Guest post by Megan from www.megan-elizabeth.co.uk

‘Conscious’’, ‘slow living’, ‘digital detox’ – just some of the words that have become so-called buzzwords. They are used frequently, especially with people wanting to keep up with the latest trends. In recent years, wellness and environment-related content has increased. We’ve collated 10 Important Well-being and Sustainability Buzzwords for this post.

Wellbeing and sustainable living are both vital topics which require open conversations and inspired action. Has the terminology become overused though? Has the true meaning of these words been lost? Big corporations are taking advantage of people’s desire to live healthier and more planet-friendly lives. Greenwashing, for example, occurs often in industries such as fashion, which loses the essence of certain concepts.

Instead of seeing more words being overused and undervalued, maybe it’s time we remind ourselves of their true significance, because wellbeing and sustainability are so important.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is about living in the moment. You are aware of each moment of your existence through your mind, body, and surroundings. It is easy to get swept up in your thoughts, the loudness of the world, and you are often thinking about the next step.

Remember to appreciate the present. When you get controlled by your thoughts, you can forget how your thoughts impact your feelings and emotions, as well as how you engage with the world. Mindfulness helps you to notice what is happening in the present, but without judging or assuming anything. Mindful living increases self-awareness levels, helps to reduce stress and your ability to understand your thoughts. The history of mindfulness spans thousands of years and has been linked to Buddhism and meditation. Time and practice are required, but it is worth it because your wellbeing and life quality improve as a result.

Conscious

Consciousness is similar to mindfulness.

Awake, thinking, and knowing what is happening around you – Cambridge English Dictionary

Being conscious means being aware of what is going on around you, both inside and out.

The concept of consciousness has recently developed an association to the environment and sustainable living, which are indeed important aspects of being conscious, with terms such as environmentally friendly, eco-friendly, nature-friendly, Earth-friendly, planet-friendly, and green used in conjunction.

Consciousness goes further than the environment and involves all aspects of self, others, and the world.

Soulful

Soulfulness comes from within. Acting from the soul means acting with deep feeling, emotion, and compassion. You think about why you are doing something and live from a place of awareness and consciousness.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing centres around us as humans and as individuals. Wellbeing is often considered as finding health and happiness in life (Cambridge English Dictionary). There are many things which contribute to overall wellbeing. The Seven Dimensions of wellbeing, originally developed in 1976 by Dr Bill Hettler in the US, outline these elements. The dimensions, or pillars, are emotional, spiritual, physical, environmental, social, intellectual, and vocational. Wellbeing represents the whole self.

Self-Care

Having a self-care day is something mentioned a lot both offline and online.

Self-care has become a buzzword because it is now linked to more materialistic things. Face masks, chocolate, bubble baths, and Netflix. These things bring happiness and what people consciously decide to include in our lives should not be dismissed.

There is a deeper side to self-care though which is becoming overlooked. Self-care is about carving time to nurture and understand every part of yourself. You realise what is bringing goodness into your life and what isn’t.

True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don’t need to regularly escape from. – Brianna Wiest

Digital Detox

When you have a digital detox, you remove social media and screens for a certain period of time. You give yourself time to live in the real world instead of through screens. The internet has its benefits, there is a darker side. Negative elements of social media include FOMO, comparing yourself to someone else and hyperconnectivity – having access to an overwhelming constant stream of information. Benefits of digital detoxing include improved focus on the present moment, better sleep, a slower pace of life, and feeling less anxious.

Balance

What actually is work-life balance? Balance is a subjective concept and is interpreted differently depending on who you are and your way of life.

Work-life balance is not simply a case of allocating a set period of time to your personal and professional life, but living in a way which brings you joy, peace, passion, and fulfilment.

Slow Living

Slow living links to mindfulness and consciousness. You focus on slowing down and being present. You remove yourself from the idea that being ‘busy’ is better. You make mindful decisions on how you spend your time and live more intentionally, instead of passing your time on screens and participating in negative habits which impact the environment and your wellbeing such as supporting fast fashion. A slow lifestyle favours quality over quantity and being more conscious about how you live.

Sustainability

Sustainability is being crossed over with ‘eco-friendly’, ‘green’ and other such phrases. It goes further than that though. Sustainability is about having a lifestyle that secures a future which benefits the environment and society. This involves preserving resources, pollution reduction, supporting local businesses and resources for economic benefits. Sustainability also ensure the whole manufacturing process of products is energy efficient and eco-friendly, as well as producing items that can be disposed of in a way that does not harm the environment. There is no one way to define sustainability and it is a complex subject, but as the United Nations says, sustainability is not compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Ethical

‘Ethical’ is used increasingly in industries such as  fashion and beauty. The wider definition of ethics relating to morals and rights and responsibilities in society. In places where you may encounter ‘ethical’ on a regular basis such as shopping, it refers to the treatment of humans and working conditions. An ethical business ensures fair worker treatment, safe working environments, and that the whole manufacturing process respects everyone and everything involved.

Sources: Mind, Mrs Mindfulness, NHS, Mental Health Foundation, Green Living Ideas, Her Inner Glow, Slow Living LDN, BBC, The Curious Button, Eco Cult