Soft skills are a resourceful set of traits to contribute to social sustainability. For too long, the positive effects of soft skills have been neglected, but now is the time to shine. The mix of social skills can tremendously contribute to a better sustainable transformation of our lives and well-being. Soft skills aren’t all about better work performance and ethics. We need to shift our focus away from keeping only our economies going, but keeping ourselves alive; emotionally and physically. Developing your soft skills abilities will bring you one step closer to dealing with the world’s challenges.

Music makes the world go round. It is a vital part of our everyday lives, brings joy and helps us feel better. Moreover, music has the incredible power to affect our mood, change our outlook on life and inspire us to make a difference. You might have heard the phrase ‘Music can change the world’, so let us use music to find our motivation and change the world with our favourite tunes. I want to show you what this can look like with one of my motivational songs, which helps me to refocus and continue believing: I can do that!

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 over on a sustainability journey is crucial for growth and progress. It grants you a fresh perspective, enabling you to challenge old habits, embrace innovative ideas, and reevaluate your practices. By adapting to the ever-evolving field of sustainability, you stay current with advancements and maintain relevance. Starting over allows you to course-correct, learn from past mistakes, and refine your strategies for significant impact. It reignites your passion, reminding you of the significance of sustainability and rekindling your motivation to create positive change. Embracing a new beginning inspires others to join you, fostering a collective effort towards a more sustainable future.

Applying systems thinking doesn’t have to turn into rocket science. The simple basis is to understand the concept of systems then you’re sweet to go. Systems thinking provides new opportunities by understanding the situation and scope of a problem. It is a holistic approach to developing solutions that fit. How to intervene and achieve the best outcomes by incorporating all aspects of a system is one of the many strengths of systems thinking. It builds a base for continuous improvement and makes it easier for us to achieve our Sustainability goals. I’m looking forward to showing you an easy approach to applying systems thinking!

Sustainability affirmations help you find your role in the world. You become more mindful of what you need to do to help make sustainability the norm and dismantle unsustainable practices. Actions are crucial, but sometimes all you need is a different perspective to understand what the future holds for you. A sustainable lifestyle has a lot to offer and can contribute to your overall well-being. That is sometimes all you need – feeling good. A game changer is to understand your potential and how your well-being connects to the natural environment and the decisions you make along the way.

In view of the many crises we need to overcome, it can feel quite daunting. Too many think they do not have enough of what it takes to make our world sustainable. It might be true because they think in a way that does not encourage action. Thinking differently has been frowned upon for too long. But that’s what we need: the diverse capabilities of all human brains. Sustainability thinking can become a successful pathway to deal with environmental issues, social unrest and economic collapse. A sustainable future depends on the way you imagine it. Make the most out of it!

With an increasing interest in sustainable consumption, some companies will always take advantage of the situation to make more money. Greenwashing is a form of false advertisement to make us believe that a company’s service or product is environmentally friendly. Misleading information occurs mostly when the marketing strategy is only focussing on positively impacting the cash account instead of the environment. However, greenwashing can occur unintentionally due to a lack of transparency. Both cases need to be avoided; communicating the actual environmental impacts to support a sustainable transition is everyone’s responsibility. From industries, politics and the public.

In our fast-moving world, it is easy to jump from news to news. Unfortunately, it means that we often neglect important information. In that context, I feel like the news about the Patagonia founder was swept under the rug too quickly. Do you remember what happened? Don’t worry if you don’t because I want to bring up this old news again. Non-billionaire Yvon Chouinard decided to give away his company, Patagonia, to tackle the climate crisis. It is a significant decision because perhaps we are dealing with a pioneering act that might shake up the business world. If we don’t let it fall into oblivion.

Following through with New Year’s resolutions is a rewarding feeling. When we stick to accomplishing the changes we want to see in our lives, we feel empowered, happy and invincible. Imagine we could use this power to make our world a better place. It is possible, but we need to do some pre-work that will bring us on the right path to greatness. Too often, we put a spoke in our wheel. It is not only bad for our self-esteem, but also for our planet which is in urgent need of sustainable action. Let’s prevent our resolutions from dissolving into hot air!