Tuesday, February 9, 2010

No Longer Over-Ambitious and Challengicious

For a couple years now, the tag-line under the title of my blog has read "over-ambitious and challengicious." I like the tag. It's cute, it's funny, it's pithy, but it no longer describes this blog.

At the time that I started using the tag, I was in the early stages of my eco-journey. I constantly was challenging myself to do more, new things. To cut my carbon footprint lower, lower, lower! I was going without heat, not buying stuff, and even making my own butter.

But that level of eco-intensity was unsustainable, for me, anyway. The truth is, I can go nearly freegan for a month, but over the long term, things get much more difficult. Looking over my past several blog entries, a constant theme has emerged: balance. How do we balance our environmental concerns while still living the rest of our lives?

So from now on, that's what this blog is going to mainly focus on. There will still be other things here and there. I'm sure I'll get irritated about some policy proposal and write a long-winded post. There will still be book reviews and the occasional rant. But the thrust of the blog is going to focus on what it means to truly live the sustainable life.

I will continue to be honest with you about what's been working for me long-term and what hasn't. What's easy and what's not. Where I'm slipping and where I'm succeeding. And I'll count on you, dear readers, to ensure that I don't slide too far back. Balance is one thing, but it's no excuse to just get lazy.

So, join me on my continued ride as I try and figure out how to balance eco-awareness with my friends, family, work, and play. Cheer me on, commiserate with me, and call me on my s**t.

And thanks, as always, for reading.

9 comments:

Katy said...

I'm really looking forward to following your journey to find a good balance that works for you.

I think the challenge comes when people have to function in the world we HAVE instead of the one we want. Maybe I've missed it, but I don't think I have seen a blog that is really adressing that challenge.

Cath@VWXYNot? said...

To be honest this new phase is more relevant to me than the extreme challenges (not that those were boring - it's the way you tell 'em!) Looking forward to it!

Simply Authentic said...

Well put and I think it's the stage many of us have arrived at. Glad to have just found you and am looking forward to following you.

Prairiemom said...

I agree with Cath. I think that balance is the most important part. The bast green changes are the ones you can do for the long haul.
I'm looking forward to following you through your journey.

Unknown said...

you will always be challengicious to me arduous ;-)

Lee said...

But I think balance is exactly what we need so much in our world!

At the moment, our earth is suffering because everything is out of balance. There are too many humans, eating too much meat, wasting too many resources, trashing too many ecosystems. We need to find balance.

Nothing will be solved by a handful of people pushing themselves until we break. It is only when we learn that we have to live in balance and harmony with our world that it - and ourselves - can begin to heal.

Wow - that almost sounds sensible! :-)

Good luck on your journey, and may you take many friends, teachers, lovers and helpers with you.

Robbie said...

Well put! I think balance is key, no matter what stage you are in life - student, parent, worker, retired.... While change is uncomfortable (it's the nature of change), it's got to be something we can keep with!

Going Crunchy said...

I SO relate. Even my blog evolved from trying to be greener to just simply living life. Isn't that what we are all trying to do?

zee said...

I think balance is a very good theme. After all, trying to strike a balance between going green and making our lives comfortable is the real challenge. Good luck on your journey and as I take mine, (we also have a blog aimed at helping others live greener and happier) I'll surely check in on your blog regularly so see how we're doing. Let's cheer each other on! :)