If you are thinking ahead to next year, and how you might do things differently, this TED talk offers a lot to consider.
Kristen Skarie had a really rough year that sent her life sideways and ultimately prompted her to do things differently. She started with a plan to buy nothing new for a year, and ended up with a complete values realignment. Here’s how she describes the experience…
Who cares when we do our little bit to make the world better?
I liked her answer when a then-friend asked who cares about the little bit she was doing: “I care. And I’m responsible for this part of the planet I live on.”
She gets to decide what matters. and that’s true for all of us. What matters to you? Is there anything you would be willing to do differently if you thought it was important? As Kristen points out, pick something that is do-able and also challenging. Make it something that would have an impact on how you spend your money, your time, or your energy.
Although she didn’t use the term conscious consumption, that’s what she was doing. Questions are an important part of conscious action. As a reminder, here are her questions…
- Do I want this?
- Do I need this?
- Do I have it?
Kristen’s book is A Year of Nothing New: Tools for Living Lean and Green. There is some interesting information on her website. Scroll down to “Garden Dreams” and don’t miss the TED Talk by “Guerilla Gardener” Ron Finley, who says that “Growing your own food is like printing your own money.” He describes how he’s doing his bit to make his street in Central Los Angeles better.
If you’re inspired to do something differently, let us know in the comments. Big or small, it all matters.