Sustainable Sweaters For Self-Care

How investing in a sustainable wardrobe benefits our mental health.

Exploring The Therapeutic Benefits Of A Minimalist Wardrobe

Introducing the third blog in my 3-part blog series about minimalism and mental health by a therapist and digital nomad. Join me as I explore our attachment to our belongings and how focusing on sustainable fashion can create deeper meaning in our lives.

This blog is about how our sustainable practices help us focus on self-care, especially our mental health.

• 7 Day Sweater Challenge
• Therapeutic Benefits Of Minimalism
• Sustainability Is Self-Care

How To Practice Self-Care Sustainably

As a therapist, self-care is a favorite topic of exploration with my clients and in my personal life. Recently, self-care has gained popularity and has become a part of our everyday language. However, self-care is increasingly used as an excuse to buy, pamper, and waste.

While treating ourselves can be an aspect of self-care, the intense focus on overconsumption is concerning. The real meaning of self-care is taking care of our mental, emotional, and physical selves. Rather than focusing on overconsumption, real self-care focuses on sustainability.

Start By Looking Inward

I encourage my clients to start to think about self-care by getting to know themselves. Ask yourself questions like, “What brings me joy?”, “When was the last time I felt at peace?”, “What do I value?”

Self-reflection gives us information about what kind of care we need. It allows us to consider what we value in our lives. By doing a self-check, you have the opportunity to cater to your long-term needs rather than searching for a quick fix.

Self-Care Is Simple

Self-care, at its finest, is simple. It entails offering ourselves space to experience our emotions: to process, grieve, celebrate. While we can benefit from taking time to pamper ourselves, we usually have to pivot back into the stress of life immediately afterwards, without time for any reflection.

Real self-care can be as simple as creating your daily routine or saying no to plans when you are exhausted. The key is to allow yourself to do whatever you want to do, and let your feelings sink in while doing it. For myself, self-care entails simplifying my life and getting rid of unnecessary distractions.

When I started traveling as a digital nomad, I looked back at my previous self-care patterns. I began to focus on how to care for myself by ridding my life of unnecessary clutter and things that did not serve me. I shifted my attention to products that offered me more.

Sustainability And Self-Care

While there is space for one-time self-care activities, like getting a massage or watching a favorite movie, finding practices that can be maintained over time is crucial. It is important to find a range of sustainable self-care practices.

Instead of seeking a dopamine hit by online shopping for cheaply made products, self-care looks like investing in our longevity and well-being.

This does not have to mean never purchasing anything, but it does mean focusing on lasting products that can bring joy far after hitting the purchase button.

My Undyed All-Season Crew Neck was a treat for myself that is actually sustainable. This sweater allowed me to focus on owning clothes that last and align with my values instead of buying more than I need.

This was also a mindful practice. Instead of quickly filling my shopping cart, I was able to consider each component of what I was buying.

By choosing to buy sustainable materials, like yak wool, we not only have the ability to support companies that are working towards a sustainable future, but we can also simplify our own lives, shifting the focus from overconsumption to sustainability.

If you believe that every good wardrobe starts with owning less and owning better, consider buying yourself an OLIVER CHARLES sweater.