In Good and Bad Ways, How Can Being Sustainable Affect Your Mindset?

Living a great life is about ensuring your mindset is robust and ready.

The practices we all embrace in life can comprise our ethics, beliefs, passions, and everything in between. Sustainability can align with our ethical and environmental values and can benefit our mindset in many ways, but it can also present mental challenges.

Let’s show you some of the ways in which sustainability can have both good and bad impacts on your mindset. Firstly, the good stuff:

The Financial Stability Factor

From purchasing environmentally friendly hybrid or electric vehicles such as VinFast’s IF 8 to reducing waste and smart consumption can all result in financial savings. Naturally feeling financially stable is going to reduce stress, especially in the current climate.

An Increased Awareness

Sustainability-oriented approaches usually require being more mindful of our choices and the overall impact. The sense of being more aware can have a knock-on effect on other aspects of our lives. It can have a positive impact on our health and well-being through making more environmentally friendly choices like consuming less meat.

A Sense of Purpose

Knowing you’re contributing to something greater than just your lifestyle can increase your overall well-being. This can give many people a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment. It can spill over into other areas of our lives, for example, growing our own fruits and vegetables or educating ourselves on the latest sustainable approaches.

While there are many positive approaches, it’s also critical to be aware of some of the negative aspects of sustainability in terms of our mindset:

A Sense of Overwhelm

There can be a sense of urgency around the concept of sustainability. We can all feel that we need to get more done to offset any negative practices that have colored our lives up until now. This can be further compounded when we are confronted by the enormity of global issues. However, not one person can have such a major impact on the planet, and therefore it’s crucial to acknowledge your specific limits and work on bettering your approach.

Striving for Perfectionism

There is a term called eco-anxiety where people are experiencing various types of stress directly related to the climate crisis. Striving for perfection by attempting to be completely carbon neutral, zero waste, or embody ethical practices can result in unrealistic expectations. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to being environmentally friendly or sustainable, and striving for perfection is completely unsustainable.

Initial Financial Strain

Sustainability can lead to savings in the long run; however, there can be significant investments upfront. Whether it’s changing from a traditional car to a hybrid or electric vehicle or installing renewable energy systems in the home, there can be initial financial stress.

Conflict

Striving for sustainability can result in interpersonal conflicts, which could result in an individual feeling misunderstood or even judged by others.

While we’re all striving to improve the planet one step at a time through advocacy or changing our lifestyle, we have to set realistic goals and find a balance that allows us to make a positive impact in our own little way.