Focus on this area of sustainability to create an immediate positive impact in your life.
Sustainability impacts many areas of our lives. Environmental, economic, governmental, and social sustainability are just a few that immediately come to mind. And while our individual actions around all of these areas are important, we can often be left feeling like we aren’t able to move the needle in the direction we’d personally like to see.
However, there is one area of sustainability where your own actions have an immediate impact:
That would be the day-to-day sustainability in your own life.
Rather than running around feeling like you’re just putting out one fire after another, take a moment to assess where you’re personally at right now versus what a more sustainable day-to-day existence might look like.
Here are three questions to help you get started:
Let’s say between your work, family, and social obligations, you just have too much on your plate right now and not enough time to do them all well. And while it’s certainly an available option, let’s take changing your job situation off the table in this example. That’s a much bigger change and one that works against the goal of making this process immediately accessible.
Assuming this example, here’s the next question to ask:
What can you stop and/or start doing in the areas of your family time and social calendar to make it all feel more sustainable?
Maybe that means saying no to some existing social activities to free up more family time. Maybe it means getting more help around the house. Examples could include things like cleaning, meal prep, or childcare. Or maybe you need to start by figuring out what’s coming in and what’s going out financially. With a better understanding of your current cash flow, you’d likely feel more comfortable and confident making these choices.
No matter where you find yourself at this moment in your life, just remember that when it starts to feel like it’s all becoming a little too much, it’s always a good time to ask…
Is this sustainable?
Rather than chasing the ever elusive sense of happiness and contentment we all seek this new year, try giving sustainability a shot instead. Ironically, the better you get at building yourself a sustainable lifestyle, the more happiness and contentment tend to show up in your life.