Becoming Bohemian - 10 ways to embrace a bohemian lifestyle today.

The word 'Bohemian' has become quite a buzz word, often bringing to mind images of ladies with long flowy hair braided with flowers, wearing brightly coloured clothing and beaded bracelets up the length of their arms. They lounge around in their campervan or home that's filled with wild looking plants and treasures collected from their travels around the world.

It's a vision that offers a certain allure of carefree days and a life of freedom.

Even before I knew what the word bohemian meant - I wanted to be one.

As a child I was drawn in by imagery of the hippies of the 1960's and 70's, and something about the whole gypsy aesthetic filled me with wonder.

Although these cultures have their differences in beliefs and lifestyles, in my mind they all stood for the same thing - freedom.

Despite the admiration that I felt for the bohemian way of life, I've spent most of mine on the fringes of the fashion and lifestyle of these fascinating cultures.

I loved the flowing fabric on the dresses that these beautiful women wore, whilst always feeling a little too unsure of myself to dress the way I really wanted. I attended art college and had dreams of becoming a wandering artist, traveling and selling my wares as I did so, whilst suffering from too much insecurity to finish a project, or dare I say, show my work to another person. Always finding myself drawn to the metaphysical stores selling crystals and jewellery and incense - always a little too afraid to part with my precious pennies to warrant investing in such beautiful valuable treasures.

As a child visiting the seaside I would always pull my family into those shops and stare in awe at those giant pieces of amethyst and quartz... knowing that one day I would have a home filled with them.

So why did it take so long to reach a point where I could be brave enough to categorise myself as 'bohemian'? What does that word even mean? And how can you also become a bohemian?

The English dictionary describes bohemian as:

Noun;

a person who is interested in artistic and unusual things, for example art, music, or literature, and who lives in an informal way that ignores the usually accepted ways of behaving.

An alternative definition that I personally prefer comes from Lauren Stover in her book 'Bohemian Manifesto'. In her book she describes bohemianism as 'a way of life, a state of mind, an atmosphere. It's about living richly and irreverently beyond convention. It's about being uninhibited, unbuttoned, creative and free...'

To me being a bohemian is less about defying conventional ways of living 'for the sake of it' and more about discovering who you are as a person and living true to yourself. If that means following the boho chic fashion of maxi dresses and beaded jewellery, then go ahead - but can you still be a bohemian if you hate dresses and prefer an elegant gold pendant around your neck? Absolutely!

Becoming Bohemian is about becoming you, the truest version of you, and letting that 'you' shine for the world to see.

 Like the sound of what you've read so far? Then read on and begin your own journey towards becoming bohemian!

1: Get creative and express yourself!

We all have a creative side.

"Anyone can dance you just have to find the right music." This is one of my favourite quotes and has been for quite some time.

As mentioned above I once wanted to be a travelling artist, but there was just one problem - I couldn't draw or paint! I let this deter me for quite some time. As someone with no coordination nor a very pleasant singing voice I often feared that my inner creativity was doomed to be forever unexpressed. However that bug was always there and so I began experimenting. I took a few classes just for 'fun' and one of those classes was a 'beaded jewellery' class and before I knew it just couldn't stop beading. I began to wonder what other types of crafts I could do with my hands and eventually found my passion for making handmade crafts... which two years ago I finally found the courage to share with others, and would you believe people actually wanted to buy them!

Now I'm not saying that you have to turn your creations into sales, but keep experimenting until you find something you love. At the very least it can act as an activity in mindfulness, and the very most? Well the opportunities are endless!

2: Be present.

By being present, you allow yourself to be fully immersed in what is happening in the here and now. If you release thoughts of the past and concerns about the future you enable yourself the opportunity to live life to the fullest. Each moment in this life is as precious as the next, and it is through these little moments that we learn and grow. By being distracted we miss out on what matters. Next time you are out socialising with friends or family try to really notice the smiles on their faces, and listen to the words that they speak. When engaging with your hobbies, keep your attention on what is happening and let go of the rest.

You can bring yourself back to the present moment by focusing on your breathing. With every breath in, feel the air move into your body, and the expansion of your stomach or chest, and with every breath out, feel your body soften as the warm air leaves your body.

3: Know yourself.

The journey to self discovery will be the greatest that you will ever take. Get to know your wants and your needs, your passions and your fears, your loves and your hates. The more you get to know yourself, the more likely you are to make choices that benefit you and those around you. You can create a life that keeps you feeling fulfilled, and even when things go wrong you will know that you are headed in the right direction. The friends you make and the people you surround yourself with will all be in alignment with your life mission and purpose. The Rocking Bohemian offers an online course designed to assist you in finding your purpose in life, if you feel called to do so. However there are numerous courses and videos available out there which can also assist you on the journey of self discovery. Another recommendation for getting to know yourself is to journal. You can take some time at night before you sleep to write about your day and any emotions that may have popped up, or you could take a few minutes in the morning to contemplate your dreams and make plans for the day. By regularly writing down your thoughts on paper you will gain greater insight into your deepest fear and your greatest desires, and ultimately you will get to know yourself better.

4: Discover your style.

Fight the need to conform. This is about placing your own need for self expression above the need to fit in and be accepted - accepting yourself for who you are.

As a follow on from the previous point, getting to know your own personal style and finding the courage to express that style will bring you so much closer to being your truest self. When you know how to express yourself creatively through your hobbies and passions, when you know your purpose and meaning in life and dress in a way which expresses your truest self, then you really will be able to call yourself bohemian!

5: Find your tribe.

Surround yourself with those who share the same likes and ambitions as yourself. Although there is nothing wrong with spending time with those who share opposing beliefs to yourself, for they will challenge you and make you grow, there is a certain kind of magic that appears when you are surrounded by those

who just 'get' you. People who you can fully relax around without any need or desire to hide aspects of yourself that you feel they won't understand.

Community matters, so find the one that makes you feel most at home.

6: Believe in something.

What really matters to you? What gets your blood boiling? Are there any causes that you feel drawn to? Maybe you care deeply about the state of our planet, and the levels of pollution that are threatening to destroy it? Are you vegan or vegetarian? Maybe, like us at the Rocking Bohemian, you care about the amount of clothes headed to landfill each day, and want people to opt for more sustainable options? Have you already dreamt of travelling to war torn countries to offer your help to those in need? If you have overcome an addiction, you could assist those who are still battling.

During your journey of self discovery you will likely uncover some deeply seated passions for some topic or other. When you do, then I suggest you begin taking action in that chosen area. Find what really matters to you and act upon it.

7: Embrace frugality.

I have to admit that I am not the best at this. At all! Although I admire those who are able to live a frugal lifestyle, and hope to become more so as life goes on, I am also someone who enjoys living in the present moment and it's taken me a long time to become that way. However the benefits of being frugal are massive, especially in the current financial climate. And so my advice to you (and myself) is to try to become more aware of how you spend your pennies (because as we know, if you look after the pennies, the pounds take care of themselves).

8: Indulge yourself

Having said that, and to repeat another saying, or should I say song lyric - 'A little of what you fancy does you good!' Life is for living and so make sure you live it. Savour that slice of chocolate cake, enjoy a night out with your friends. If you love that dress then buy it, and wear it as often as you can. A true bohemian knows how precious each day is and so they make sure to make every day count. Cherish those experiences and indulge yourself as often as your soul needs.

9: Travel/Explore.

If you have a passport and the opportunity to travel the world then grab that opportunity with both hands. Go to those faraway lands and meet new people. If world travel just isn't an option at the moment then explore your own land. Travel the coastline, explore new cities, and climb those mountains. But remember that exploration isn't only restricted to holidays; take the time to explore the area in which you live. Seek out those cute little cafes and coffee shops that are tucked away. Visit the latest restaurant that everyone is buzzing about. Keep an eye out for art exhibits that are opening in your nearest town. Go for a walk in a new park, and wander through the nearest woodland and climb the nearest hill. Make your life an adventure, even if that adventure only happens just down the road.

10: Meditate.

I've listed a lot of things for you to do throughout this post and so I am going to suggest just one more... and that is to breathe.

Take a few moments whenever you can to just sit and focus on your breath. There are a number of guided meditations and apps available to help you on your meditative journey.

Personally my favourite is the 'Calm' app which is filled with a lovely variety of guided meditations, including 10 minute daily meditations. Youtube is also heaving with guided meditation on every subject you can think of.

Alternatively you can make yourself comfortable before setting a timer (5 minutes is a good starting time) and then just sit and focus on your breath until the alarm goes off. The Rocking Bohemian will offer a lot of information on a variety of meditation styles in our upcoming blogs and we have a section on our 'Bohemian' page.

I hope that you have had fun (and learned a fair bit) while reading this blog post. If you have, then please give us a like and come join our journey by signing up for our newsletter or by following our social media posts on Facebook and Instagram.

Bye for now, and I wish you all the very best on your own journey to Becoming Bohemian!