Embrace the Bohemian Lifestyle and Live with Soul

In my early twenties, I was a shapeshifter. I dressed like the popular girls, went to parties I didn’t enjoy, and molded myself into whatever version of “desirable” I thought others wanted. My friendships were shallow, my confidence paper-thin, and my sense of self changed with the company I kept.

That all shifted when I began living a more bohemian life.

Discovering the bohemian lifestyle wasn’t about chasing an aesthetic—it was about peeling back the layers of who I wasn’t. It was unlearning conformity, unbecoming the versions of myself I had built for acceptance, and slowly finding the girl who had been waiting underneath. Being bohemian taught me that individuality isn’t rebellion—it’s beauty in its purest form.

Instead of chasing approval, I began chasing authenticity. I filled my days with rituals that made my life feel like art: slow mornings with music and matcha, afternoons spent creating, and evenings colored by quiet reflection. My world softened, then deepened. It became slower, richer, more meaningful.

Now, instead of late-night parties, I spend my time in places that nourish me—artist salons in Peekskill, NY, where conversations spark creativity, or cozy afternoons with loved ones over hot chai and slices of freshly baked zucchini bread. The bohemian lifestyle has touched everything: my mindset, my wardrobe, even the way I curate my home. It’s less about things and more about how they make me feel.

Love, too, has changed shape. I no longer seek validation through relationships or fleeting attention. I find fulfillment in solitude, in art, and in the quiet rhythm of slow living. I savor time spent with loved ones—the ones who encourage me and make me feel wanted.

I’ve let go of toxic boyfriends and friendships that left me feeling unappreciated and unseen. In their place, I’m learning to love myself—to offer the same validation I once begged for from others, to be the steady hand I used to search for.

Since moving back to New York after seven years in Asheville, I’ve noticed how time has settled into the faces of my family. My parents, my aunts, my cousins—all of them look a little older now, and it’s made me pause. There’s a tenderness that comes with seeing life’s impermanence up close. It’s softened me, made me slower to rush and quicker to cherish. Dinner conversations linger a little longer. I find myself memorizing the way the afternoon light hits my uncle’s hands, or the way the family dog melts into belly rubs.

The bohemian lifestyle, for me, isn’t about escaping—it’s about returning. Returning to what matters, to who I am, and to the fleeting beauty of each moment shared with the people I love.

Becoming bohemian helped me rediscover myself. It’s more than a look—it’s a way of life rooted in freedom, creativity, and soul. It’s choosing authenticity over approval, depth over noise, and self-expression over imitation.

Today, I am wholly myself—no longer the girl trying to fit in, but the woman finally at home in her own skin.

the bohemian lifestyle and creativity

At its heart, the bohemian lifestyle is a love affair with creativity. It’s not something you do; it’s something you live. Creativity seeps into everything—from the way you cook your morning eggs to how you arrange flowers on your nightstand. It’s the slow Sundays with relatives where you make blueberry muffins while watching cooking shows. It’s in your self-care rituals from skincare to exercise. It’s resourcefulness in practice, creating beauty that once only existed in your head.

For me, painting became my way back to myself. In 2023, I chased my dream of becoming a music photographer and enjoyed a quick rise to recognition and respect from my peers and music fans who fell in love with my pictures.

Unfortunately, the attention was short-lived and as quickly as I rose to prominence in the Asheville music scene, I faded into irrelevancy, no longer the shiny new thing. After burning out in the music photography world—a space filled with egos, exhaustion, and exploitation—I picked up a paintbrush for the first time in years. I spent weeks alone in my apartment in Asheville, surrounded by watercolor paper, charcoal, and documentaries. To my shock, the paintings that emerged were amazing. They were raw and honest, full of color and emotion I couldn’t yet speak.

That collection became my lifeline—a reminder that creativity isn’t just about producing something beautiful; it’s about reclaiming your voice. Whether it’s photography, writing, cooking, or gardening, creating is how we reconnect with our truest selves.

Tip: Let creativity be your compass. Follow what feels nourishing instead of what looks impressive. The bohemian life begins when you stop performing and start expressing. 

Authenticity: The Soul of the Bohemian Lifestyle

Authenticity is the heartbeat of the bohemian mindset. It’s living from a place of truth rather than imitation. Being authentic doesn’t mean being loud—it means being real.

For years, I hid behind personas that I thought people wanted. I so desperately wanted people to like me so I hid behind a cool girl exterior as if I wasn’t drowning from emotions and loneliness. It took time and happened after a few years in Asheville, but I began expressing myself more honestly—in how I dressed, spoke, and created. This sparked a newfound confidence and the paradox I found was that I actually became more magnetic and likable when I stopped trying to be. The more I showed up as my true self, the more I attracted people who resonated with the real me. Authenticity is magnetic. It builds genuine connection and invites others to do the same. People opened up to me in ways I think they wouldn’t have otherwise. Authenticity makes people trust you more.

Living authentically also means being brave enough to say no—to toxic relationships, social expectations, and the endless pressure to be palatable. It’s an act of rebellion, but also of peace.

Tip: Start by asking yourself: What feels true to me right now? Build your life around that answer, not around what others might think.

Passion: The Pulse of a Bohemian Life

Every bohemian life is fueled by passion—an inner spark that reminds you why you’re here. It’s the fire that drives artists, dreamers, and thinkers to live fully, even when life feels uncertain.

When I was a music photographer, passion was the reason I could shoot until 2 a.m. and still feel alive. Later, that same passion led me to painting, blogging, and building The Bohemian Bungalow. Passion gives life meaning. It’s not about constant excitement but about devotion—the quiet commitment to what makes you come alive.

Tip: Follow your curiosity wherever it leads. The more you nurture what you love, the more vibrant your life becomes.

Individuality: Your Art Form

Individuality is the visible expression of authenticity. It’s the way your home feels, the music you play, the way you dress when no one’s watching. It’s saying, “This is who I am,” without apology.

When I stopped trying to fit in, my world opened up. My wardrobe became a canvas—vintage silk scarves, hand-painted denim, linen dresses that whispered of faraway summers. My home became a collage of thrifted treasures and memories. The bohemian lifestyle celebrates that freedom: the art of curating a life that looks and feels uniquely yours.

Tip: Don’t chase trends—cultivate a personal aesthetic. Let your environment reflect your soul.

Empathy and Connection

The longer I live this way, the more I realize that empathy is the thread that connects it all. During my “Faces of AVL” photo series in Asheville, I learned that seeing others deeply begins with seeing yourself. Those portraits—taken of strangers on the street—taught me that every person carries a story, a vulnerability, a quiet beauty waiting to be noticed.

Empathy softens the edges of life. It turns creativity into connection, individuality into community. To live bohemian is to live open—to people, to experience, to imperfection.

Tip: Practice presence. Listen without preparing a response. Speak with kindness. See Beauty in everyone you meet.

Living the Bohemian Lifestyle Every Day

The bohemian lifestyle changed my life. I spent my days doing what I love, I’m lucky to be surrounded by beauty and I’m the woman I’ve always dreamed of being. When life is fast and society says to rush, I’m learning the importance of slowing down and appreciating the ordinary. I get to spend time with loved ones and love is now found in connection than a new Coach bag.

Being bohemian isn’t living in a certain zip code or embodying a specific aesthetic. It’s about cultivating an authentic version of yourself, being curious about life, and living with intention every day. It’s learning to romanticize the ordinary—to make a ritual of your morning coffee, to pause for sunsets, to create beauty even in chaos. It’s the recognition of the impermanence in life, the realization of how brief our lives on Earth really are.

You don’t have to move to Asheville (like I did) or fill your home with macramé and jewel tones to live bohemian. You simply need to live awake—to your senses, to your passions, and to your truth. To be bohemian is to live as yourself, not the version of yourself that you think you should be or that others expect.

Becoming bohemian helped me rediscover myself. While my road to radical self-love and unconditional self-acceptance is bumpy and imperfect, being bohemian helps me return to myself each day—to live with intention, to create from the heart, and to find beauty in the quiet, ordinary moments of life.

Bohemianism is more than a look—it’s a way of life rooted in freedom, creativity, and soul. It’s choosing authenticity over approval, depth over noise, and self-expression over imitation.

Today, I am closer to my true self—no longer the girl trying to fit in, but the woman finally at home in her own skin.