I was talking to my wife recently about the world’s many issues. In situations like this, the temptation is always to find someone to blame. Someone who, in our opinion, isn’t doing enough or should be doing more to fix things. But the last person we look at is ourselves.
A couple of years ago, I found myself blaming others for not doing enough to deal with climate change. Instead, I decided to look at what more I could do and so chose a plant-based diet. Not because it was ‘on-trend’, but because I knew it would make a huge difference to my own carbon footprint.
When moaning about our fossil fuel addiction, instead, my wife and I replaced our annual holiday to Californian to that of Madeira and bought an electric car. When annoyed that politicians were dragging their heels about green investment, we changed to 100% green energy and started growing our own seasonal vegetables and buying organic food.
Change doesn’t come from others. Yes, change can come from others but if we want to see real, lasting change, it has to come from ourselves. We cannot change, or force change on another, but every time we’re proactive and change our own behaviour for the better, the more chance we’ll have of inspiring another to do the same.
I wonder if each time we find ourselves blaming another for any situation, we should first consider turning those accusations on ourselves and act upon them? In truth, we’re the only ones who can and it will literally change our worlds overnight.