So, this is supposed to be an INSPIRING blog!
Cheerful & upbeat, like myzerowaste.com or The Rubbish Diet or Jen and Grant's Clean Bin! Those were my initial inspirations!
But, why am I writing about being miserable?
Cause I was. A lot of times. And thought, 'How can other people be so cheerful and upbeat all the time?"
Christmas and New Year can be a time of trash and it broke my heart each time I passed near the full overflowing bins (so at times I didn't want to go for a walk - which really made me miserable, lol!)
Of course nutrition plays its role too! (And cookies, sigh!)
Talking to some of my heroes and reading what Barbara Sher wrote made me realize: you don't have to be happy about it, or even 'believe' you can do it, you just have to do it! lol!
And it's true, one minute you can be happy, the next miserable - for every test or exam I passed with flying colors or anything worthwhile I ever did, I was usually pretty damn miserable at first, lol!
Can you imagine, I was scared to use PayPal or shop at Amazon once? (I'm still scared of eBay, lol!)
I was miserable & terrified before actually speaking to any of the important people re:waste here RL, and I'm still miserable at the thought of other things to do - but guess what, I bet I'll feel pretty AWESOME afterwards!! :)
Sure I can get overexcited or overinspired (possibly in the middle of the night, & have trouble writing down ideas!) but when day comes and things need to be done - yikes!
I admit it, I'm shy. And don't want to 'nag' people. Or cause anyone discomfort. (Except my Sister, but that is another question.)
And perfectionism can get the better of me. Or just plain 'It's impossible' thinking!
But you know what? I bet a lot of people think this too!
(Especially about trash!:)
The awesome Mrs Green of Myzerowaste never thought they could actually make just one bin in a year, or even one bag a week?!! And look how far they've come!!
A Minister of Environment just got kicked over a trash can here in Slovenia (symbolically=he had to resign, among other things 'not sorting out recycling and waste management' was given as a reason!), so the situation seems hopeless! (Or does it?)
An MP's wife is interested in an eco fair & eco bags & such, so got invited to visit. Am totally frightened, of course!! :)
A bunch of people still need to be networked with, articles need to be written..
What if I make a bloody mess of it all?
Well, unless I actually give it all my best (or at least a fair try!) I'll never know!!
Remember, this is still an Experiment, no? Eco Experiment!
Honestly, sometimes I feel like a character in a book myself!
What about you? How have you managed to actually accomplish things? Do you always feel happy & inspired, or do you sometimes need to get extra inspiration (nagging/threats from best friend or Mum or such!) when you actually WANT to do something?!
PS Check out Karen's fabulous FREE e-course for trash reduction in 8 weeks over at The Rubbish Diet, new assignment every Monday! - Even if you're an Eco Hero and your bin is slim, you may get an extra few tips! Even if you think you can't do it! lol! :)
It actually got us talking & we're tweaking the system!
I don't always feel happy and inspired. There are so many obstacles. I am living with my parents and sisters, and though they are usually quite supportive of my opinions, they aren't so supportive of changing consumer choices. I feel sad and miserable that I can't get them to change their perspective on a few little things, but I hope that they will eventually understand.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I need extra inspiration now, and that it will be something I find in myself. I do get support from a few close friends, and that is usually really helpful :)
Oh honey, I hear you on this., I was TERRIFIED yesterday, totally terrified yesterday as we did a Live news feed - three of them to be exact. I thought I was going to faint on the kerbside at one part and I just kept talking to myself in my head telling myself I was going to be ok. But I also felt like that the first time I did a radio interview. I was so scared and I made the person come here and record it. Last night I did a live radio interview to Australia - it's amazing what you can do once you take those small steps. You've done brilliantly and you were awesome on Skype the other day - in fact I told the Australian guys I'd been speaking to a Slovenian Journalist - so there you go!
ReplyDeleteYesterday I met the head of our local council and I just shook his hand and made him a cup of tea. A year ago I would never have looked him in the eye.
You always seem upbeat to me, but I think the creative types are prone to depression because we set ourselves such high targets.
Layla, I feel the same too a lot of the time, I'm really shy..the amount of time I spend nervously jiggling outside doors of places I've arranged to meet people or groups for volunteery type things, daring myself to go in is ridiclous! I think what helps me get stuff done (not that I do that much, but for someone who used to be unable to say even hello to someone I didn't know I feel like I'm doing stuff!) is to MAKE myself do it, even if I reeeeally don't want to, becuase I know that, afterwards, the next time I face a similar thing it won't be as scary. I also think it's good to accept your feelings, if you're feeling shy or scared or miserable or anything, it's ok to feel that way, it's ok to decide to tackle it, or forgive yourself for not wanting to this time, and it's ok to tell other people how you're feeling too (like you are now - yey you!) for me, it really works, if I tell someone how I'm feeling I'm somehow able to forget aboout worrying about it and it dissapears - kind of like 'Oh, I'm glad thats all out in the open now I can move on'
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling a little more cheerful soon, and even if you stay miserable we'll all still think you're amazing xx
I like and approve 100% your zero waste!
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you here!
LL
Aww, Sooz, you made me cry!! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's soo good to know other people get nervous too! You're so lucky to have good friends who understand! Most of my friends live all over Slovenia (or the world), and some are not so very green or - well, different shades of green! So I sometimes don't want to impose or think they wouldn't understand. Maybe I just need to learn to explain it better? hm!
Rae, I'm amazed even you got terrified, you're soo like a pro!! It was really awesome talking to you! (And I was terrified 2 days ahead, possibly a week!:)
You may be right about high targets - and I like Sooz's idea to forgive ourself even if we 'really don't want to do something' at a time!
I think how much I could have done before, & forget other people may be doing waay less (even if they are actually paid to do it!)
Chewbear, I hear you about Mom and sisters!!
I'm soo lucky Mom did get aboard with the eco things, I did some lobbying with videos of Little Miss Green over at Myzerowaste etc. (My Mom loves kiddies!) And videos of Jen&Grant@ Clean Bin buying cheese with Tupperware container etc. And occasionally, 'Wow, you know what I heard/read online/...?' Also, I did a lot of dishes. I think that's what convinced them most, sadly...
It's great you have supportive friends - also check out Sooz's blog to get inspired! Her Mom was not-so-very-eco and now carries home recycling from work and has set up recycling schemes there too!!
(Maybe Sooz can tell us how she inspired her Mom?)
Lindalov, glad you like & approve of the zero waste goal! Are you taking steps in this direction too?
Aww, making you cry wasn't intended! sorry! xx
ReplyDeleteAs for my mum, I'm sorry I can't be much help cos I don't think I can really take credit for her recent super-econess! When we got kerbside recycling where we live about 5 years ago and she was keen to do that becuase it was easy, and that was about all she did that was eco friendly for ages...I guess having me living back at home and knowing that I'm trying to be as green as possible might make her think twice about some things (like she's started taking the tetra-pack cartons to the recycling bank in the supermarket and she has loads of reusable bags - she used one of my net bags for loose veggies the other day and caused much confusion when the girl on the till tried to charge her for the bag!) I do talk about green issues at home, and send her on emails and stuff that I think might be interesting, I have a bit of a grumble at her occasionally if she's doing something really ungreen and she witnessess me shouting at the TV if someone very un-eco dares to come on it!
So, it's a mystery to me...I think she's just gradually become more aware, through things we've talked about and through hearing about things elsewhere. I just hope it carries on!
So, I did ask my mum tonight why she had started being so environmentally friendly, heres kind of how the conversation went...
ReplyDeleteme - so why did you take those recycling bags and stuff to work?
mum - so I can bring the cups home and recycle them
me - yes but what made you want to recycle them?
mum - becuase they're plastic! they were putting plastic in the bin!
me - I know, but what motivated you to do something about it?
mum - it was a waste. and everyone else is too lazy to do it. Naughty people!
me - but why did YOU do something about it?
mum - becuase of you! why are you asking me this?
me - just cos
mum- why!?
me - becuase someone I know wants to encourage her family to be more eco friendly and she was wondering what motivated you to be greener?
mum - living with an eco warrior! Tell her that!
And then she got bored with the conversation and wandered off. Obviously somehow I've taught her that
1. you must recycle.
2. if you don't recycle you are lazy
3. also if you don't recycle you are naughty!
No idea how though, sorry! I'll see if she's feeling any more communicative another day! I don't think it helped that I was trying to ask her quite subtley, becuase she knows I have a blog but she doesn't know she's sometimes the subject of it lol, I think I just succeeded in confusing her!
(posted to my blog as well!)
Thanks Sooz!! :)
ReplyDeleteYou are awesome!!
(And your Mum too!!)
I replied at your blog already, Chewbear and anyone else who is interested, take a look there too! This is the entry where we discussed this: http://lastbiscuit.blogspot.com/2010/01/proud.html
LOL I yell at TV too!! (or people bragging to be green who aren't!!) And I grumble or rant or 'nag' when un-eco stuff was bought (or thrown away instead of recycled)
I also gave Sis Jen & Grant's trailer to translate - she made sure to check packaging for recycling signs after that!
She's started buying some fishy cookies though, and some packaging here can't be trusted - has a recycling stuff but is probably not recycled!
(Maybe I need to give her another video or article to translate, hmm?)
Chewbear, which products did you try to introduce? I found it easiest to buy something with my own money and give as 'gifts'! (eg eco detergent or soap etc)
Oops, *typo* 'has a recycling sign', but isn't recycled, eg metallized plastic foil.
ReplyDeleteAnd Sooz - it was in a good way!! :)