Changing our behaviour – it doesn’t have to be hard

Everyone knows how hard it is to change, especially when you’re doing it for the first time.  You have to really think about it – have good reasons to change.  You have to analyse every excuse you’ve relied on for why you can’t keep doing it the same way and no matter how good it is for you or for the planet, it takes effort. You know you have to prepare for the changes and, despite the helpful suggestions from everyone you hold dear, sometimes there is never a good time to get started.

This is where understanding the psychology of change comes in handy. Understanding the ways in how our minds work and having tips and tools on hand can be beneficial. Sharing your experiences as you progress through the stages of change can help but it is not always as easy as you may think. This is because sharing your progress on the journey to change makes it obvious that you’re not perfect. This can be difficult if you have spent much of your life demonstrating how adept and self sufficient you are.  But it is always comforting to remind yourself that even the ‘greenest’ amongst us had to start somewhere.

To get started on your new sustainable behaviours, check out the Ecofootprint Action Booklet.   This booklet can be used to record and acknowledge the changes you’ve already made – no matter how small or large they may be.  Knowing you’ve achieved some changes already can give you the boost you need to plan new actions. Understanding the change process, sharing your goals, the trials and tribulations toward achieving these with others, and completing the Action Booklet are good ways to acknowledge achievements past and to set new goals for the future.

By Rapsodie