Intent.

A few years ago (ok more than a few), I spent money like this:

• Low cost
• Low quality
• High quantity
• High turnover

Now when I look at my closet, I don’t have a single piece of clothing that was purchased this way.

When this Mala & Me Good Vibes mala came to the shop, it got me thinking about intent.

Malas are beautiful pieces of jewelry that carry much more weight than that. They are meditation or prayer beads, made to encourage your mantras and intentions. Wearing a mala allows you to carry your intention with you throughout your day.

Over the last few years, the way that I shop has changed drastically. Once I learned how the world of fashion, and more importantly, fast fashion worked, my old strategy no longer served me.

I began shopping more intentionally which eventually, lead to Somewear.

Behind Somewear there is also intent. Some of these intentions are:

• Slow down the life cycle of clothing. Keep it out of the landfills for as long as possible.
• Reward people for recycling their fashion.
• Educate people and inspire them to spend their money intentionally.

Intentional Shopping

So what does my intentional shopping strategy look like?

It goes a little something like this:

• Second-hand first
• Start local
• High quality
• Use shopping for good
• Prioritize local, ethical or small brands
• Overcome autopilot

I also ask myself questions like these:

• Why do I care if this business succeeds?
• Why does this business need my money?
• What am I supporting with this purchase?
• What does this store have that I can’t find second-hand or at a local business?
• What’s going on in this moment? What am I seeing, feeling, touching?

And after all is said and done, I have a closet full of clothing, shoes and accessories that make me feel good on many levels.

Engage.
Tell me in the comments:

• How can you be more intentional when shopping?
• Is “intent” / “intentional” a buzz word?
• What are some other questions you can ask yourself while shopping?