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The two challenges of countering climate change and overcoming pandemics have been a welcome wake-up call for everyone, even resisting governments, to pause, reconsider and regroup humanity's priorities. We were already warned back in the 1970s that relentless economic growth without regard to consequences was unsustainable. What have these challenges meant for me, a freshly retired married person? Restricted freedoms have become opportunities to adjust and recalibrate. Reading the scientific basis for climate action and the need to vaccinate have educated me (a hitherto not very scientifically literate person) at a time when climate sceptics and anti-vaxxers are obviously making too much noise. Appreciating home life and newly available digital and streaming services, bushwalks in surrounding nature, reading e-books, installing solar panels and securing water storage, visiting museums virtually not actually, not replacing my smart phone with the newest model are just some ways to adjust. We now have only one car (not the latest model) and two e-bicycles. Swapping share investments away from fossil fuels to global environmental opportunities and sustainable high growth are further actions we took. Valuing quality time with one's partner in ways we earlier took for granted has strengthened us. Giving blood (because I can) and remaining optimistically forward looking is better than resigning in cynical despair. Persuading others that without radical and historically unprecedented interventions our food security, climate and health will remain endangered remains my ongoing priority whenever opportunity affords. It is our civic duty to hold politicians accountable and counter ignorance with facts, and to take action while there is still hope.