Ed. Note: Blog Action Day is here! This is the day that over 15,000 bloggers agreed to post about the environment in a way that fits with their blog. Never the Same River Twice is proud to participate in this great community action.

The state of the global environment is on almost everyone’s mind these days. Today especially, you will find blog posts and news stories all over the internet, on your radio, and on television with dozens or maybe even hundreds of ways that you can help Save the World! Unfortunately, most of us will never make the changes that we want to make to lessen our impact on the planet.

Why is that?

I believe that when some people think about the changes that they could make – all the things we all know we should do like recycling, driving less, and using less electricity – they get caught up in thinking that the changes will be TOO HARD. Rather than go through all that trouble, these people just continue on in their old habits.

Change Your Mindset
Before we can begin to make behavioral changes in any type of sustained and successful way, we first need to change how we think. Whether you choose change in a rapid or gradual way, you will first need to decide on the types of changes you are willing to make and why.

It’s Not About Deprivation
I believe that so many people are resistant to becoming more environmentally responsible because they equate conservation with deprivation. Every environmentally friendly change is seen as a sacrifice, and no one likes to give up things that they see as fun or pleasurable. Just look at some sentences from the beginning of this post – use less electricity, drive less – the subconscious message is you can’t live in a sustainable way and still have fun.

Are there ways that we can reframe these concepts in ways that make them more acceptable to our brains? How about:

I have the opportunity to slow down, spend more time outside, and get more exercise – instead of, I have to drive less.

• I can enjoy the scent and atmosphere of  burning candles – instead of, I have to use less electricity.
• I enjoy meeting my area farmers and sampling new foods – instead of, I can’t eat out of season foods.
• What are other ways that we can reframe some fear and deprivation-based statements? Please leave suggestions in the comments below.

P.S. If you have time, check out a few of the contributors to Blog Action on the Participants page. 

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