Because I See It As Helping People – How I Make “Sacrificing” Easy
When we talk about sustainability, the conversation so often turns into a discussion on what we have to give up — convenience, speed, comfort. People say things like, “I could never do that,” or “It’s too hard,” or “The impact of that is so small it doesn’t even matter.”
But here’s what I’ve learned: after shifting my mindset, it doesn’t feel like giving something up (At least not always). It feels like doing something for others, and often myself too.
Here’s some examples:
Why do I turn the water off in the shower while I’m lathering my hair or body?
Because I see it as helping people.
Increasingly, there are parts of the world that are running out of water. Right here in my state of Hawaii one of the reasons an entire town (Lahaina) burned down is due to the hotels and rich homes taking all the water for their lawns and pools. There wasn’t enough available for the firefighters to use to fight the fire. I also try to imagine someone who has to struggle to get access to clean water. My small act might not directly send water to them, but it keeps me mindful of how fortunate I am. It makes me appreciate that water more. It keeps me connected. Seen in that lens, turning off the shower isn’t a sacrifice…It’s living by my value to try to help others. It feels good.
Why do I avoid driving when I can?
Because I see it as helping people.
Less traffic. Less air pollution. A quieter neighborhood. A planet where my air and my kids air is cleaner air. Air pollution kills 7+ million people a year globally and 200,000+ here in the US. Every. year. Suddenly, choosing to work from home when I can or taking the bus doesn’t feel like an inconvenience. It feels like helping people. It feels like being part of a solution.
Why do I shop at the farmers market even when it’s more expensive than the supermarket?
Because I see it as helping people.
I love talking to the farmers at the farmer’s markets! When I buy from them, I know where my money is going — to the hands of people who grow food with care, to a community that supports one another, and to some people that remember my name (or at least my face). It’s about more than just vegetables. It’s about livelihoods, resilience, and building a local food system that can weather storms — literal and metaphorical. It feels like supporting friends and community.
Why do I repair my clothes instead of tossing them?
I think you get the pattern by now: Because I see it as helping people.
I think about the people who work in garment factories under grueling conditions, making fast fashion for throwaway prices…And it feels awful to support that. I think about the mountains of thrown away clothes that fill miles of land in India or Thailand (most of which is made of plastic). Buying clothes derived from plastics at Target, Walmart, or H&M feels like I’m supporting something unfair…When I extend the life of what I already have, I help shift the demand — just a little — away from that cycle of exploitation. It feels like I’m doing the right thing.
The point
I sometimes feel like I shouldn’t write these kinds of posts. So many will read this and think “He’s just virtue signaling how great he is.” I try my best to help others understand that I’m not trying to be better than anyone else…I’m just trying to help others in whatever ways that I can, and often those ways help me too.
None of these actions are heroic. They’re small. Quiet. Ordinary.
But when they come from a place of empathy, they are powerful. They make my life feel more meaningful.
I don’t do these things to feel morally superior. I do them because I think it’s right. And believe me, there’s still a LOT more room for me to grow. The more I learn, the more I realize sustainability has little to do with me as an individual. It’s about growing my thinking to be focused on us.
Because I see it as helping people.
What about you?
What’s one thing you do — or could start doing — that helps others, even in a small way? Try it. And when it feels hard or inconvenient, don’t ask ask yourself “Is this worth it?” but instead try asking “Who might this help?”
You might find your answer waiting there.
5 thoughts on “Because I See It As Helping People – How I Make “Sacrificing” Easy”
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The way you connected the issue of water scarcity with personal actions is powerful. It made me think about the little things we can do that might not seem like much, but have a ripple effect. I also like how you reframed ‘sacrifice’—it’s really about perspective.
Your story about turning off the water while showering really hit home. I’ve caught myself letting it run without thinking, but tying that habit to real-world impacts like water scarcity gives it so much more meaning.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the scale of environmental problems, but your perspective is a helpful reminder that intention gives our actions power. I’m going to try thinking about who I’m helping the next time I make a ‘sacrifice.’
Your perspective on sustainability really resonates with me. It’s so easy to feel like individual actions don’t matter, but when you frame it as helping others, it really gives those actions more weight. I’m going to try to shift my own mindset in this way!
The way you’ve connected personal actions to the bigger picture really resonated with me. It’s easy to overlook small sacrifices, but when we see them as helping others, they become so much more meaningful.