We rush headlong into promises of that better version of ourselves, forgetting that the school holidays last longer than most resolutions. I believe the lack of staying power could lie in the way we’re framing them. These promises we make ourselves are more than resolutions, they’re a system reset.
The changes and goals we contemplate often focus on our wellbeing: we want to save money, to move our bodies and exercise more, to eat healthier. When I look at how we actually achieve our goals, I realise that changes needed for our wellbeing and for a circular economy are much the same.
The decision to save money is often our first stand for our wellbeing. Writing this as Black Friday is still in full swing feels ironic. It’s no wonder we try to reset the system when the system shows up as a juggernaut of consumerism. Black Friday and sales like it are designed to make us feel like we’re lacking something. They try (and often succeed) to tie our self-worth to a purchase and make money from our insecurities. The fear of missing out and our love of a bargain triggers our impulse to purchase. However, Consumer NZ has consistently found not all deals are a good deal at this time of year. They recommend websites such as PriceSpy and PriceMe to track sales and learn when pricing is actually lower, instead of getting pulled in by the urgency of the sales pitch.
Studies in neuroscience highlight that dopamine, a key motivation and reward neurotransmitter, peaks when something is expected, but not yet certain. Dopamine surges when we’re browsing, window shopping or even just researching an item. Once the item is purchased, the dopamine signal that drove the desire quickly decreases. This is why the high of buying an item is often fleeting, and one of the reasons you’ll see items for sale in second-hand shops and marketplaces described as "brand new with tags". We can save ourselves the money, and the buyer’s remorse, by delaying the purchase, allowing the initial rush of anticipation to subside and enabling our more rational brain to kick in.
A more sustainable way to get your dopamine hit is by making the things we own last longer, by fixing and caring for them instead of replacing them. Research into behavioural psychology shows that physical activities that are hands-on and result in a finished product (like fixing something) activate the brain’s rewards circuitry in a sustained, positive way. A bonus, the commitment to making things last is a direct action for a circular economy, and of course the thing you love is better off. There’s a network of Repair Cafes around the region to help you take the first steps into fixing what you love. Wastebusters Repair Revolution and Fixing Fairies events are just a couple of these initiatives that showcase the generosity of spirit, community connection and the joy repairing and taking care of your stuff can bring. If you haven’t been to a repair event yet and fancy a wholesome few hours, a bit of learning and (most probably) a restored belonging, make 2026 your repair year.
The positive brain boosting actions of creating and making with our hands shows up in the most mundane of places. Whether it’s by taking up baking, or mixing a household cleaner, making things from scratch cuts out unnecessary packaging and reduces reliance on unnecessary ingredients. It also makes us more resourceful — I accidentally churned cream into butter as I walked over to my brother’s house for dinner a few weeks ago. The cake got eaten without the cream and the next day I used the buttermilk to make brown bread. The butter went on it. An unexpected outcome for sure, and a note to self to walk less vigorously when transporting dessert in the future.
Choosing to cook using wholefoods, and to engage in the (sometimes) therapeutic act of meal preparation is in itself a self-care resolution. Having wholesome meals, something to grab for lunch or dinner, healthy snacks is not as time consuming as it initially feels, and it’s only as hard as you make it. Even for reluctant home chefs, the promise of a well fed future-you should be enough to keep this resolution.
The climate crisis, much like our personal fitness, is not solved by one grand gesture, but by the accumulation of the small and mighty steps we can take. New year often means a new hobby and there’s no better way to find out if that new hobby is really the new you than by shopping second-hand for the gear. Wastebusters reuse yard has everything from tennis rackets to kayaks, dumbbells to yoga mats, making entry into a new hobby much easier on your wallet and better for the planet too.
Maybe this year, the most powerful resolution isn’t about setting a goal, but about changing our perspective. The pursuit of wellbeing can lead to a more restorative and regenerative system that benefits people, planet and the economy.
Ruth Blunt is communications manager at Wastebusters. Each week in this column writers addresses issues of sustainability.
