January 2, 2023

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A Sustainable 2023 Starts With You! Create A Future To Look Forward To

Are you looking forward to 2023? I hope so. Now more than ever, we need encouraged and motivated people to make a difference. To contribute to our planet - the paradise which sustains our lives. Although there are many ways to be sustainable, we overlook one: how you can make a meaningful impact. I do not mean recycling or going zero waste. What I mean is who you are as a person. How do you fit in with your uniqueness and strengths? Sustainability has all opportunities open for you. What matters is if you are willing to discover them.
Written by Veronika Tietz

2022, what a year. It has been a wild ride – positive and negative. Sustainable issues are more significant than ever. I would even say that every day the pressure to implement sustainability increases. Luckily, a sustainable 2023 starts with you. It is wonderful to have you on board. No pressure 😉 but I want to show you why you are important in the sustainable transitions discourse.

There is one thing I want to clarify before we dive into creating a sustainable 2023 worth looking forward to. Many believe that pursuing a sustainable lifestyle is all about reducing your carbon footprint, recycling, avoiding plastic or becoming 100% zero waste. Although those endeavours are desirable, they are only partially making a difference. 

New Year Sustainability

Instead, what can really make a difference and contribute a meaningful impact in our world is YOU – pursuing or fulfilling your dreams, desires and needs. Of course in light of sustainable principles. Therefore, I want to equip you with a different perspective and provide you with some fresh air about how to start a sustainable 2023. You came to the right corner of the internet.

Before you underestimate your potential to create real change, I want to show you why you play a crucial role in creating a sustainable world.

Why you are the most important resource for a sustainable 2023

Social sustainability is an overlooked topic. Humans created a big mess over the centuries until now. Now we have to find the proper detergents to clean up. Moreover, we need to find solutions for the chaos so that it does not occur again. A world without enough empowered humans who want to create a sustainable and desirable future is prone to fail.

We have a human, not a science or technology problem. I believe that we can invent as much as we want, but if we fail to address the societal and environmental problems from a societal perspective, we will continuously have to deal with immense challenges instead of developing our lives in the best way possible. Does it make sense to you?

Focus Here

Related article: 7 Powerful Ways To Focus On What Is In Your Control

Do you know the quote, “If I only had an hour to chop down a tree, I would spend the first 45 minutes sharpening my axe” by Abraham Lincoln? Imagine that you are the axe. If you invest time into reimagining what you really want from life (at the moment in time, it can always change), how you can contribute to a more sustainable world and what you have to do to create a future worth looking forward to, you are already better equipped.

45 minutes is all you need to make you competent in becoming more sustainable. In fact, to create a sustainable 2023. 

Humans are trouble maker

Although humans are the cause of a lot of trouble, we do not focus enough on the human mindset to achieve real change. In 2023, I want to change that. I will do my best to empower as many people as I possibly can to make 2023 count. I hope you are one of them. 2023 where we lay the foundation to create a future worth looking forward to. 

See it as a chance to have a say. To become part of creating something better where your needs are met. Where you can live a life true to yourself. Focus on what is important to you. Indeed, you will gain more clarity and confidence to make decisions that benefit you, others and the environment.

A sustainable 2023 can not happen without you – we need all hands on deck. Are you looking forward to 2023? What are your goals? What does your vision look like? 

Put those New Year’s resolutions aside and focus on what is really important: You

You are not here to optimise or improve yourself. For a sustainable transition, we need people who know or are willing to discover what is truly important to them. One of my favourite ways to figure this out is by creating a vision board.

The Oxford dictionary defines a vision board as “a collage of images and words representing a person’s wishes or goals, intended to serve as inspiration or motivation.”

Reimagining a future worth looking forward to can be a fun activity. But where to start? What does it look like to envision a sustainable 2023?

Flower Vision Board Planner Ink-Friendly Vision Board Planner

I created two vision board planners to make it easier and more fun for you to start envisioning a brighter future. The planners shall guide you in making positive and meaningful changes – to achieve your aspirations and goals. 

What is important to me is to not dictate what you should do with your life. My role is to simply inspire you to become more confident and positive about making sustainable choices and looking forward to the future.

 

Real change starts with you. 

Creating a sustainable 2023 has never been easier

You might wonder what the difference between those two vision board planners is. Simply put:

Sustainable 2023 Vision Board

The My 2023 Vision Board Planner is colourful with more visual elements like dried flowers, playful patterns etc. This vision board planner is ideal for digital use. You can easily reuse it if you do not mind the 2023 on some pages. 

Sustainable Vision Board Planner

The Vision Board Planner is a more print- and ink-friendly version. It entails the exact same pages, but in black and white with minimalistic black-and-white visualisations. It is not bound to a specific year, thus you can reuse it for the coming years.

 

You can find both planners in my Etsy Shop ReSustainability.

Use the code SAVE50 to get a 50% discount on both vision board planners!

Additionally, I have created a detailed description of how you can make the best out of those vision board planners. Here is a shortcut to the little instructions: INSERT POST LINK

 

I’m looking forward to creating a sustainable 2023! Full of wonders, magic and a future worth looking forward to!

 

Big hugs!



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Why Systems Thinking Is So Useful To Achieve Sustainability

Systems thinking should become one of the number one approaches to solving societal challenges. It’s a problem-solving approach that looks at a system as a whole. Making sense of the complexity in our world is not an easy task, but mastering the principles of systems thinking can bring us one step closer to achieving sustainable goals. Rather than isolating parts of a system (like linear thinking does), systems thinking is the ability to understand systems as a whole and the dependent relationships. With systems thinking, we have a much better chance to find the solutions which fit.

How An Improved Definition Of Sustainability Will Actually Save The World

Sustainability is minimised to dealing responsibly with our resources for our and our future generations (plants, animals and resources included). It is more than simply ticking the boxes. It’s about finding the right balance between social, environmental and economic Sustainability. The latter is not even crucial for our existence, but we give most of our attention to economic development. More importantly, we need to switch the focus on ecological and human health and vitality. Profit can only exist with people and the planet. So let’s change our understanding of Sustainability to create a world that suits us all and not an economic model.

Ecoliteracy: The Foundation Of A Forgotten Love Language

Expressing love is not limited solely to human-human interactions. The natural world deserves to be loved and cared for. Unfortunately, knowledge about living within nature’s means disappeared with the rise of industrial and modern societies. Destruction and exploitation are on the daily agendas – not without consequences. Of course, new technologies are developed to tackle our global challenges. However, we cannot solve our challenges with the same mindset which created them. Huge potential lies in the principle of ecoliteracy. It is a way of understanding and appreciating how we can rebuild our relationship with nature – healthily and sustainably.

5 Helpful Steps To Understand The Concept Of Systems Better

Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could work together to tackle humanity’s most pressing challenges? Interestingly enough, this is possible because natural systems show us how. Unfortunately, we got rid of a big chunk of natural systems, but this doesn’t mean that we cannot reverse it. The systems concept is an ideal approach to understanding the underlying problems we are facing AND finding the right solutions. We are an integral part of our Earth’s systems as well as any other species or resource. I can show you what it takes to understand systems better and contribute to a better world.

Sustainability Podcast: WHO’S GONNA SAVE US

The WHO’S GONNA SAVE US podcast is about the heroes who will enable the world to avert the worst impacts of a climate disaster: people like you and me. Questions about “Why do we have to do it?” are changed to “How are we going to do it?” This podcast provides you with inspirational stories from people who simply want a better future. A future where we are not threatened by the climate crisis. How they are doing it is wonderfully discovered by the host Jo Lauder and her team.

Starting Small, Thinking Big: How To Begin Your Sustainability Journey

Embark on a transformative journey of sustainability, and unlock the value this article holds. Your courage, challenges and the urge to change unsustainable habits, is needed to ignite empowerment through even the smallest shifts. Shift your thinking, prioritise sustainability, and become a catalyst for broader change. Additionally, inspire others with your sustainable mindset and actions, creating a ripple effect of positive transformation. A resilient future cannot emerge without your contribution. Every small step you take makes a difference. The real impact will come from thinking big. Therefore, unlock the gateway to a fulfilling existence, impacting yourself and the world around you.

Sustainability Mindset For Leaders: Inspiration For Implementing Sustainable Business Practices

Forward-thinking leaders need a vision for a sustainable future to implement into their business structures. Innovative ideas and strategies for implementing sustainable business practices are a great foundation, but they can become easily unfruitful if the team is not aligned. With a sustainability mindset, leaders can drive meaningful change and contribute to a prosperous future. They recognise that sustainable practices are not only beneficial for the planet but also for their team. Focussing on solely reducing one’s carbon footprint and minimising waste scratches the surface of the pool of opportunities. Embedding sustainability thinking into a business structure sets the tone for a new era.

From A Carbon Tunnel Vision To A Holistic Collaboration Approach

Sustainable development has a very carbon-heavy taste to it. It has already been recognised that we need to move beyond the carbon-only approaches; to achieve effective, sustainable outcomes. What we experience globally is a Carbon Tunnel Vision. It’s a clever play on words to highlight our selective attention on mostly Net-Zero Goals. The Carbon Tunnel Vision framework aims to open our eyes to other human and natural crises. Global warming is only one part of the interconnected crises. Let’s not get trapped and miss our chances to fight our challenges effectively. I want to show you how easy this can be by taking a more holistic and collaborative approach.

7 Powerful Ways To Focus On What Is In Your Control

We feel good when we can freely spend our time on what matters most. Understandably, we get frustrated if we are not in control of our precious time. Control is a relevant topic and refers to control over others and control of yourself. The latter is a competency that contributes to your mental and physical health. Unfortunately, we don’t have much control over our lives as we have to stick to working schedules, household chores and other obligations. Acknowledging what is outside of our control and not letting it consume us is an essential step to gaining sovereignty.

The Rs Of Sustainability: The Most Effective Way To Apply Them

It’s not always obvious how we can achieve our Sustainability goals. A big help is principles we can use to help us. In the Sustainability space, the Rs of Sustainability have established themselves to be a successful way. Can you easily relate to the three common Rs of Sustainability: Reduce, reuse, and recycle? Sometimes I feel like those principles are not easily applicable in my life. Don’t worry, I found an effective way to personalise your own set of Rs of Sustainability. It won’t only help you to implement Sustainability easier but also embrace the diversity of what you can do to achieve Sustainability.

7 Comments

  1. Tahila Mongoya

    Really great insights here, love your blog

    Reply
  2. Lindsey

    Love these ideas and resources! Having a vision with a plan is such a great way to accomplish what you want in a meaningful way. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Fransic verso

    That’s awesome, never tried to do a vision board before but would love to try it. Great explaining about why. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  4. Natalie Perry

    Can’t wait to check out the vision board planner! I love the sustainability tips. Great 2023 goals!

    Reply
  5. Jeanine

    This is fantastic and so practical I love the “focus here” diagram…so much is out of our control but how we react and what we do personally is not… and focussing on the things that matter to US is a great place to start…

    Reply
  6. Pastor Natalie (ExamineThisMoment)

    Very good information and encouraging regarding being sustainable. I appreciate you sharing this post. 🤗

    Pastor Natalie (ExamineThisMoment)
    Letstakeamoment.com

    Reply
  7. Edith

    Oh, you are so right about the societal issue and the fact we need to focus more on humans than the rest. It’s all about connecting with one another. That’s why I have created a collaborative address book on my web to help local stores and brands thrive! Because what we need is to go outside, meet real people, in our villages, towns, and cities at local stores and cafés, and support our community! Beautiful board as well, thanks!

    Reply

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