5 Steps to Personal Sustainability: 2011 Resolutions – Climate Mama News

1. Keep passions alive, stay focused on these and forge ahead.
2. Pick something hard to do, and make it happen (Franke James, our March 2011 Climate Mama is the inspiration for this resolution)
3. Work to promote transparency and facts about climate change. Counter the current politics in Washington that are trying to get in the way of science and truth.
4. Introduce and work to create two new community-wide initiatives that promote environmental sustainability, in my community.
5. Hold family and friends close, make time for those who are important, stay in the moment, and treasure that time together.

Many of my friends, Green Mom friends included, have been discussing plans and resolutions for 2011, in particular hopes and ways to make our world and the world around us a “greener” and more sustainable place both for our families and for our communities. January seems to be the time for these discussions and thoughts. In the eastern USA it’s cold and dark outside, with lots of time spent indoors talking, pondering, and wondering about life, dreams, hopes and passions. I bet wherever you are, you might also be spending some time contemplating these types of thoughts as well this New Year. I think it is always important to have a plan, whether you can stick to all of it, or just part of it, planning and having a plan is a good thing. On a personal note, the end of last year and the beginning of this one have put some unexpected turns, twists and emotions in my path and I have thought long and heard about my hopes, dreams and plans for this year. Bear with me as I “get personal” and share some of my thoughts with you!

Some of my highlights from the fall of 2010 included a wonderful family experience, a spiritual and emotional high. I watched my son take on new personal challenges. I embraced and reveled as my family worked and pulled together to incorporate our sustainable sensibilities into our family celebrations, at the same time bringing together and introducing these ideas to many of the people we care most about and love, in this world. These special family celebrations were more emotional and inspirational than I could have imagined. At the same time, the second half of 2010 was also one of pain and fear, as I watched my father suffer with chronic back problems that got out of hand; luckily and for now, these are problems he seems to be coping with. Three of my dear friends also watched as their fathers struggled with life threatening illnesses; they watched their fathers keep coming back, again and again, to fight another day…until that day came and they couldn’t fight anymore.

2011 began in a fog and a blur as I traveled from funeral to memorial, from crying to raw emotions. A very sad and contemplative time. At the same time, I also reached a milestone birthday which brought, with everything going on around me, the realization that we are all mortal. That feeling of immortality that we all have in our youth has stuck with me my whole life, and while I don’t want to get melancholy that realization that life isn’t forever has finally and really hit home. This realization has reinforced for me the importance of making sure that I live my life, on a daily basis, in the best and most productive ways that I can; and that I spend time teaching my children to do the same. My most treasured gifts this past birthday, were stories shared by good friends and family of times together and of why we are important to each other – sharing as well, our hopes and dreams.

All of these events, emotions and feelings have made me remember how important it is not to “sweat the small stuff,” nor to let myself get caught up in things that take away from my larger goals and passions.

2011 Goals – Be Positive, Be Effective, Be in the Moment, Be NOW.