How To Create Sustainable Habits That Work For You

by Andreea Prodan
in LIFESTYLE

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One of the main traits of mindfulness is cultivating more awareness on how we interact, respond and act on a daily basis. Being more mindful helps releasing judgement towards others, as we become more conscious of the fact that everyone is on their unique journey, and also it teaches us compassion towards ourselves. When trying to implement changes in our lives it is crucial to have compassion for our process and do things being gentle and kind on ourselves. Before implementing any change it is wise to establish our intention. If you are exercising with the mindset that your body looks bad and you “need” to lose weight, the intention is not a kind or loving one towards your temple. If you exercise from a place of love, acceptance and gratitude that your body is able to move and you are taking those 10 or 20 minutes in order to be strong and age beautifully, then your intention will help you sustain the habit and create a beautiful relationship with it.

The same process applies to sustainable living. The moment you become aware of what is happening with our planet and you know that each one of us holds a responsibility towards that, at that point you may be angry, frustrated and even feeling helpless facing the magnitude of the problem. Whatever your wake up call is, what really matters is your intention and willingness to keep trying and embrace failure.

Wastefulness is most easily tracked to things of convenience that outsource some kind of task or product that we cannot do ourselves or that involves more effort from our end. This is part of the reason why reducing our wastefulness can be intimidating and even make us feel stuck. In a way it brings to the forefront our “weaknesses“. As you take inventory of these aspects that could use improvement make sure to also focus on your strengths. At the intersection between the two you will find the sweet spot that will help you create sustainable habits that work for you.

Choose an issue

When it comes to sustainability and regenerative practices, it is fairly easy to become overwhelmed by the vast array of problems. It can becomes easier if you focus your energy on at least one issue. Think of climate change, fast fashion industry, poorly paid people, unethical practices, soil regeneration. Identify an issue that you are truly passionate about, something that you resonate you and get as much knowledge about it. The more you know, more chances are you will become more motivated and passionate about it. It is easier to care and take action towards something you are passionate about, than doing it because someone told you about it.

Identify a solution

Find practical solutions that work for you. If you are passionate about regenerative fashion and fair trade for garment workers, then you should look for solutions in that area. This can range from a low-buy year, buying only second-hand and from ethical brands, only buy things to replace other items, learn to make your own pieces, take a no-buy year pledge, never throw items away and instead give them to friends and family before going to a charity. There are many things we can do, we just need to get excited and creative. In the face of problem what helps is action and solutions.

Choose a habit that you can implement on a daily basis

Anything that we do on a daily basis becomes part of our lives. So far we have learnt and practiced our current habits for most of our lives, if we want to implement new ones, change or replace the ones we currently practices then we need to be diligent and persistent. Pick a habit that we can do on a daily basis, so you can strengthen that muscle. It can be as simple and easy as making your own nut milk at home so you stop buying it, or replacing your liquid soap with solid soap, composting , or a consciously refusing to purchase things that are not adding anything to your life.