve already changed so much about my daily routines, purchases, consumption, and disposals. And I’m still learning how to live better and how to be patient with myself as I try to. 

But this coming year, I hope to take the next step and start really sharing these experiences with others in order to make a deeper connection. 

In sharing my journey, my desires, my struggles, and my weaknesses, I want you to know that you’re not alone. The pursuit of sustainable living isn’t easy. It requires a lot of work and dedication, and we’re all only human. We’ll stumble sometimes, we’ll get frustrated sometimes. But it can make a lasting impact on the world we live in and the individuals we share it with.

Past the clothes we wear, the houses we live in, and the cars we drive, we have so much in common. We have the limitless potential to be anything we want to be. We’re flawed, complicated humans with pure, powerful souls.

Whether you’ve just started trying to live sustainably, you’ve been environmentally conscious for years, or you’re just barely considering whether you should make some changes: I get you. And I’m grateful for you. Together, we can help our amazing planet and the people we share it with.

What’s Next

If you are ready to start your sustainable journey, please check out 19 Sustainable Tips for the New Year. They’re all small things that I currently do to live sustainably, and I just started doing most of them this year.

I also encourage you to read some past posts: 

The First Steps to Becoming a Conscious Consumer

First Steps to Sustainable Fashion

For those of you who have already started your sustainable living journey, I’ll also be sharing my own personal sustainability goals for 2019 as well. 

This lifestyle isn’t the easiest. It takes planning, dedication, and plenty of patience.

But for our future and our children’s future, it's the only lifestyle.

Want to see more on my sustainable, plant-based livestyle journey? FOLLOW HERE

Leave Your Thoughts

I'd love to hear your thoughts, tips and/or frustrations on your own personal sustainable living journey. Leave your comment below. XOXO