Things I would have liked to know before the start of my sustainability trip (part 1/2)

When I first started exploring topics like veganism, zero waste, or a sustainable lifestyle, I think I would have loved to have stumbled across a post like this one. Because there are a lot of things no one told me beforehand. And when the time came, I was overcome with feelings of guilt, shame, failure, or fear. So, whether you're just beginning your sustainability journey or already in the middle of it—I have something to say to you! 🧡

1. You can't change everything at once

If you decide to fundamentally change your lifestyle or an area of your life, it's not a decision that can be fully implemented overnight. After all, you want to make lasting changes to yourself and your life, long-term and, ideally, for the rest of your life. As the saying goes, "Life is not a sprint, it's a marathon," the key here is to slow down. :)

Maybe you're super motivated at the beginning and would love to change everything at once. For some people, that works, and that's great. But for those for whom it doesn't work, that's just as okay.

Maybe you feel totally overwhelmed and don't know where, how, or when to start. That's normal, too. Try to always remind yourself to take one step at a time. after to go to the other.

You should also consider your options. Not everyone has a farmer's market or a zero-waste store around the corner, and not everyone can afford to leave their car at home starting tomorrow. You can change these things over time. Circumstances and surroundings can also be adapted, but all of this takes time.

So it’s best to take just one thing (z.B. your diet, waste separation, or consumer behavior). Be honest and realistic with yourself and see exactly where you want to start. Gradually, you'll see how further steps will follow automatically. But it's okay to start SMALL.

Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash

2. You are allowed to make mistakes

“What? But I've decided to go vegan starting today… I can't afford to make any mistakes, can I?!”

Oh, yes. Because mistakes happen, sometimes they're unavoidable, sometimes they're someone else's fault.

So if you accidentally order a "regular" vanilla latte instead of oat milk at your favorite café out of habit, it's no big deal. The same goes if the barista accidentally pours you real cow's milk and you only notice it after you've taken the first sip. You're not a hypocrite, you haven't failed, you don't have to feel guilty, and you're not a "bad vegan." You are you, and you just made a mistake. The mere fact that you're even thinking about these things shows what a great person you are.

Mistakes are simply a part of life, as always. Try to view them as positive rather than negative. You can learn from them and take something with you for next time. You can improve, and at the same time, mistakes show you how far you've already come. Change starts in the mind, and before you did, you wouldn't have even recognized or classified this "mistake" as a "mistake."And that’s something, isn’t it?

So relax, and look forward to the opportunity to learn something from your next "mistake." :)

3. Your journey is all alone your Trip

This point is almost the most important to me, because it can be applied to virtually every other area of life. As soon as you compare yourself to other people, you begin to judge. And not just the other party, but also yourself. We quickly tend to put ourselves down or focus on everything that lies ahead of us instead of focusing on what we've already accomplished.

There is really no point in first Step with the hundredth or thousandth Comparing someone else's steps is great. It's great when other people decide to never fly again or manage to adopt a 100% vegan lifestyle. But that doesn't automatically mean you're a bad person, lacking ambition, or anything else. You're just on your own path, and who knows what might happen next?

Comparing ourselves to other people who seem to be much further ahead than ourselves can have a profound impact on our psyche and cause feelings of jealousy, fear, insecurity or even self-hatred.

So let me tell you once and for all: Your efforts are great; everything you change or try to change is great. Simply developing a changed awareness of things is a great step. You're taking responsibility and control over your life, and you're making the conscious decision to do things differently than before. All of this is SUPER COOL! Because with your actions, you're making a huge difference as an individual and for society!

So stop comparing yourself to other people. Do your own thing, and if anything, compare yourself to the person you were yesterday/a few years ago. :)

A little hint:

This is the first part of a somewhat longer article. You'll find out what other two "tips" I'd like to share with you in the second part. You'll find a link here as soon as it's published.

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