Your Energy Is Expensive is my space to unpack what it really means to protect your peace. Inspired by my own experiences with toxic people, environments, and poor mental health, this column explores how to honor your feelings, nurture healthy connections, and find joy in the small moments.
I’ll share lessons I’ve learned through these experiences. Along the way, I’ll recommend songs that helped me through hard days, hoping they might bring you comfort. At its core, this column is about valuing your energy, choosing where it goes, and creating space for the things that make you feel whole.
Trying to live sustainably can feel heavy and overwhelming, especially when it seems like the responsibility is constantly placed on individuals to fix something so much bigger than them.
Between climate anxiety, guilt over everyday choices, and the pressure to “do it perfectly,” it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or even give up entirely. I’ve been there, questioning whether my actions actually make a difference. However, over time, I’ve realized that sustainability doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing, and it definitely shouldn’t come at the cost of your own well-being.
Remember the Why
A lot of living sustainably comes down to your “why.” There are so many root motivations behind it, and figuring out yours can make everything feel a lot more grounded and personal. For me, it’s about our true health and well-being, both individually and collectively. However, I’ve talked to other people, and their reasons are completely different. Some are driven by religious beliefs, others by personal experiences, and some just want to feel more connected to the world around them.
Whatever your reason is, having that clear motivation can act as a kind of mantra. It gives you something to come back to when the whole thing starts to feel overwhelming, and it helps channel that stressed energy into action. Even if it’s something small, like using a reusable water bottle or remembering to recycle, the intention behind the action is what’s most important.
The Small Things Really Do Matter
It’s easy to fall into the mindset of, “What’s the point?” when it comes to sustainability, especially when the problem feels so much bigger than any one person. I’ve learned that reduction is really the goal, and reduction can happen at any scale. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.
Using a reusable water bottle but still buying paper towels because it’s more convenient right now? That’s still a waste reduction, and it still counts. Bring reusable bags to the grocery store, but order a few essentials online because you can’t find them anywhere else? That’s still a step in the right direction. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing; it just has to be what you can realistically manage.
At the end of the day, if trying to be sustainable is causing you a ton of stress, then it’s not really sustainable for you, and that defeats the whole point.
Protect the Environment, Protect People
I believe that humans are part of the environment, not separate from it, so protecting the planet inherently means protecting ourselves, both mentally and physically. When ecosystems are healthy, everything connected to them improves too: cleaner air, better water, and more reliable, nourishing food. It creates a sense of stability where you don’t have to constantly worry about the state of the earth because you know it’s being cared for.
This idea is reflected in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal No. 3, “Good Health and Well-Being,” which highlights how closely environmental and human health are tied together.
I’ve realized that maybe the most sustainable thing you can do is stay in the fight without burning out. Putting your energy into living sustainably is crucial for environmental protection, but it’s also crucial that your energy is protected as well.
Truly living sustainably means continuing to choose small, mindful actions, even when they feel insignificant. Those actions are proof that you care, and caring consistently is what actually leads to change.
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