Happy New Year!

As 2019 began, I had the chance to reflect on the resolutions I had made for 2018. As I looked down my checklist, I was proud of myself for checking off about 75% of the resolutions I had made. As many of you know, it’s easy to write down resolutions but hard to complete them, so I consider three-quarters complete to be a success. 2018 was a year of transitions for me. From starting my first corporate job to traveling throughout the U.S., I had the opportunity to hone my passions and what I plan to achieve in 2019. Which is why this year I will be taking steps towards a more conscious and sustainable lifestyle!

Re-Ignite my Passion for Writing

As you know, environmental journalism has been my passion for several years. While studying both journalism and environmental science in college, it was easy for me to stay in tune with this passion and create content. Unfortunately, this past year I put it on the back burner as other things came up in my life. That being said, my #1 resolution is to create more environmental content! I will be publishing to the blog  weekly so stay tuned!

Reduce Plastic Use

As world citizens, we have a crisis of plastic that plagues our planet. Studies show that an average of 10 million tons of plastic enters the ocean each year (and this study came out in 2015!). One of the most direct ways we can reduce this number is through our daily habits. This year, I will drastically reduce my plastic consumption, buy as much unpackaged produce/bulk as possible, and calculate my progress monthly using this calculator.

Photo by Pixabay

Buy Natural Skincare and Makeup

Not only is it good for the planet, but it’s good for your health too! It’s truly mind boggling what we put on our skin without checking the ingredients, and most of it is absorbed into our bloodstream. This year I will be trying out different natural and clean brands, and sharing my review with you all!

Buy Sustainable, Slow Fashion

Our consumption of clothing has become something many people don’t think about, but contributes to over nine percent of waste in the U.S. Fast fashion creates massive amounts of “trendy” clothing (usually created unethically in third world countries) that people buy for incredibly cheap prices; then does a quick turnaround and repeats the process. To break the cycle, this year I will try to buy only thrifted or sustainable options 80% of the time. I’m not perfect and I know this will be a challenge, but it’s a good start towards my goal of living (and shopping) consciously.

Know my Boundaries

Last, but definitely not least, I will try this year to know my boundaries when it comes to my work and personal life. We are so used to being plugged in at all times, and working well over 40 hours a week. While getting my work time down to 40 hours a week seems virtually impossible, it’s important for our mental health to know when to say “no” and when to log off the computer. In 2019, I’m going to strive to get to the promised land (haha) of “work-life balance”. Wish me luck!