The Habit We Rarely Notice
Disposing of things has become a repeated, familiar, and almost invisible habit. It has become so normalised that we don't even think about it what it means when we throw something away anymore. Take the Christmas holidays as an example: we love bringing others delight by gifting them unique and thoughtful presents. We also love wrapping these thoughtful gifts in colourful and unique wrapping paper, so our loved ones will experience the excitement of uncovering what's behind the thin layer of wrapping. What is left behind is not only joy and love, but also mountains of paper and plastic waste that we usually dispose of without another thought.
We've all done this and there's absolutely no judgement in it. However, it shows how small habits often go unnoticed, even if they may be harmful to ourselves or the planet. These habits eventually shape our days and our values. Becoming more intentional means questioning these small habits and thinking of ways they can better benefit our own beliefs and values.
The Disposable Default
Why do we never question it further when we throw plastic or paper waste away? That's because convenience culture normalises single-use choices! Disposability often feels easier and faster. For instance, you may wrap your lunch in a disposable bag, so you don't have to carry around an empty lunch box for the rest of the day. These are small habits that we have normalised, because the systems we live in encourage them, instead of designing smarter alternatives. Little thought often goes into things designed to be thrown away.
What Does "Intentional" Actually Mean?
Intention reflects mindfulness. It means embracing slowing down, instead of chasing perfection all the time. Intentionality is also connected to care, attention, and presence. Let's get back to our gift wrapping example, shall we? While the tradition of gifting is beautiful, it is oftentimes connected to the wasteful habits of a single-use-culture. In this case, being more intentional means thinking of ways you can be more practical and attentive. Switching to fabric wrapping is one such way to be more intentional when it comes to gift wrapping. Not only is the tradition of fabric wrapping an ancient one that deserves to be honoured, it is also more sustainable and practical, showing care to your loved ones and the Earth.
Intention can be practiced in all areas of life: in your daily habits (e.g. how much food waste one generates and how this can be reduced by setting up organised meal plans) and in your relationships (e.g. how can the time spent together be used as mindful quality time).
One Small Habit, Reimagined
Stay with us as we keep talking about fabric wrapping to make the point. If wrapping is the focal habit that we want to change and be more intentional of, we need to think about how switching to reusable wrapping changes the gifting experience.
We wrap gifts to conceal the contents and to give the recipient a sense of excitement and joy, all while presenting a beautiful package that will cater to the eye as well. The next step would be to ask: is all this lost when switching to a more sustainable option like fabric wrapping? Of course not!
First of all, when using luxurious and elegant fabrics such as silk satin, your gift may look more elegant than it could ever look wrapped in paper. Plus, not a lot of people wrap in fabrics so you'll definitely stand out with a unique packaging that will surprise and delight your loved ones. The excitement of opening a gift remains, it's just not paper that you wrap but fabric that you unravel. All in all, it slows down the process of wrapping and unwrapping, making the overall tradition of gifting a more mindful and thoughtful one. Furthermore, it is a habit that is easy to repeat and integrate into your daily life.
Sustainability and beauty are not mutually exclusive - they complement each other. When someone receives a gift beautifully wrapped in fabric, they will appreciate the effort more and see all the care that went into the wrapping process. This habit of intentional gifting creates an emotional atmosphere of love and joy for all.
How Small Habits Ripple Out
Although it may not seem that way, small habits can make a big impact that expand beyond the act itself. When being more intentional, you will feel calmer and more connected to yourself, your environment, and those around you. You will also start questioning your other habits. When it comes to fabric wrapping, you may consider in what other parts of your life you produce single-use waste and how you could meaningfully reduce it without making your life any more complicated. Small habits make an impact on the way we think and see the world.
And changing our own habits can make an impact on others as well. When you make switches from disposable to reusable, others might feel inspired to do the same, seeing how the swaps have positively impacted your lifestyle.
Change doesn't have to be loud to be meaningful. Be more intentional by making these changes for yourself, to improve your own quality of life. Once you feel better about the choices you are making, it won't matter what others think.
A Year Shaped by Intention, Not Overhaul
Thinking about how you can become more intentional in all that you do is the best resolution you can make for yourself. Instead of making big dramatic resolutions that would require you to change your life from one day to the next, think about quiet and consistent habits that will really benefit you.
Whether it's swapping disposable products for reusable ones or taking small steps to increase your own mental health, small habits will have a big impact. Your new year is merely an accumulation of small, mindful choices that we make every day.
To end this blog post, we would like to invite you to think about your own habits and how you could change them. Start with one little one. I'll give you an example from my life: I never drink enough and I know that it's bad for me. My resolution: drinking more water in the new year. Now all I've got to do is think about how I can make it easier for myself to change this small habit that will lead me to a healthier lifestyle in general. We hope you will join us in making small, intentional resolutions for the new year. Let's allow ourselves to slow down in 2026, letting intention shape every day.