There are a few signs you are a modern day hippie that may surprise you and may feel not-too-hippie at all.Modern day hippies are a bit different from the hippies of our parent's generations. They may still be all about love and peace, but the psychedelic tees and long hair are (thankfully) left in the past. In fact, in many ways, hippie is the new trendy. As a rule of thumb, if you have more than 10 of these signs you are a modern day hippie. So, sit back with your soy latte and enjoy those new Tom's shoes you just bought, while reading a few things that make you a bit trendier than your grandma's hippies.
One of the easiest signs you are a modern day hippie is your care for animals and your health. If you have ever been a vegetarian (or pescetarian), chances are, you have some hippie in you. Sure, the vegetarian lifestyle is not for everyone, but kudos to you for even giving it a shot! If you are still a vegetarian, well done; you just might be hippiest hippie of them all.
Any person that has swerved or stopped in the street to avoid hitting one of our furry friends is for sure in the hippy category. If you have ever stopped the car to help an injured animal or helped a turtle across the street, you know the value of another life - one of the biggest parts of being a modern day hippie. Well done in taking time to help another in need.
Growing up, my Dad made up a litter bug song that we would sing any time we saw big litter on the road. It went something like, "litter bug, litter bug, don't be a litterbug." I know, we were the best song writers to ever exist. If you have childhood songs about helping our planet, you have probably taken it a step beyond being a hippie. Congrats, your parents were hippies and passed the bug along to you.
Music has always been an expressive tool for social movements, and those catchy tunes you learned stick like eco-friendly glue. It doesn't stop at anti-litter jingles; you might find yourself humming to melodies that preach love, peace, and sustainable living. Perhaps you've found new anthems that resonate with your earth-loving soul, but nothing beats the nostalgic charm of singing about not being a litterbug while sorting your recycling. It's like a soothing balm for your eco-conscience, a tender reminder that small acts of care for the environment are worth celebrating—and singing about.
Whether it be clothing, accessories, houses, or furniture, if you like the idea of refurbishing something old instead of buying new, you have some hippie. Modern day hippies see the need for reusing the old and, often, enjoy it more than buying the new. Whether you are doing this as a style choice or because you hate the idea of things going to waste, you share a quality with almost every hippie out there.
Volunteering is a form of giving back to our community and those around the world who are in need. It takes a lot to volunteer; you are often giving of your time, resources, and energy and rarely get acknowledgment for it. Well done you giver-backer, you are getting some serious hippie cred!
The devil is often in the details. When you brush your teeth, do you only turn the water on when needed, or do you leave it running the whole time? Hippies conserve. This is even in the finer things like not wasting water and turning it off when not in use. Well done for anyone who conserves; you are a detail oriented hippie and those are pretty rare.
Yoga is all about finding inner peace, restoring the body, and refreshing the mind. Modern day hippies also use yoga as a great way to get a fantastic workout. If you are a modern day hippie, you are getting some mental clarity while burning some of those calories away.
Modern day hippies have a foot up compared to hippies of previous generations when it comes to information. Now-a-days we know that soaps and shampoos with parabens and sulfates are bad for our bodies and for the environment. If you have opted out of these chemicals, you are a modern day hippie, for sure.
Bet you were wondering when this would come on the list. Organic is good for our environment and our bodies. If you are a modern day hippie there is a pretty big chance you buy organic produce, use organic cleaning products, and get your glam on with organic skincare and beauty products.
Now that we are on the subject of skincare, does your brand pride themselves on not harming/testing on animals? If so, you have added the modern to the hippie for sure. Us modern girls know that skincare is important but that inner hippie cannot abide a product that could have harmed an animal in the making.
Do you buy clothes that give to someone in need? Buying something pretty that also gives back is a great way to be a modern day hippie. You have the modern covered since you are buying trendy frocks and your inner hippie feels satisfied that you have helped another. Companies like Tom's, Sevenly, and The Honest Co. are great ways to get your trendy hippie on.
If your house had one or more energy efficient appliance in it, you are on the hippie track. Sure, we may have bought a Nest thermostat because it would save us a few bucks, but we are also helping the environment along the way. There is no reason that a modern day hippie cannot be thrifty along the way.
If you have a gas guzzler, skip to number 14, this one is not for you. But, if you have a car that gives you bragging rights on your MPG, congratulations on being thrifty and hippie all at once. That car saves you at the pump and is helping to save our environment!
Pet adoption has become more than hippie; it is all out trendy. If your pet was adopted rather than bred and bought, well done! You saw a need and filled it by giving a little guy a home and love. This is one of the greatest things any hippie and non-hippie alike can do.
That's right, modern day hippies take their garbage a step past the bare minimum of recycling. Today, more people than ever are opting to compost and grow their own. No matter if you live in a condo, home, or sprawling farm, you can compost and have your own mini garden. Yes, compost bins and gardens may vary in size, but if you have one, you can proudly check that off your hippie bucket list.
So, are you a modern day hippie? If you said yes to ten or more of these, then there is a pretty high chance you are. What other modern day hippie things do you do?