Sustainable Island Living with Keira Mason
I’d like to introduce you to the lovely Keira Mason who is living the ultimate island life while inspiring others to become more conscious and sustainable by sharing her own authentic journey. Throughout her insta you’ll be guided through a curated collection of ethical brands, tips for healthy and sustainable habits, and beautiful glimpses of day to day island times.
I got a deeper insight below into her story including what made her transition towards a more ethical lifestyle and how she got to call Bali home while creating beautiful content for work.
Keira was also kind enough to share a simple but delicious DIY recipe that’s her go to easy and healthy meal - perfect for work lunches! (you can find more of her healthy recipes at Honest Food For Friends)
What led you to living in paradise and working for yourself?
My husband Jared and I always found the idea of living a 'normal' life kind of unimaginative. We had started to feel restricted and uninspired at home, so after a trip to Bali last year, we decided to quit out jobs, sell everything and move here 10 months later! We really wanted to pursue our creative passions and we have the opportunity to do that here. We have also gained so much time. Time to spend together, working on ourselves, travelling, and learning as much as we can!
How do you make sure you honour a slow and sustainable lifestyle?
Living slowly, and living sustainably are two of the same to me. When we learn to slow down, we have the time to listen to our bodies and reflect on our actions. I have learned that choosing the easy or convenient option in any category usually has adverse environmental or social implications. I now make the effort to do a little research and make choices that power positive change. I also spend time each day in meditation which helps me to connect with my body and reflect on what I need at that particular time. Sometimes I feel the need to spend the whole day immersed in creativity and other days I crave connection and relationship.
Have you always lived this way.. if not what was the turning point?
My journey started about three years ago and actually began with ethical fashion. I was struggling with the pressures of 'fast fashion' and realised that clothing had become a way of gaining acceptance and status for me. I made new purchases almost weekly just to 'keep up appearances' and had a wardrobe full of pieces that I had only ever worn once. One day something in me just clicked and I decided this was something I really wanted to change. That is when I drove head first into the concept of ethical and sustainable fashion. From there, I was introduced to the world of slow, sustainable and mindful living and loved adopting these new habits into my life!
What inspires your work at the moment?
Meeting new people and hearing their stories is everything to me. I am fascinated by how we all live and think differently and building genuine connections 100% feeds my soul! I also love spending time in nature, especially if it's somewhere I haven't been before. I just sit and let it blow me away me with wildness and beauty.
As a creative what are your essentials to keeping motivated?
Here in Bali, our only income is our creative projects, so that is a great motivator! Every now and then I also take a break. Only for a week or so, until I start to crave creativity again. This might not work for everyone but it is such a great ritual for me!
Now that you've done Bali is there anywhere else you'd like to go immerse yourself in the culture and live/work from?
My family is from Hungary so I would love to go there for a little while. Jared and I have never been to Europe together so it's a big dream of ours. We are actually planning to be there in 2020. Fingers crossed!
Thinking back to when you started this journey what’s one piece of advice you’d give yourself then?
Definitely to take change at your own pace. Comparison can be so destructive. For a while I didn't think my progress was good enough but over time I learnt to be gracious with myself and to celebrate even the small wins.
“I now make the effort to do a little research and make choices that power positive change.”
Knowing what you do, what are some brands that are killing it and you would recommend to other ethical creatives to keep an eye on?
I love the pieces that Sydney based label 'Bask' are producing. They use natural fibres and have a minimal and simplified approach to their designs which I love. Another band that I think is doing amazing things is Hempme. It's a small capsule skincare line that produce vegan, cruelty free, organic and 100% natural products. Their bottles are even biodegradable and compostable which is so amazing!
Do you have any tips for people starting out on a journey of becoming more sustainable?
Start swapping! You won't have to give anything up to live a more sustainable life, just swap a product or habit for another! Some of the easy ones are; plastic bags for reusable bags, plastic bottles for reusable bottles, takeaway cups for keep-cups, grocery shops for bulk food shops and fast fashion for slow and sustainable shopping. Remember, every time you make a decision to consciously help our environment it's such a win and totally worth celebrating!
Raw Satay Salad Jar Recipe
The Essentials
Satay Sauce
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup Tamari
3 Tbs lime juice
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 clove garlic crushed
1 chilli diced
1/3 Tbs coconut milk
Salad ingredients:
4 cups baby spinach
2 carrots
1 large broccoli
2 red capsicum
2 handfuls of snow peas
1 small red cabbage
steps.
01
Whisk all sauce ingredients together. and pour evenly into the 5 jars.
02
Grate carrots and cut the remaining vegetables into small pieces.
03
Layer salad ingredients into jars starting with broccoli and cabbage and finishing with baby spinach.
There you have a tasty, healthy and convenient dish that can easily be made for a group to eat in one sitting or spread out throughout the week as go to meals.
Hope this was helpful! As always, let me know if you give this tutorial a go and how it turns out. Hashtag the outcome #essentialsclub on social media.