Settling in to a new place takes time. And maybe you’re never done. Maybe you shouldn’t be because maybe that’s a way of staying active, staying curious. But many of us need to feel settled in some way at least. To feel secure, to feel we have the energy and strength to live life fully or to aspire for more.
2019 has most definitely been a continuation of 2018 in terms of continuing the work of settling in to my new life in Sweden. Settling in to a new way of living whilst also exploring how I do want to live. And it’s been a year of settling in to my conscious way of living and defining what that means. Finding what I can and want to focus on, and finding comfort in knowing what I cannot focus on. To be content, and to slow down.
Reflecting to look forward
New year’s resolutions don’t work for everyone and many may not put much emphasis on a new year being a new beginning. But for me it helps picturing a new start, or a time when you can make positive changes. Reflecting on what’s happened over the previous year is therefore a useful exercise as a means to look ahead.
2019 has been a year of personal learnings and progress as I’ve continued to explore what conscious living means to me. And this has happened whilst the conversations on the topic of true sustainability has stepped up around the globe. Greta has sailed across the Atlantic twice to spread her appeal for everyone to listen to the scientists. Many, especially the young, are listening, but it also seems that many most definitely aren’t.
COP25 and the climate negotiations that have taken place in Madrid over the last two weeks were a huge disappointment. The big, rich polluters are trying to get away with doing as little as they can to change and fight climate change. Australia is literally on fire at the moment but the people in charge refuse to connect any dots are only focused on continued coal mining and money making.
Less talk, more action
The way the world seems to be going, with increased polarisation and all the rest of it, makes me, on some days, really worry. But on other days it inspires me, to continue leading a more conscious lifestyle and to continue working with things I believe can change the world for the better. 2019 has given us a lot of worries for the future, but with 2020 around the corner, I’m staying positive.
We’re entering a new decade. A decade that’s extremely important in terms of fighting climate change and I’m hoping the sense of urgency will reach a more mainstream audience. I’m also hoping we’re entering a decade of less talk, less greenwashing, less confusion, and more action. We’ve had a few years of talking about it, now we need to change mindsets and start creating real change.