We all hate change. But, as the Covid-19 pandemic has shown us, change is inevitable. Whether we like it or not, the world as we know it is constantly evolving, for better or worse. All we can do is embrace the challenges and make the most of the hand we are served. So, with that in mind, what steps can we take to start change that will make the world a better place?

1. Plant more trees

Trees are, quite literally, what breathes oxygen into our lives, and we can’t function without oxygen. Our minds and bodies need oxygen to perform at their best, so this should really be a no-brainer: if we want to build a healthy and sustainable recovery, we need to make sure that we take care of the planet, because a healthy planet means healthy people thriving in a healthy society and economy.

2. Take care of one another

Looking after the environment, however, is not enough. We also need to make sure that we can look after one another. And if the Covid-19 outbreak has highlighted the need for strong public health policies, it has also brought into stark relief the importance of creating a health system that cares for our minds as well as our bodies. With an increase in isolation and uncertainty, Covid-19 has magnified and accelerated the storm of social and psychological problems that has been gathering over the past decade since the rise of social media and a generation of tech-addicted youths, and we need forceful intervention to relieve the pressures caused by it.

3. Keep educating ourselves

Of course, there is no intervention unless we can establish a course of action that would benefit the community as a whole. That’s why it’s important that we invest in technological, medical and social development. Yes, our spending may increase exponentially in the short term, but only to bring us far greater returns for the long haul. Innovation certainly requires some kind of perceived sacrifice, but the fruits of this sacrifice will be invaluable.

4. Believe in the power of Scotland

On that note, one such sacrifice for Scotland should be the gradual yet progressive abandonment of fossil fuels in favour of renewable energies. Of course, this wouldn’t be an overnight process, and there are still some clear advantages to the monetisation of the oil we have left, but we need to exploit these in our favour and use them to start the transition toward more sustainable powers. We need to set a new course for ourselves and for the world.

5. Find new inspiration

If we can’t stop change, the best we can do is to really go for it. We can’t start change by sticking to our tried-and-tested models of behaviour. Just because things have always been done a certain way doesn’t mean that’s how they should always be done, so it’s important that we remain open to new perspectives. Only by looking at our challenges from a different point of view can we overcome them and build a better future.

6. Understand that every cloud has a silver lining

We can look at the news today and see the picture of a future that seems, quite frankly, rather bleak. Wildfires; pandemics; the melting of the Arctic ice; the destruction of entire ecosystems; the collapse of world-leading economies. These are the stories that dominate our feeds, and it is easy to get lost in the pessimism of it all. But there are two faces to every coin, and if the end of the world as we know it can’t be stopped, then we at least have a chance to rebuild a better future. Let’s start change now, and hold on to that.

Featured image credit: Hillary Sillitto