Why city?
I know how to survive in big cities or exactly opposite – deep wilderness, but that in-between state never worked for me. And I always have dreamt more about the second one. When I moved to Latvia’s capital to study and work, I was the one calling friends on Saturday mornings begging for a forest walk. While living in Mexico City I would drive every two weeks to the mountains to lie down in the grass and let all that big city life out of my system.
After that I found myself living by a Caribbean beach with only one pair of shoes that I kept in the car to walk in the city that I never really missed. Looking back to these times I still think that there is nothing more magical than waking up with the sunrise while watching birds spreading their wings for the first time of the day or being able to gather fresh spring water for your tea. Somehow it seemed just natural to organize my life closer to the nature as much as possible when I moved back to Latvia. And, just when I finally thought that I have managed to do it, love made me move to Paris.
The idea that I need to be closer to nature to live more conscious, more mindful and with a smaller footprint on this planet had rooted very deep inside of me.
For more than a year I felt like I’m going against myself. The idea that I need to be closer to nature to live more conscious, more mindful and with a smaller footprint on this planet had rooted very deep inside of me. And going against it felt like physically pulling these roots out of my heart.
But I did it… And the hole these roots left became a free space for something new. All that Paris big city life and fashion scene just punched me in the face. Seeing trash on the streets and fashion consumption made me take radical and life changing decisions. I promised myself to buy only vintage, second hand or sustainable clothes; I started to recycle more than ever before and even made compost in the heart of Paris. I decided to work only for brands that do good and support a healthy planet and human kind. And most of all people I have met in Paris helped me to realize that hiding in the forest may not be the most effective way to grow and to help the world become a better place. Following my heart, but going against my plans made me discover what an amazing power lies in the interaction with people. We can inspire each other; we can lift each other and learn from each other.
Following my heart, but going against my plans made me discover what an amazing power lies in the interaction with people. We can inspire each other; we can lift each other and learn from each other.
So here I am, accepting that maybe my place right now is not deep in the forest. Maybe I need to face all the challenges humanity and planet is facing right now to be useful with my presence on Earth. If I want people to become more conscious, I need to be more conscious next to them. If I want the planet to be a more peaceful place, I need to hold peaceful space in my home. And if I want others to be connected with the nature while living in the big city, I need firstly to connect myself… Let this be the space where I share my journey so it can become our journey!
Let this be the space where I share my journey so it can become our journey!
