As I’m sure many people did, I walked into the new year with goals to live more sustainably. Reflecting on what that means over the last month and a half has led to my new favorite mantra: progress, not perfection. In a world where we are constantly surrounded by posts on Instagram, feeds on Twitter and the opinions of other people influencing the way we act and think, it is important to take a step back and appreciate progress, even when it isn’t perfect.
From a young age, I was taught to strive for perfection, and although I know now how detrimental that mindset can be, it is often still difficult to shake off. It’s easy to jump on social media and find myself surrounded by sustainability influencers who seem to live perfect, sustainable lifestyles and feel bad about my own habits. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by how many aspects of my life contribute to global climate change, from buying food in plastic packaging and containers to driving my car when I could easily walk and think “Why even try?” However, it is important to remember that even small efforts are better than no effort at all.
Everybody can make a difference, and it doesn’t have to look like a large scale overhaul of your lifestyle. Carrying reusable bags with you to the grocery store even if you still buy food in plastic packaging is better than opting for plastic bags. Choosing to cut down on some animal products in your diet, even if you don’t decide to be vegetarian or vegan, is still better than doing nothing. It often seems as though, as a society, we are stuck in a rut between all or nothing, where we are forced to choose between pursuing unrealistic perfection or facing the criticism for not being perfect enough. If we don’t value little actions like thrifting clothes or drinking dairy alternatives, the possibility of a sustainable future shrinks smaller and smaller.
There are thousands of things you can do to change the impact your actions have on the environment. From cutting down on your plastic use by investing in reusable alternatives to switching to more eco-friendly products like bar shampoos and toothpaste tablets, there are countless ways to make a small impact. No contribution is too small or too insignificant to make a difference. They are all smaller steps on the path to a larger shared goal and they deserve to be recognized and appreciated. A sustainable future is a future that embraces openness, positivity and self-compassion.
