Creating Sustainable Goals

Heard all about the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and all the other problems the planet is facing, and now feel pretty low and helpless? Time to plan what you’re going to do about it my friend! Grab a pen and let’s get to it…

The news can feel pretty overwhelming at times, especially at the moment, and you may feel like you don’t know how to help or where to start making a difference. Understandable, since this is saving the world we’re talking about. This is where making goals comes in! You’ve probably made goals for different things in your life, or just been forced to make them at school, but now is a great time to create some targets you can work towards to make creating sustainable change a bit more realistic. You may want to generate your goals for you as an individual, or maybe you’d like to make change as a family, either way this will guide you as you make your goals. Here are some hints for getting started:

• Get organised! Whether its a physical journal, a note on your phone or a large piece of paper stuck to the kitchen wall, pick somewhere to make your goals that everyone will see and check regularly. For me, I like to write my goals in an artistic way (as in by using pretty highlighters) in a physical diary such as a bullet journal, because I know I’m more likely to follow these goals if they are written down and want to be ticked off ( I do love ticking things off lists!).
• Making sustainable and lasting change will not happen overnight, so your goals are likely to be a mix of short-term and longer-term targets, which is good for motivation. For instance, short-term goals might be:

1. Purchase a solid shampoo bar the next time I need to stock up on haircare
2. Repair those trousers with the hole in, instead of throwing them away
3. Educate myself on eco-friendly changes I can make with my lifestyle by researching websites, books and documentaries

Short-term goals are great for getting the ball rolling – once you tick off a few you’ll feel a real sense of achievement which should motivate you to tackle some of your larger goals, for example:

1. Commit to one ‘meat-free’ day a week (this goal could then be furthered to two days etc…)
2. Cut down on the amount of fast fashion I consume
3. Cycle to work/ school for three days a week

These longer-term goals may take more time and effort as it will require you and your family to change your lifestyle and habits, for instance reducing your meat intake or mode of transport, but done gradually should allow you to make a big change in smaller, less intimidating steps.

• If you are setting goals as a family, try to include every family member in the process, so that once you embark on your steps to sustainability, everyone is aware of what they can do.
• Check in with your goals every once in a while and congratulate yourself when you achieve them!
• Have fun! These goals aren’t restrictions on your life, so they should be things you want to achieve. Enjoy the process, perhaps by documenting what you’ve done or just talking about your goals with friends and family so more people can be inspired to join you on this journey.

Hopefully, with a bit of planning and the use of some aesthetic stationery, your goals will help you to feel less overwhelmed by the situation, so that the next time the news is looking anything but positive, you can remind yourself that you are doing something to help and your actions are meaningful.