If the last year has taught us anything, it’s that there is beauty in slowing down. That’s why we created The Slow Living Series. Throughout this year, we’ll be exploring what slow living truly means and the tactile ways that we can implement it into our daily lives. First up: how to cultivate calm spaces and adopt a minimalist lifestyle in more ways than one.
Did you know Iremia means “calm” in Greek?
On my honeymoon, I travelled to a small town on the Southern coast of Greece. It was there that I discovered an overwhelming sense of stillness and peace. I cleared my schedule, my concerns, and - most of all - my mind.
In other words, I found my first true calm space.
After that, everything shifted. I decided not only tocraft my own minimalist sensitive skincare line, but to bring that feeling of calm into every aspect of my life. Today, that is the essence of the Iremia brand: to find moments of calm and stillness every single day (even in your beauty routine).
For part one of ourSlow Living Series, we’re going to explore everything you need to know about calm spaces: identifying them, cultivating them, and using minimalism to nurture them.
What is a calm space?
The definition of a “calm space” is different for everyone. Some might find calm in nature, while others are most at peace when they’re cozied up at home.
Either way, a calm space is an environment that provides a sense of complete tranquility. A state of being where you feel serene, worry-free, and present. Many people will meditate in their calm spaces. Others might take the opportunity to journal, stretch, or simply breathe.
A calm space can be a physical location or a sensory experience. For example, there might be a song that fully relaxes you and clears your mind. Or maybe it’s the aromatherapy of massaging your skin with natural oils.
By combining both tangible and intangible elements, you can cultivate all sorts of calm spaces throughout your day.
How to create your own calm spaces
Almost every calm space is defined by four of the five senses:sight, sound, smell, and touch. To cultivate your own calm spaces, consider each sense and the version of it that brings you the greatest feeling of peace.
Sight
What is surrounding you? Many people are most calm when surrounded by nature, sitting in a forest or in front of a body of water. When creating a calm space indoors, think about the objects and colours that make you feel relaxed. For many people, that includes house plants, neutral tones, and a clean, tidy aesthetic.
Sound
What are you hearing? This might be a genre of music that soothes you, the chirping of birds, or the sound of running water. Many calm spaces exist in complete silence, which is a sound all on its own.
Smell
What aromas are around you? For those who find calm spaces in nature, it may be the scent of pine, grass, or firewood. Indoors, the smell of candles, incense, or essential oils might be most soothing for you.
Touch
What is your physical body interacting with? This might be the texture of your clothing or the surface you’re sitting on. It could even be the feeling of the breeze in your hair,lotion on your skin, or the warmth of the hot sun.Sit with each of these four categories and identify the factors that bring you calmness. Mix and match your “calm factors” to cultivate a place of tranquility that is unique to you.
Although you might have a long list of sights, smells, and sensations that put you at ease, it’s important to not overload your calm spaces. In between the elements that bring you peace, you need enough room to simply be. This is where minimalism comes into play.
What is minimalism?
At its core, minimalism is about freedom. Freeing yourself from material objects, stress, overwhelm, health concerns, and even debt.
Essentially, a minimalist approach is one that aims to do more with less. A minimalist home is less cluttered and easier to clean. A minimalist workload is better for our mental and physical health. And a minimalist beauty routine is safer for our skin and the environment.
Most of all, minimalism is a mindset shift. It allows us to tie less of our value to material things and focus more energy on the people we love and the activities that bring us joy.
How to adopt a more minimalist lifestyle
How exactly can youbecome a minimalist? Here are our top tips to start introducing minimalism into your daily life.
- De-clutter your space
- Does it serve a necessary function in my life?
- Does it bring me joy?
- Audit your calendar
- Consider where your money is going
- Identify where you over-consume
- Scale down your skincare routine
Read more about our minimalist skincare routine for dry, sensitive skin here.
Use minimalism to cultivate your calm spaces
Through a minimalist mindset, we can nurture our calm spaces. Minimalism creates more time in our schedules and less overwhelm in our daily lives, inching us closer to the art of slow living. We can become more intentional with our time and take advantage of the spaces that relax and rejuvenate us.
And by keeping our calm spaces free from clutter, materialism, and stress, we can benefit even more from the peace they provide.
What do your calm spaces look like?
Xo, Elaine
