What Is Lifestyle? A Guide to Understanding, Defining, and Choosing the Right Lifestyle for You

Living a Life That Feels Like You

Have you ever paused to ask yourself: What kind of life do I really want to live? It’s a simple yet profound question. One that whispers in between the chaos of responsibilities, expectations, and the unspoken pressure to have it all figured out. For many of us, especially as multipotentialites and first daughters navigating the complexities of life, that question resonates differently.

I didn’t always have an answer. In fact, for years, I lived in default mode, ticking boxes, saying yes when I meant no, pouring into everyone else and leaving myself running on Energy. But something changed when I started Novellisteer. I realised that building a life that felt like me wasn’t just a dream, it was something I could design, slowly and intentionally.

In this post, let’s talk about the meaning of lifestyle, explore different types of lifestyles, and walk through how you can choose the one that aligns with your values, energy, and season of life. This isn’t a blueprint for perfection. It’s a soft invitation to live with intention.

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1. What Is Lifestyle, Really?

Let’s clear the air: Lifestyle isn’t just aesthetics. It’s not just about what you wear, what you post on Instagram, or whether your morning coffee has oat milk or not.

At its core, your lifestyle is the expression of your values, habits, routines, priorities, and environment. It reflects how you live your everyday life, from the time you wake up to how you rest, work, play, and connect with the world around you.

It’s influenced by culture, personal experiences, goals, relationships, mental health, and even the stories we tell ourselves. Your lifestyle is deeply personal, yet it’s shaped by the systems and communities you are part of.

Think of lifestyle as the rhythm of your life. Is it loud or soft? Fast-paced or gentle? Curated or evolving?

When I first started questioning my lifestyle, I was working long hours, juggling anxiety and depression, trying to figure out my career path, doing many things while earning nothing and building Novellisteer. It wasn’t just burnout; it was the realisation that my life was performing, not living.

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2. How to Define Your Own Lifestyle

Defining your lifestyle isn’t about fitting into a label—it’s about getting clear on what feels right to you. And sometimes, that clarity starts with a few uncomfortable questions:

• What does a good day feel like to you?
• What drains you, even if it “looks good” on paper?
• What do you crave more of: solitude, creativity, movement, rest?
• What values do you want to guide your decisions?

Here’s a little journaling exercise that helped me:

Describe your ideal weekday. Where are you? What time do you wake up? What’s the pace of your day? Who are you around? What work are you doing? How do you wind down?

Your answers will tell you more about your desired lifestyle than any quiz ever could.

Lifestyle isn’t just something you observe; it’s something you create.

And defining it doesn’t mean you’ll get it right overnight. It means you’re open to experimenting, pivoting, and tuning in to what your body and spirit need.

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The Types of Lifestyles That Exist (And Why You Don’t Have to Choose Just One)

Let’s explore a few common lifestyle categories. Remember, these are reference points—not fixed boxes. You can blend, borrow, or break the rules as needed.

a. The Minimalist Lifestyle

Prioritising simplicity, intentionality, and less clutter. Think: capsule wardrobes, clean spaces, saying no to what doesn’t serve you. It often appeals to people who are overwhelmed by consumerism or who are seeking clarity and focus. Minimalist living helps to reduce decision fatigue and increases mindfulness. But it doesn’t have to mean a stark white room with one chair; you define what “less but better” looks like.

b. The Slow Living Lifestyle

Rooted in mindfulness, slowness, and savouring the moment. Ideal for those overwhelmed by hustle culture. This lifestyle often includes practices like mindful eating, digital detoxing, spending time in nature, and embracing a more seasonal rhythm. Slow living reminds us to stop rushing through life and start experiencing it.

c. The Abundance Lifestyle

Living with elegance, ease, and enjoyment of life’s finer things. It’s not about being rich, it’s about richness of experience. From indulging in high-quality products to prioritising comfort, luxury doesn’t have to be material. It can mean gourmet meals, spa routines, or simply refusing to settle for the bare minimum.

d. The Digital Nomad Lifestyle

Freedom to work from anywhere, often fueled by online work. Great for wanderers and those craving flexibility. This lifestyle has risen with remote work culture and is characterised by location independence, exploring different cultures, and redefining productivity outside the traditional corporate work.

e. The Intentional Lifestyle

Highly personalised. Every decision from what you eat to how you spend your weekends is aligned with purpose. It requires regular reflection and sometimes saying no to societal norms. Intentional living is about designing a life that supports your values rather than trying to fit your values into a life designed by others.

f. The Introvert-Aligned Lifestyle

Spaciousness, solitude, and recharge are prioritised. Boundaries are respected. Deep connections over quantity. This lifestyle acknowledges the emotional labour of social settings and centres the need for reflection, quiet joy, and meaningful connection.

g. The Multipotentialite Lifestyle

Flexible, evolving, filled with learning, creativity, and multiple interests. Designed around curiosity. Multipotentialites often thrive on variety and get bored doing the same thing for too long. A multipotentialite lifestyle supports exploration, cross-disciplinary projects, and creating your job titles when necessary.

For me, my lifestyle is a dance between introvert-aligned, intentional living, and multipotentialite energy. Some seasons, I lean more into slow living; other times, I embrace the chaos of creativity. And that’s okay.

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How to Choose a Lifestyle That Suits You

Choosing your lifestyle isn’t about picking the trendiest one. It’s about:

a. Understanding Your Season

We often underestimate how much our lifestyle needs to adapt based on our current life stage. Are you rebuilding after burnout? Exploring your twenties? Parenting? Grieving? Your lifestyle should support and reflect your reality. Forcing a high-energy lifestyle in a season of healing is a recipe for self-sabotage.

b. Identifying Your Core Values

What truly matters to you? Freedom? Creativity? Rest? Legacy? Write them down. Your lifestyle should reflect those values in daily actions. If you value peace but your schedule is packed, there’s a misalignment that needs attention.

c. Acknowledging Your Capacity

Let’s normalise asking: “Do I have the bandwidth for this?” Choosing a lifestyle also means choosing grace. Give yourself permission to downshift, unplug, and prioritise recovery over productivity. You are a human being, not a project to manage.

d. Exploring Without Guilt

You’re allowed to test a routine, try a new structure, or change your mind. Don’t let “consistency culture” or fear of appearing flaky trap you into a lifestyle that no longer fits. Trying on different ways of living is not failure, it’s freedom.

Ask yourself weekly: What worked this week? What didn’t? What do I want to try next?

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Lifestyle Envy Is Real, But You Can Reclaim Your Story

Let’s be honest: scrolling through curated morning routines and Paris vlogs can make you feel like your life is behind. That you’re not glowing, manifesting, or thriving enough.

But here’s the truth: Lifestyle isn’t a competition. It’s a reflection.

If your lifestyle is rooted in comparison, it becomes performative. And performance eventually becomes pressure.

Reclaiming your story means:

• Unfollowing accounts that make you feel less-than
• Creating your version of success
• Honouring your reality, even when it’s messy
• Letting go of the “highlight reel” lifestyle

Instead of trying to imitate, try to integrate. What small rituals from inspiring lifestyles can you adopt in your way?

For me, that meant ditching the 5 AM club, but keeping the quiet early mornings. Swapping 10-step skincare routines for four consistent ones. Making peace with my love for routine, but not forcing it when I’m drained.

On The Blog: 5 Ways To Simplify Your Multi-Passionate Life

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Lifestyle Tips for Multipotentialites & Introverts

As a multipotentialite and introvert, you might struggle with conflicting energies. One part of you wants to explore everything, the other part just wants quiet. You don’t need to choose between the two; you can build a lifestyle that honours both.

a. Build in “Creative Sprints”

Multipotentialites thrive on variety. Instead of trying to do all your interests at once, schedule seasonal or monthly sprints where you deep dive into one or two passions.

b. Create a Recharge Ritual

Introverts need regular recharging. Make this non-negotiable. Whether it’s a solo walk, herbal tea, reading, or journaling, treat it as sacred time.

c. Don’t Force Corporate Productivity

You might work best in bursts or late nights. That’s okay. Design your schedule around your peak focus periods, not what society expects.

d. Say “No for Now”

You don’t have to explore every idea immediately. Keep a “someday/maybe” list. Saying no doesn’t mean never; it means you value your energy.

e. Build Buffer Time into Your Calendar

Social recovery is real. After meetings, calls, or events, give yourself space to decompress.

Lifestyle for people like us isn’t about efficiency. It’s about energy alignment.

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Your Lifestyle Is Allowed to Change

Here’s what I want you to remember: You’re not a static being, and your lifestyle shouldn’t be either.

What worked for you in university might not work as a business owner. What inspired you as a teen might not move you now. Permit yourself to update your lifestyle as often as you update your wardrobe, goals, or vision boards.

Lifestyle is not just a buzzword. It’s the heartbeat of how you move through the world.

So ask yourself again: What kind of life do I want to live? And then slowly, softly, start living into that answer, one cup of tea, journal entry, boundary, or breath at a time.

Bonus: I created a free worksheet to help you reflect and realign with intention. You can download it by clicking this link: Define Your Lifestyle Worksheet

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Let Us Talk

• Have you defined your lifestyle?
• Are you living in alignment with it?
• I’d love to hear what your ideal day looks like or which lifestyle type you resonate with most.

Let’s chat in the comments, or better yet, journal it out using the free Define Your Lifestyle worksheet that I shared above.