Why Sustainable Living Is Making So Many People Burnt Out

How do we live more sustainably without adding pressure or overwhelm? In my conversation with Veronica, we explore conscious choices, nervous system regulation, and realistic ways to live well in a busy world.

We are living in times where many people care deeply about the world, yet feel increasingly exhausted by it. The desire to live more consciously is there, but it is often met with pressure, guilt, and a sense that we are never doing enough, or that we don’t know where to start.

So I sat down with Veronica Robin, founder of The Loop Kitchen, a sustainable meal delivery service focused on delivering nutritious home made meals while reducing food and plastic waste thanks to its circular ocean bound containers system.

Veronica has also lived almost 100% plastic free for a while, which is what many aspire to do, me included.

This conversation with Veronica gently interrupts the pattern of overwhelm that can come with choosing to do better in a world that makes it convenient to do the opposite. It offers a way of thinking about sustainability that does not add more demands to already full lives. Instead of asking people to perform better, it asks a different question: what becomes possible when we slow down enough to observe and relate differently to the world? And maybe to ourselves too.

At a time when urgency dominates most conversations about change, this exchange invites something quieter, and perhaps more effective.

Chatting with Veronica was a good reminder of our nature and that to make any kind of positive change, we must sometimes be guided, and always be willing to find the quiet place within us.

There is something grounding in the way Veronica speaks about choice, responsibility, and care without force or judgement.

To her, doing better doesn’t come in big leaps but in small steady progress. I found that so calming hearing her say “all we need is to do 1%”. 1% better than yesterday. That’s all we need to do; Just for ourselves, and the world will benefit.

What this conversation ultimately speaks to is not just sustainability as a topic, but relationship as a way of being.

Human beings do not change in states of overwhelm. When the nervous system is under pressure, our capacity to care narrows. When we feel safe, it expands. This applies as much to our inner world as it does to our relationship with the natural world.

Sustainability, in this sense, mirrors emotional wellbeing. Both ask us to move away from urgency and towards attentiveness. Both require us to be curious and notice what is already here before trying to fix what feels wrong.

When we slow down enough to listen, to ourselves and to the world around us, our choices naturally become more aligned. Not because we are trying harder, but because we are relating more honestly.

That is what makes this conversation relevant beyond its subject matter. It speaks to a deeper human truth: lasting change grows from safety, presence, and connection.

Of course, having the option to eat delicious and healthy meals without the time and hustle involved in the sourcing, cooking, and choosing plastic free options, is a bonus that many busy conscious people will appreciate!

So Veronica graciously offers a 20% discount to the listeners and blog readers. 

Simply head to https://theloopkitchen.com.au/ and use discount code WMW20 at check out!

The offer will be valid from Jan 1st 2026! A good way to start the year with easy choices for a better future.

Picture of Sonia Houria Rivas

Sonia Houria Rivas

Women Make Waves Founder, Mentor, Speaker, Adventurer, Writer, LL.M.

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