Hard to believe that summer is here! For the summer, I have made a commitment to work on my own personal sustainability this summer. Having studied "sustainability" for the past 6 years, that one thing that always comes back to me is that there will never be true sustainability in the world unless we focus on our own personal sustainability first. The same goes for a business. If you can achieve personal sustainability then that will carry over into the other parts of our lives.
For me personal sustainability has to do with getting plenty of rest, exercise, eating well, and most importantly play! Have fun. Enjoy this wonderful life we've been given. That can sometimes be hard especially for those of us who run businesses. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur and run my own business but had no idea what it would really take. But when I stop and think about what the other options may be I become more devoted to making our business work.
I also wanted to follow up from my last blog post which I am thankful for starting a couple weeks ago. Since then I have thought about writing in my blog pretty much every day just like I think about writing in my journal every day. But for some reason I seem to have gotten the 'ole writers block. I figured out though the difference now between a journal entry and a blog. I honestly don't know if I will ever be able to tell the world completely everything about my inner thoughts but who knows maybe over time I will become more comfortable with this.
After I sent out my first blog I had a few friends read it and give my some great encouragement to keep writing. It was so inspiring and I want to thank you all. It was much different then writing in my journal and then tucking it away for some day when I am long gone and someone happens upon it. Instead as soon as I hit "publish post" and submit this to my facebook and twitter accounts off into cyberspace she goes! WOW! And instantaneously the world is reading my thougths! So cool!
It is hard to believe that just a few years ago I was pretty anti-technology and now I am running an internet company with my husband. I am embracing this new modern era and enjoying it. Just the other day I got to video skype with my 89 year old grandmother in NY. It is so good for both of us to actually see each other face to face. It really helps our relationship. On the same day I was able to instant message with a friend who is living in Lebanon. Plus I have been watching the Iran election discussions on Twitter and getting the latest news in real time as I work. I wonder what 2010 has in store for us.
Back to personal sustainability. I am learning to live in this modern world and still live a healthy and happy balanced life. It takes lots of conscious effort but eventually it will just be a part of my daily life.
How are you working on your personal sustainability? How do you find balance in this modern world?
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For me, one of the key components to the concept of sustainability is long-term thinking. When I lose sight of the big picture, of the lifetime ahead of me and my long-range goals, that's when I start to run around like a chicken with its head cut off (yuck!) and use up all my energy wastefully.
ReplyDeleteWhen I remember that there's plenty of time to get everything done...that not everything needs to be done right now and that some things really can wait until tomorrow, that's when I'm able to find my flow and pace.
For me, personal sustainability is more like running a marathon than a series of quick sprints. The more that I take this approach, the better I'm able to organize and prioritize the things in my life that matter and support me the most. The irony is that once I make this switch, I generally have more energy available when I need it to spend on the occasional got-to-push-through-and-get-it-done-now project.
Have you read about the PSP program that Adam Werbach created for Walmart a couple years back? Part of their 'greening' was helping to empower employees to create their own 'Personal Sustainability Plan' (PSP). Really amazing results. I just started reading his new book, 'Strategy for Sustainability'. So far REALLY good.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow...loved the post! Keep up the great work!