If you ask me, resolutions never really stuck with me. I would always set myself unrealistic and or/ imaginary goals that I would forget about in short time only to go back to my previous habits and remind myself at the end of the year that I had completely failed at sticking with what I had originally planned to be my resolutions. So I personally don’t make any resolutions anymore but set goals and intentions for the year, some sort of guidelines I can go back to whenever I feel like, without putting too much pressure on myself. It’s important to remind ourselves that a) perfection does not exist b) things do change eventually, we change and we won’t be always able to follow our plan just as we thought we would, and that’s okay, and c) changes, real changes, take time.

2020 gives me good vibes just by thinking about the number and I think it is going to be a good year. This post just wants to be a gentle reminder to make your 2020 filled with consciousness and intention and more driven to minimalism and sustainability through simple but effective gestures and actions.

7 CONSCIOUS INTENTIONS FOR A MORE MINIMALIST AND SUSTAINABLE 2020

LESS MEAT. It is no secret anymore that a plant based diet is very healthy and very good for the environment too (the meat and dairy industry are the leading cause for deforestation, water shortages, greenhouse gases and species extinction and animal agriculture emits more CO2 emissions than the entire global transport system combined). While I do understand that going fully vegan might not be an options for everyone for various reasons, why not trying to reduce your meat and fish consumption? Instead of every single day meat/fish based dishes, you can reduce them to once a week or you can take part into Veganuary , which is going plant based for the entire month of January. It might seem like much but a conscious meat dairy and fish consumption can be very beneficial for your health, for the planet and will cause less harm to the animals.

BUY LESS. In an overstuffed planet where mass production and mass consumption seem to be the things to live by, we already have everything we need. Think well before you buy, buy things only when you truly need them and try to extend the life of the items you already own. Once you give it a try, you will be amazed that we really don’t need much to live a good, happy life and to thrive.

TRAVEL LESS BY PLANE AND CAR. This might be a tricky one as not everyone has the chance to do it. But if you can travel less by plane and car, walk or bike more and/or choose public transit, trains or car sharing when possible. I do understand that this is not always an option, especially financially speaking: nowadays traveling by plane is oftentimes the cheapest and fastest option, and not everyone has the means or the luxury to spend tons of money on trains or take double or triple the time to travel somewhere, or to completely ditch the car travel etc. But being more mindful about it might save you some money and even make you spend more time outside if you decide to walk or bike more, and of course the planet will thank you. And remember that offsetting is always an option 😊

LESS SCREEN, MORE BOOKS. A big portion of our day is now spent in front of screens (laptops, phones or whatever). It seems like we are losing touch with reality, with our being present and with what truly is important. Setting a proper amount of time to be offline and dedicate some of that screen time to reading books will nourish your mind and soul and make you slow down and take more care of yourself.

MAKE A CHANGE. Like I mentioned earlier, changes do take time. They need to be made one step at a time in order to be fully effective and successful. A challenge for you can be to take a look at your current habits and try to find one or two (or even more, it depends on how you feel) and change it/them. Make a list, find solutions and choose the better option. For example: if you’re eating out a lot of take out during lunch breaks, spending tons of money on it and creating lots of unnecessary waste, start to bring your own food along with you. If you sit long hours because of work or school, commit to a 15-30 minutes walk every day to get some fresh air and spend more time outside. If tap water is safe, avoid plastic waste and invest into to a reusable water bottle to carry around with you. If you use make up, invest in eco friendly – cruelty free brands and try to find ways to reduce your waste when it comes to it (reusable make up removing pads, for example). The possibilities are endless, but only you can know what works for you and what can make you a better version of your current self. Check in with yourself and start making some changes.

WASTE LESS RESOURCES. Considering that 2/3 of the world lives below the poverty line, I think it is always important to remind ourselves of our privileges. Food, clean water, heating, clothes are precious and took resources and work to be brought to us. Let’s not waste any of them and consume them mindfully.

LET GO. If there is anything (belongings, memories, relationships, habits) that are weighing you down and hold you back from living your best life, let them go. This might take time and be painful, but you deserve to live your best life. Letting go of what feels “heavy” is the first step towards a better, happier you and a better, happier life.

And what about you? Are you a resolutions person or prefer to set intentions instead? Whatever the answer is, let me know below and I hope this post gives you some food for thought and will help you somehow today.

I’ll talk to you soon!

xoxo

Jenny