Courage to be honest.
Every week I ask my Brave New Girls podcast guest how they define courage. This is how Insiya Jafferjee, Winner of the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Future Awards 2025 and founder of Shellworks, thinks of it:
“Courage is the ability to be honest, just to get started, to just get to the next step. It's the small things that add up to a big thing.”
Insiya’s persistent and action-oriented courage underpins years of steady work in an industry where systemic change is slow, and resistance is high. Courage isn’t a single act of defiance or brilliance; it’s a repeatable, resilient mindset.
In the face of complex environmental issues like plastic pollution, this version of courage is especially relevant. The scale of the problem can feel overwhelming. There are days when solutions seem out of reach or when progress feels painfully slow. But courage doesn’t require certainty- only a willingness to keep moving.
This concept of taking the next step, no matter how small, is something we can apply in our own lives- especially when trying to live more sustainably. Whether it’s challenging the status quo at work, questioning long-held habits at home, or making different choices at the shops, each decision to act in alignment with our values is a courageous one.
Courage also involves discomfort. As Insiya shared, it’s about continuing even after setbacks- failed experiments, unexpected obstacles, and emotional fatigue. It's about navigating the fear that comes with doing things differently, especially when systems and industries are built to favour the familiar.
In our everyday lives, this kind of courage might not look dramatic, but it matters. Choosing to shift to a plastic-free lifestyle can mean swimming against the tide of convenience, marketing, and availability. It means asking difficult questions- not just of companies and policymakers, but of ourselves.
So how can we apply Insiya’s definition of courage to our own choices?
See below.
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Dare to do things differently, for a happier, healthier, impactful life.
Here are practical ways to embrace courage & support a healthier, more sustainable world:
10 Actionable Steps to Build Courage:
Acknowledge the discomfort: Recognise that making change can be inconvenient or unfamiliar- and commit anyway.
Start before you’re ready: Don’t wait until you know everything. Choose one area of your life and begin with a single plastic-free swap.
Talk openly about your choices: Share your efforts with friends, even if they’re imperfect. Transparency takes courage.
Ask better questions: Email companies and ask how their packaging breaks down. Push for more than generic “recyclable” labels.
Stick with it: When a sustainable product doesn’t work perfectly, try another. One failure isn’t the end.
Challenge convenience: Carry your own water bottle or lunch box, even when it’s easier not to.
Say no: Refuse unnecessary packaging, even when it feels awkward. Small refusals create ripple effects.
Stay informed: Learn how plastic affects health and the planet. Knowledge helps you make braver decisions.
Support change-makers: Spend money with businesses that put ethics before convenience. Courage is contagious.
Keep going: Like Insiya says- just take the next step. Over time, small actions become lasting impact.
Insiya Jafferjee’s definition of courage invites us to take honest, steady steps toward reducing plastic use in everyday life.
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