Alternative lifestyles: how to design your own

When people talk about an “alternative lifestyle”, the word alternative only makes sense if you ask one simple question: alternative to what? 🤔

Most of us inherit a default setting. It comes from family expectations, local culture, school, work patterns, and the invisible rules of the place we live in. This explains why daily life can start to feel pre-written, even when everything looks “fine” on paper.

If you are craving something different, start with clarity rather than big declarations. A lifestyle shift gets easier when you can name what you want more of, what you want less of, and what you are willing to change first.

Make three lists ✍️ 📝

You do not need a perfect plan. You need a simple method that helps you notice your habits and translate dreams into actions. A good starting point is three lists. They can be messy. They can change weekly. They are yours.

Before you begin, take a couple of minutes to think about what you do and consume in a normal day: food, transport, work, shopping, screen time, relationships, the places you spend time in. Small choices stack up. They affect your health, your budget, your stress levels, your community, and your environmental footprint.

Even something as small as fruit has a story behind it: how it was grown, how far it travelled, how it was packaged, who was paid (and how), and what systems made it cheap or expensive. You do not have to carry the weight of the whole world. You only need to see the chain clearly enough to choose better when you can.

Deepest desires 🌠🎋

Write down what you want, without censoring it. Travel, learning a skill, changing careers, living closer to nature, building community, simplifying your life, moving abroad, starting a small project, volunteering, studying, creating art.

This list is private. It is not a performance. If some desires feel “too much”, keep them anyway. You are collecting signals.

Your dream quotidian 💭

Now write your ideal day, from morning to evening. Where do you wake up? What do you do first? What kind of work fills your day? Who do you spend time with? What do you eat? How much time is outdoors, offline, moving your body, learning, creating, resting?

Write one version that feels realistic and one that feels bold. When you compare them, you will usually spot a few non-negotiables, like more quiet, more time outside, less commuting, more hands-on work, fewer possessions, deeper relationships.

If it helps, give your dream quotidian a label. Labels are not scientific, they are emotional shorthand. They can keep you motivated when the practical steps get slow 🙂

This part can get extensive because it often requires real research. After you look at your wishes and your dream day, ask yourself what tools you need. What skills are missing? What constraints are real (money, documents, time, health, family)? What can change now, and what needs a longer runway?

If you want to make your own clothes, find a beginner sewing course in your community or online. If you want to travel long-term, check visas, passport validity, insurance, and vaccinations. If you want to move toward community living, talk to people who already live that way and ask what the hard parts are, not only the pretty parts.

Life can look “incompatible” on paper and still be possible in seasons. One year you might be running a small project in your hometown, the next you might volunteer in a refugee context abroad. The key is to learn the logistics step by step.

Good ideas for research: try Ecosia instead of Google, and use Pinterest for visual inspiration or practical tutorials, then double-check what you find before spending money or time.

Make a mood board 📌

A mood board helps when your ideas feel scattered. It can be a folder on your phone or computer, or something physical you cut and paste. Add images that represent the lifestyle you want, but also add words: values, habits, places, skills, daily rhythms.

The goal is direction. When you look at it, you should be able to answer: what kind of life am I trying to build, and what does it require day to day?

The “make it happen” list ✔️

This list turns ideas into experiments. Pick small actions you can actually do in the next days or weeks. You are not trying to overhaul your whole life overnight. You are building evidence that change is possible.

Start with one or two changes that are easy to repeat. If your goal is dressing more sustainably, make one thrift visit and choose one item you will actually wear. If your goal is learning to cook a specific cuisine, pick one recipe and make it twice. Repetition matters more than intensity.

This list is ever-changing because you keep adding as you learn what works. Over time you will also notice what does not fit, and that is useful information too.

As you build your alternative path, keep relationships and context in mind. Big shifts can affect family, friends, and work. Move in a way that respects your reality and your responsibilities, so your new lifestyle stays sustainable.

Keep what is good in your life right now, and build from there 🧡

Alternative lifestyles pic: the picture is Creative Commons licensed from FilipUrban (Unsplash).