SARAH MARIE VERA
The verb “consider” is described as an action of thinking or deciding upon a matter with care, and Sarah Marie Vera is someone who truly exemplifies this word in every aspect. As the Founder and Editor of CONSIDERED Magazine, Sarah champions for a better world. She is passionate about living at a slower pace and being mindful of how our lifestyle choices impact our people and the planet.
Slowly, mindfully, and with all things Considered.
Founded in early 2019, CONSIDERED Magazine is an independently published, bi-annual print magazine with a core focus on sustainable and mindful lifestyle & travel. Sarah shares her conscious travel experiences and imagery in the magazine in the hope of inspiring others to tread slowly too.
Her authenticity reverberates and the confidence she carries matches the boldness of her vision, perfectly executed in her meaningful and creative work at CONSIDERED Magazine.
Here we get a glimpse of what Sarah considers are her inspirations, for travelling and living more consciously.
Q1. Tell us a little about yourself: What is your background and what inspires you to create.
Coming from a corporate career background, I had a yearning to be more creative. I had been developing a growing interest in sustainability, slow living, nature, photography and literature, so I set about working on a personal project to bring these interests together. From there, CONSIDERED Magazine was born. I love the process of creating; being inspired, generating ideas, the bringing together of new concepts from a community of talented people and the translation of these into beautiful imagery, writing and a finished item to be shared with others, and hopefully inspire them in some way too.
Q2. What kind of a traveller are you?
I enjoy slow travel and adventures in nature. I like to visit lesser travelled areas of a city or country and understand the local culture, whilst having lots of downtime to unwind, read, eat and wander.
Q3. Have you ever travelled solo? What tips would you give to a first-time solo traveller?
Yes, I've travelled solo several times and find it to be such a fulfilling experience. For anyone travelling solo for the first time who may be feeling apprehensive about it, I would recommend researching the location before you go and having accommodation booked for at least the first couple of nights and travel arrangements to get you there. Should you feel nervous when you first arrive you'll already have a sense of familiarity of the new place given your research and a plan to get to where you need, which should help you stay calm. If you wish to meet like-minded people along the way, hostels and tours are great for that.
Q4. Where have you travelled to this past year? / Which travel destination has left you with the most memorable experience?
I've been really fortunate to travel to some incredible places this past year and meet some wonderful people. I travelled to Madrid in March with a friend for some downtime and city exploring, Bali in July where I visited Green School, a school made from bamboo where the curriculum focuses on sustainability and I volunteered teaching English to 6-8 year old Balinese children, and Vietnam in November with TextileSeekers, exploring vibrant Hanoi, meeting indigenous tribes of women in the mountains of Sa Pa, learning traditional textile craft and soaking up the most incredible mountain views. Both my trip to Bali and Vietnam were incredibly special to me and will remain in my thoughts for a very long time.
Q5. The emphasis on working with women sends such a positive message. Who are the female figures whom you admire?
There are so many women whom I have met throughout my life and on a global platform that I admire. On the global front, I'm truly inspired by Greta Thunberg and her unwavering passion to address the climate crisis, by Emmeline Pankhurst, a Manchester-native (my current home town) who led the Suffragette movement in the early 1900's helping woman win the right to vote, and by Bernadette Devlin McAliskey, an Irish Civil Rights activist who played an enormous role during the Northern Ireland troubles of the 1970's, to name a few. I'm incredibly lucky to have a network of talented and compassionate women here in Manchester and beyond that I connect with frequently.
Q6. How is slow travel different from the usual way of travelling?
For me, slow travel is done with minimal environmental impact, supports local economy and respects local culture. It's travel at a pace where there is enough downtime to rest well and an appreciation of quiet moments as well as rich, vibrant, new experiences.
Q7. As an entrepreneur, how do you focus on wellness in your life?
I've learned (the hard way) to put wellness at the core of my everyday so that I can function well. All the usual things - a balanced diet, some form of movement or exercise a few times a week, lots of water and plenty of sleep are high on my agenda. I also need quiet time and time away from screens spent in nature so I try to be disciplined with my working hours so that I can do what I need to, then have time off on weekends and evenings. It's easy to get caught up with working all the hours but I've found that leads to burnout and saps creativity so it's important for me to keep that in check.
Q8. Who do you think should come on this trip? And what would one hope to take away from this tour with TextileSeekers?
This TextileSeekers trip to Vietnam is perfect for anyone that wishes to immerse themselves in a unique culture, has an interest in textiles heritage, wants to meet like-minded people and has an appreciation for outstanding natural beauty. This tour will give you a true insight into the importance of textiles for the tribes of the Sa Pa region and the craft and effort involved to produce such items, which we too often take for granted.
Q9. What are you reading now?
I'm currently finishing off Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari, which is about the history of mankind and how we got where we have today - absolutely fascinating.