When we hear the word “sustainability” often our minds go towards the environment. For us that is exactly what we thought when we started this blog a few months ago. However, after we wrote a few posts about our food system and plastic usage, we realized that this view point was to narrow. What if we were to think about what makes a Sustainable Life instead?
Find your way around:
Sustainable Life
This idea includes our impact on our environment, but also personal growth, relationships, and other components that make a lifestyle sustainable. Going to the gym is great, but what is the motivation that keeps you going there? Is it the routine, the place you go to, the people you meet, your accountability partner?
In this changing world it is clear that our old routines have been challenged. We may find ourselves needing to look more internally, than externally, for our motivation.
Making time for progress
While change is the only constant in the world, getting started is one of the hardest parts of making a change. If you don’t have time, or think you don’t have time, it’s almost impossible to start. Over turning the scarcity-mindset will help you to identify small pockets of time that could serve you better if used to craft a sustainable life.
Don’t have the time? Start Small
Crafting a sustainable life doesn’t happen overnight. There is no time too short to get started. The hardest part is just doing something, anything.
Only have a few minutes a day? Check out Jillian – Everyday Courage, her podcast ranges from 5 minutes to a half hour on average and gives you bite sized motivation to keep you on your journey of growth!
—–The next question is when can you make the time?—–
What gets you up in the morning?
Do you wake up to the sound of an annoying alarm, reminding you that it is time to give your life hours away for a paycheck? Or do you wake up naturally and get some peaceful morning time in before the busy day ahead?
What if I’m a night owl?
If your a night owl, you may have a hard time prying yourself out of bed early in the morning. This may be a result of working the night shift, or simply your personality.
Some self-help writers believe that everyone can become a morning person. From my experience, while this may be true in the long-term sense, don’t get hung up on this. The point they are trying to get across is that they want you to save your best hours for yourself! So if those come in the quiet of the night when you have been able to wind down and the kids are in bed, then take it!
Making ends meet
We all need to pay the bills, but where does your job fit into your life? Do you define it, or does it define you? Separating identity from your career can be difficult, but it may be a venture worth investing in. With the sudden changing economy, today’s jobs may not exist in 10 years from now.
As a lab technician over the course of 5 years, I saw parts of my job being replaced by robots that were more reliable, more accurate, and could work longer hours than I ever could. This was an awakening, I knew that the one thing I could do that wouldn’t be replaced easily was to use my mind. The problem solving, ground floor kind of work, writing and interpreting information before even software could catch up. I needed to become a thinker and hence, I did what most do, return to college to learn something entirely new.
—– So what kind of job do you have? —–
The Draining Job
I used to wake up dreading the day, knowing that I had a long commute ahead to a job that didn’t align with my passions. Now every job doesn’t have to be your “dream job,” but it needs to stay in it’s place and not seep into the rest of your life. If you gain energy from your workday, an extra hour spent at the end of the day to read an article is no sweat. However, if you have spent 8-10 plus hours being drained, opening up that email late at night does not make a sustainable life.
—– When was the turning point? —–
It didn’t start that way, they rarely do. It was a new opportunity and a chance to grow. However, after personnel changes and shifting projects, it became overwhelming. Every problem that I solved was followed by three more. Decisions that had been made and all but finalized were constantly being overturned. It had felt like living in turmoil.
—– Have you had a job like this? —–
There is something to be said for pushing through and adapting. Not all positions are a lost cause, in a matter of months I went from being under-utilized to what seemed over-utilized. Being in a position where I could make a difference was good, but it didn’t solve the long-term problem that our missions were on two different paths.
Even starting with my first job as a temp in the industry the VP at the time came up to me and remarked “You remind me of a young me.” Time and time again I had been picked out of the bunch. However, I still needed to continue growing. Not into a CEO or VP, but as an individual.
The Challenging Job
Are you in a position that you feel under-qualified for? Do you have imposter-syndrome? This may not actually be a bad thing. Positions like this can help you to grow, learn new skills, and gain confidence. Those who hired you knew your background and odds are you weren’t the only candidate they were looking at. Lean into this and embrace the challenges ahead. Remember, even the longest working employee had a first day, first moth, and first year on the job.
A change in perspective can be the difference between a job defined as draining or challenging. Be open to trying new positions within a company before jumping ship. Volunteer for projects that come up and peak your interest, even if it’s something not directly job related like a community service project. An opportunity that will allow you to grow could be right in front of you.
Identifying accountability partners
Having someone to help you along the way can be a great asset. Remember that friendship is a two way street. If you can identify a person in your life who can hold you accountable and you can return the favor, this is even better.
It doesn’t have to be your spouse or a family member, but that person who is not afraid to call you out when your slacking. Someone who you can be brutally honest about that extra doughnut you had, or the time that you skipped your journal session. That’s who you need. Someone who doesn’t kick you while your down, but helps to lift you back up and on track.
In some sense this blog is my accountability partner. My goal is to become more intentional with my time. To use more of my fresh self for something that is bigger than myself.
What do you have to lose?
The answer is nothing. If you don’t start today, or tomorrow, you won’t gain anything. Crafting a sustainable life starts with taking that first step. Reach out and determine an accountability partner, take those 5 minutes back for yourself each day, draw boundaries and stick to them. Life will always throw you curve balls and it is your decision: If life was a game of dodge-ball, would rather be the one who dodges or the one who catches?
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