7 Reasons to be a Hippie

The label “Hippie” is not meant to offend anyone or come across as a negative connotation. I don’t mean a hippie that is lazy or a druggie either. For this writing, it is meant to refer to a person who emphasizes some of the qualities and values listed below, and is not meant to sound “better” than any other lifestyle. Please enjoy the reasons below as just a fun interpretation to some of the more Earth-loving and granola eating “hippies,” myself included! 

Why 7 Reasons to be a Hippie, you might ask? See #1 …

1) See what it’s like to look and think out of the box. Hippies tend to accept people who are considered “weird” or “different,” people who have different cultures/religious backgrounds/political views, etc. At the end of the day, other people’s business is still their business. Why waste mental/physical/emotional energy working to change/convince/explain someone else?  They tend to not care as much about what other people think or do other people’s judgements about their own lives. Seven reasons- why not seven? It doesn’t need to be an even 5 or 10. It can be liberating to ask yourself “why not” more often.

2) Feel Connected. Someone with hippie tendencies is more likely to feel “connected” to nature, humanity, cycle of life, food, work, etc. Perhaps this connectedness is from a viewpoint that we are all in this together. In this case, connected can almost be used interchangeably with community. Hippie ways to get involved with others, meet new people, and share in experiences can be through a community garden, co-op, farmer’s market, cow share, harvest celebration, or an impromptu dance around the fire with music.

Appreciating a blade of grass for the miracle it is, is one way to feel connected to nature all around you. The magnificence of Half Dome in the background is also noteworthy.

3) Sleep Better at Night. Exercise promotes sound sleep. Hippies tend to walk/bike places, garden, hike, hula hoop, chop wood, practice yoga, etc. and tend to have pretty active lifestyles. Not driving to the gym to run in place, but moving around throughout the day, often using their skill to start their own business/have a craft/etc. There is something to be said about collapsing into bed from an honest day’s work. Also worth considering is that a hippie tendency would be to drink tea and stay pretty mellow, vs. those addicted to caffeine whom drink numerous energy drinks/coffee. Because hippies tend to not care as much about judgements or “should be’s” they tend to all around worry less and that translates into less difficulty sleeping at night.

4) Save Money. The following are a few ways a hippie save money: riding a bike vs paying for fossil fuels, growing/preserving your own foods, eat what you harvest, reusing material for other uses, limiting consumption of goods and products, buying in bulk, cooking with the seasons, and being mindful of energy consumption.

Flyfishing in MN amongst the beavers and bull frogs means trout for dinner.

5) Have Genuine Relationships. Do you ever wonder why you are friends with some people? There becomes a point where it doesn’t matter that you grew up together or you used to be good friends 2, 5, or 10 years ago. Rather than holding onto the past and resisting change, hippies are more willing to live in the present. There is also no point in continuing relationships that are toxic or don’t serve both individuals in a way that brings out the best in both people. Be here now. That is the key- enjoy the moment for that is all that we have.

6) Decrease Your Risk of Getting Cancer. One way to look at decreasing your chances of getting cancer is by looking at the level of toxicity in your environment. Exchanging that scratched T-Fal pan for a cast iron pan, switching your conventional aluminum-filled anti-perspirant for a non-harmful stick that probably smells like trees will decrease your exposure to cancer-causing toxins. The European Union has banned 1,136 ingredients in body care products deemed toxic- the U.S., a staggering 8. Also, ball jars are not just a hippie accessory. The leeching of harmful chemicals, especially when putting hot food in plastic is deemed a no-no for hippies, along with using a microwave. Glass jars and glass tupperware are the way to go. In addition, don’t overestimate the bulk bins at your local health food store containing grains, legumes, and seeds. A whole foods mostly plant based diet is much less inflammatory and toxic than processed, conventional food on shelves and in freezers that are filled with harmful additives. In addition, herbal remedies provide treatment to many diseases, illnesses, and injuries that are just as effective as conventional chemical based medications.

Homemade marshmallows are the way to go- they caramelize and actually have taste- without the preservatives and high fructose corn syrup.

7) See and Feel the Big Picture. Driving smart cars, biking, recycling, eating local, and using soap without harmful chemicals are all small things that hippies can do to lower their foot print on the Earth and its scarce resources. These acts and many others certainly have a purpose and feel rewarding, but the bigger picture is that over time, those small actions and changes really do make a difference. The bigger picture of using plastic bags each time you are at the grocery store is billions of plastic bags that will sit buried in our soil in the dump forever.  On the flip side, the bigger picture isn’t about the plastic bags or switching brands of soap– it is that we are all in this together; not just Americans but people all around the world. Smile at the cashier, appreciate blades of grass, and get to know your neighbors because our time is too short to live it any other way than with grace and mindfulness.