So we reached the end of our Year of Nothing New it actually went quite quickly and easily. Phoenix is ready to purchase his AR Parrot Drone that he saved for all year and I am still absorbing what this past year really meant for me.
One last anecdote:
In November Phoenix turned 8 years old and I wasn't sure how I could swing a birthday and Christmas without spending any money. Once again it turns out that the Universe was conspiring with me. One evening in early November I was checking my email and I received something from a credit card that I have had for over 10 years, stating that if I didn't use my Thank You points by December that I would lose them all together. I have never paid any attention to the points I earned over the years or how I could use them but it turns out that I could use my points on Amazon.com and I had accrued enough points to get Phoenix a new bike for his birthday and a rock tumbler and some drawing books for Christmas without spending a dime.
I will continue to strive to walk in balance while I am on this planet. And I will move forward with a clearer idea of what is truly important to me. Carl Jung said, "Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart." I have spent this last year taking the time to look into my heart without outside distractions so that I can clearly see my vision. And though it is still coming into focus, I can honestly say that I have more direction now than I have had in years.
Moving forward into 2014, I am on a mission of deliberate expansion. This has nothing to do with consumption and everything to do with raising the bar in my life. I am ready to learn more, travel more, create more, share more and love more.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Monday, November 18, 2013
It's been a while but we're still going strong!!
I can't believe it's been eight months since my last blog! Many of you may think that I gave up on my year of nothing new, however; we are still going strong. As a full time single parent, who is also building her business and working at the same time; I underestimated the time it would take to keep up with my blog. Also, I have had some minor technical difficulties with my "vintage" computer so here I am with just over a month to go in my adventure in being a non-consumer.
Instead of trying to fill in all the blanks I will give you my highlight reel:
First of all, I would like to acknowledge my AwEsoMe newly eight year old son who has been such a champ this year! Seriously, he didn't get a choice in whether or not he participated in my experiment, being my son automatically enrolled him into my scheme. And the truth is that this year has not been so difficult for me, I recognize that I still have more than I need and if I don't go to the mall or Target or window shopping downtown than I don't "want" for anything. But I can put myself in my son's shoes and remember what is was like to be a kid and to see all those cool toys on tv and wanting all of them or going to my friends house and coveting all of their things and then coming home to beg my parents to get them for me. This has not been the case all year. My kiddo committed to this endeavor that he didn't volunteer for and he has helped keep me on track as well.
This year we made all of our Valentine's cards ( he won an award for most creative card in his class), most of our birthday presents and we even recruited five boys between the ages of 6-8 to sew their own stuffed monster as a party gifts instead of doing birthday bags full of plastic and sugar. It has been fun, creative and inspiring for us both.
I have connected with 3 local consignment shops in town where I traded in our old clothes and housewares for credit so we can update our wardrobes when necessary without buying anything new and I have organized clothing swaps with friends to trade the things we don't wear anymore. In addition, I have bartered many massages for all sorts of things from haircuts to an eliptical to get me through the winter, my girlfriends birthday present and a new bedding set for my room.
I didn't take this on to try and convert anyone, but another unexpected bonus has been that I have indirectly inspired some of my friends and they have expressed that they are much more aware of what they are consuming and what they are reusing and recycling... a small ripple :)
On the other hand there are a few things that I have broken down and purchased out of neccesity and perceived neccesity: 1. batteries for my son's science project 2. concealor due to lack of sleep and vanity on my part 3. a pinata for my son's birthday party because I ran out of time to paper mache one for him and I promised he could have one. I have reconciled with these purchases and I am at peace.
Many peeps ask if I have saved money? The short answer is yes! For once in a long time I actually had a decent savings account. 'Had' is the keyword here, of course murphy's law was in effect- all of that money and more went into replumbing my house in Florida due to old galvanized steel collapsing from the meter at the street to the buried plumbing under my house. $#it still happens and to keep perspective I choose to count my blessings that I had close to half of the money in the bank when I needed it.
So that brings us to the present moment. I made it through the majority of the year and my son's birthday (this month) which is a great story- I am saving for next month. Now I have to get through a month and a half which may be the biggest challenge of all with Christmas right around the corner.
Instead of trying to fill in all the blanks I will give you my highlight reel:
First of all, I would like to acknowledge my AwEsoMe newly eight year old son who has been such a champ this year! Seriously, he didn't get a choice in whether or not he participated in my experiment, being my son automatically enrolled him into my scheme. And the truth is that this year has not been so difficult for me, I recognize that I still have more than I need and if I don't go to the mall or Target or window shopping downtown than I don't "want" for anything. But I can put myself in my son's shoes and remember what is was like to be a kid and to see all those cool toys on tv and wanting all of them or going to my friends house and coveting all of their things and then coming home to beg my parents to get them for me. This has not been the case all year. My kiddo committed to this endeavor that he didn't volunteer for and he has helped keep me on track as well.
This year we made all of our Valentine's cards ( he won an award for most creative card in his class), most of our birthday presents and we even recruited five boys between the ages of 6-8 to sew their own stuffed monster as a party gifts instead of doing birthday bags full of plastic and sugar. It has been fun, creative and inspiring for us both.
I have connected with 3 local consignment shops in town where I traded in our old clothes and housewares for credit so we can update our wardrobes when necessary without buying anything new and I have organized clothing swaps with friends to trade the things we don't wear anymore. In addition, I have bartered many massages for all sorts of things from haircuts to an eliptical to get me through the winter, my girlfriends birthday present and a new bedding set for my room.
I didn't take this on to try and convert anyone, but another unexpected bonus has been that I have indirectly inspired some of my friends and they have expressed that they are much more aware of what they are consuming and what they are reusing and recycling... a small ripple :)
On the other hand there are a few things that I have broken down and purchased out of neccesity and perceived neccesity: 1. batteries for my son's science project 2. concealor due to lack of sleep and vanity on my part 3. a pinata for my son's birthday party because I ran out of time to paper mache one for him and I promised he could have one. I have reconciled with these purchases and I am at peace.
Many peeps ask if I have saved money? The short answer is yes! For once in a long time I actually had a decent savings account. 'Had' is the keyword here, of course murphy's law was in effect- all of that money and more went into replumbing my house in Florida due to old galvanized steel collapsing from the meter at the street to the buried plumbing under my house. $#it still happens and to keep perspective I choose to count my blessings that I had close to half of the money in the bank when I needed it.
So that brings us to the present moment. I made it through the majority of the year and my son's birthday (this month) which is a great story- I am saving for next month. Now I have to get through a month and a half which may be the biggest challenge of all with Christmas right around the corner.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Life, Love and the Abundant Universe
Life. No one can escape the human experience.
I was catching up with a friend a few weeks ago, she is going through some intense challenges caring for her mother who has been diagnosed with stage four cancer and her father who has early onset Alzheimers disease. It made me reflect on the beauty and excruciating pain that all human beings endure.
Without boring anyone with the details of my first world issues, I also had my fair share of 'in your face' challenges personally and professionally last month. I can't say that I embraced them all with ease, but I can say that when I am feeling uncomfortable I know it's part of the growing process. And I was uncomfortable for most of February. So growth it was.
And when these challenging times that no one can avoid arise, whether its life or death, conflict resolution or just drawing a line and standing your ground; sometimes the best we can do is to continue to breathe deep and place one foot in front of the other. So I thats exactly what I did. Instead of getting attached or caught up in the drama that was playing itself out around me I became an observer, stood my ground when necessary and recognized it all as another opportunity to count my blessings amidst the life's difficulties. Sometimes it can be so easy to get caught up in the negative that not losing sight of my blessings is a practice in itself.
Throughout all of this, I have found that Gratitude is the great equalizer. On the one hand, my life felt like it was in total upheaval and I found myself walking into the unknown again but at the same time I have had some amazing gifts bestowed upon me. Most of these gifts have were the best kind. Gifts of love, encouragement and support from friends old and new. And others were of the physical nature like a practically new pair of MaryJane Keen's just my size (sweet!) or a bag full of little boys' hand-me-downs that are perfect for my son as he continues to grow like a weed. I even received some unexpected chocolate covered strawberries from a friend/client for Valentine's Day. Isn't life Delicious?!
I also had a quality weekend when my son and I were snowed in and we spent an entire day making Valentine's for his classmates. Using the oragami paper that Santa brought him in December we made 25 red paper airplanes and 25 pink oragami hearts. We took some thread from my sewing kit and carefully stitched the hearts to the underside of the airplanes, creating little 'love bombs' to be sent out to all of his friends. Which he won Most Creative Card award at his school Valentine party. A wonderful gift of simplicity and quality time where we connected and collaborated and my son was able to grasp the meaningful difference between a store bought and a handmade Valentine.
The universe is full of gifts large and small if we are willing and able to recognize and accept them when they come along. And when I sit back and put everything in perspective, I see clearly that my life is full of abundance and blessings. And I am grateful.
I was catching up with a friend a few weeks ago, she is going through some intense challenges caring for her mother who has been diagnosed with stage four cancer and her father who has early onset Alzheimers disease. It made me reflect on the beauty and excruciating pain that all human beings endure.
Without boring anyone with the details of my first world issues, I also had my fair share of 'in your face' challenges personally and professionally last month. I can't say that I embraced them all with ease, but I can say that when I am feeling uncomfortable I know it's part of the growing process. And I was uncomfortable for most of February. So growth it was.
And when these challenging times that no one can avoid arise, whether its life or death, conflict resolution or just drawing a line and standing your ground; sometimes the best we can do is to continue to breathe deep and place one foot in front of the other. So I thats exactly what I did. Instead of getting attached or caught up in the drama that was playing itself out around me I became an observer, stood my ground when necessary and recognized it all as another opportunity to count my blessings amidst the life's difficulties. Sometimes it can be so easy to get caught up in the negative that not losing sight of my blessings is a practice in itself.
Throughout all of this, I have found that Gratitude is the great equalizer. On the one hand, my life felt like it was in total upheaval and I found myself walking into the unknown again but at the same time I have had some amazing gifts bestowed upon me. Most of these gifts have were the best kind. Gifts of love, encouragement and support from friends old and new. And others were of the physical nature like a practically new pair of MaryJane Keen's just my size (sweet!) or a bag full of little boys' hand-me-downs that are perfect for my son as he continues to grow like a weed. I even received some unexpected chocolate covered strawberries from a friend/client for Valentine's Day. Isn't life Delicious?!
I also had a quality weekend when my son and I were snowed in and we spent an entire day making Valentine's for his classmates. Using the oragami paper that Santa brought him in December we made 25 red paper airplanes and 25 pink oragami hearts. We took some thread from my sewing kit and carefully stitched the hearts to the underside of the airplanes, creating little 'love bombs' to be sent out to all of his friends. Which he won Most Creative Card award at his school Valentine party. A wonderful gift of simplicity and quality time where we connected and collaborated and my son was able to grasp the meaningful difference between a store bought and a handmade Valentine.
The universe is full of gifts large and small if we are willing and able to recognize and accept them when they come along. And when I sit back and put everything in perspective, I see clearly that my life is full of abundance and blessings. And I am grateful.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Counting, Cleaning & Other Surprises
This week has been full of pleasant surprises. So just to give you a little insight into my life, I haven't owned a television for many of my adult years. I realized in college... we now have access to over 900 stations and nothing is on. When I turned off the tv, I turned on my inner awareness and really began to find out about myself.
Of course, over the years life changes. I now have a seven year old little boy and we live out of town on three acres (surrounded by 300 acres) and in the winter when its snowing sometimes you just want to snuggle up and watch a movie. So last May, I was cruising around on Craigslist and I found a five year old flat screen tv for $30.00~ Score! So we now have a television, a dvd player, lots of movies and a library card that gives us FREE access to even more movies (I LOVE the library, but we'll get to that in a later blog).
So why the back story? As a mother I have made a conscious decision not to over expose my child to tv. The news is negative and rarely accurate, the ads just prey on peoples insecurities and if there is a show that is so enriching that I have see it there is always Hulu. Don't misunderstand we are not total renunciates living off the grid like the Amish (although I admire their lifestyle minus the dogma). My son has his own ipad (thanks to his dad) and obviously I have a computer so we know whats going on, in small doses, and in a controlled manner without being bombarded. But I digress, the point that I am trying to make is this... my son is not constantly saying, "I want that!" because he saw a commercial of the latest and greatest toy on tv.
However, having access to his ipad does expose him to new 'things' and this week while looking up How to make Oragami Cranes on youtube he came across a video on something completely different. It was a Parrot AR Drone Heliocopter that is controlled by an app on your ipad/iphone. Did I mention that he is a RC heliocopter aficionado and this is like the Holy Grail? So we watched a few videos and I have to admit this thing is cool! It has 4 propellors, a camera, it hovers and lands beautifully and you can fly it around your house (inside or out) and you don't have to be in the same vicinity, you can hang out in the backyard while you fly it to the frontyard. Super Cool!
And here we are in the Year of Nothing New! Bummer? Maybe. Being as cool as this this thing is, it also comes with a hefty price tag for a seven year old boy...$299.00 and thats before tax. After asking me to remind him why we aren't buying anything new this year and then fruitlessly trying to persuade me to let him buy just this ONE thing! We came up with a plan. My son is not completely broke he has a collection of piggy banks all filled with change we have collected over the years. We made a deal that I will help him count his money and he will spend the rest of this year saving the remainder.
The other evening after dinner he really wanted me to help him count his change and I really wanted to clean the kitchen. I suggested that he could seperate all of the coins into their individual piles and I would come in and help count it all when I was finished but he came up with a better idea, "how about I help you clean the kitchen and you help me count my money." Fair enough. My son has a few chores to help around the house, he usually puts the silverware away when I unload the dishwasher and he puts his clothes away when I do laundry and usually we will clean his room together.
And even though I think its important to instill a sense of connection, participation and cooperation, there are many times that I don't ask him to help just because I'm in a hurry and I think I can do it faster... but after the other night I have learned the error of my ways! My son didn't want to put the silverware away, so I did. I also put the larger heavier dishes away, but he put everything else away! He got a dish towel, eagerly threw it over his shoulder and began drying the coffee cups, bowls, tupperware and putting it all away, using our step stool when necessary. Much to my surprise not only did he participate, he engaged, we connected and he learned the system that I use in the kitchen. All the while he kept saying, "this is fun!" I proceded to wipe down the counters and sweep the floor and believe it or not he actually mopped when I was done. It was beyond awesome! It reminded me that he is so capable and that its up to me to show him how capable he truly is, our time together just cleaning up the kitchen was precious. And it didn't end there we went on to count the money in his piggy banks totalling $142.88.
He now has a goal to save $156.12 over the next 11 months which comes to $14.19 per month. At his request, we put all of his change ino a jug, went down to the local bank and opened a savings account in his name. And we are coming up with ideas of how he can earn that money each month. He is so proud of having his own account and I am so proud of having a son who isn't whining and crying about having something right NOW, instead he chose to problem solve and strategize as he works towards his goal. And I bet when the time comes, we will probably be able to find this Parrot AR Drone second hand online.
Of course, over the years life changes. I now have a seven year old little boy and we live out of town on three acres (surrounded by 300 acres) and in the winter when its snowing sometimes you just want to snuggle up and watch a movie. So last May, I was cruising around on Craigslist and I found a five year old flat screen tv for $30.00~ Score! So we now have a television, a dvd player, lots of movies and a library card that gives us FREE access to even more movies (I LOVE the library, but we'll get to that in a later blog).
So why the back story? As a mother I have made a conscious decision not to over expose my child to tv. The news is negative and rarely accurate, the ads just prey on peoples insecurities and if there is a show that is so enriching that I have see it there is always Hulu. Don't misunderstand we are not total renunciates living off the grid like the Amish (although I admire their lifestyle minus the dogma). My son has his own ipad (thanks to his dad) and obviously I have a computer so we know whats going on, in small doses, and in a controlled manner without being bombarded. But I digress, the point that I am trying to make is this... my son is not constantly saying, "I want that!" because he saw a commercial of the latest and greatest toy on tv.
However, having access to his ipad does expose him to new 'things' and this week while looking up How to make Oragami Cranes on youtube he came across a video on something completely different. It was a Parrot AR Drone Heliocopter that is controlled by an app on your ipad/iphone. Did I mention that he is a RC heliocopter aficionado and this is like the Holy Grail? So we watched a few videos and I have to admit this thing is cool! It has 4 propellors, a camera, it hovers and lands beautifully and you can fly it around your house (inside or out) and you don't have to be in the same vicinity, you can hang out in the backyard while you fly it to the frontyard. Super Cool!
And here we are in the Year of Nothing New! Bummer? Maybe. Being as cool as this this thing is, it also comes with a hefty price tag for a seven year old boy...$299.00 and thats before tax. After asking me to remind him why we aren't buying anything new this year and then fruitlessly trying to persuade me to let him buy just this ONE thing! We came up with a plan. My son is not completely broke he has a collection of piggy banks all filled with change we have collected over the years. We made a deal that I will help him count his money and he will spend the rest of this year saving the remainder.
The other evening after dinner he really wanted me to help him count his change and I really wanted to clean the kitchen. I suggested that he could seperate all of the coins into their individual piles and I would come in and help count it all when I was finished but he came up with a better idea, "how about I help you clean the kitchen and you help me count my money." Fair enough. My son has a few chores to help around the house, he usually puts the silverware away when I unload the dishwasher and he puts his clothes away when I do laundry and usually we will clean his room together.
And even though I think its important to instill a sense of connection, participation and cooperation, there are many times that I don't ask him to help just because I'm in a hurry and I think I can do it faster... but after the other night I have learned the error of my ways! My son didn't want to put the silverware away, so I did. I also put the larger heavier dishes away, but he put everything else away! He got a dish towel, eagerly threw it over his shoulder and began drying the coffee cups, bowls, tupperware and putting it all away, using our step stool when necessary. Much to my surprise not only did he participate, he engaged, we connected and he learned the system that I use in the kitchen. All the while he kept saying, "this is fun!" I proceded to wipe down the counters and sweep the floor and believe it or not he actually mopped when I was done. It was beyond awesome! It reminded me that he is so capable and that its up to me to show him how capable he truly is, our time together just cleaning up the kitchen was precious. And it didn't end there we went on to count the money in his piggy banks totalling $142.88.
He now has a goal to save $156.12 over the next 11 months which comes to $14.19 per month. At his request, we put all of his change ino a jug, went down to the local bank and opened a savings account in his name. And we are coming up with ideas of how he can earn that money each month. He is so proud of having his own account and I am so proud of having a son who isn't whining and crying about having something right NOW, instead he chose to problem solve and strategize as he works towards his goal. And I bet when the time comes, we will probably be able to find this Parrot AR Drone second hand online.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Here's to a New Year & an Old Humidifier
Well it's January 5th 2013 and it looks like we all have another year to get it right on planet Earth. I'm not quite through week one of my year of nothing new and I have already had my first experience of mindlessly thinking, "I'll just stop by Walgreen's and pick up a new humidifier..."
We were on our way home from our New Years Adventure in Silverton, CO and my son wasn't feeling well due to the extreme dry and cold weather. Anyhow, I had tried our humidifier at home a few days earlier and it wasn't producing any steam. So what's $30 for a new one considering my son wasn't feeling well and would truly benefit from it... That was my automatic pilot response until I remembered...oh shit this is actually day ONE of my 'year of nothing new' and I can't break down now...that would be so lame.
I am happy to share that we headed home without stopping at Walgreens. My old broke down humidifier was still out from my previous failed attempt at using it, so I brought it into the kitchen for a closer look. After checking it out I realized that the vaporizer only had two screws keeping it all together... How hard could it be to take it apart and check out the problem? What's the worst that could happen... it already didn't work. I have to admit, even though I wasn't dismantling a bomb I started to feel like MacGyver. (Give me a piece of gum and a shoestring and I can fix anything!) Following my friend Amanda's advice, once I took it apart I soaked the vaporizer in some water and vinegar solution for a few hours, put it back together and you know what? It worked! Go me!
No, I am not a genius and yes, this was a small victory but what really happened for me was more profound... I am awake and aware of my consumption, I was forced to be more resourceful and best of all I didn't contribute to more plastic in a landfill.
Many people ask me why I am doing this and I've narrowed it down to three main reasons 1. It is simply not sustainable to continue consuming with a throw away mentatlity (Did you know that there is an island of trash twice the size of Texas floating around in the Pacific Ocean...if you don't believe me Google it) 2. It is a practice in mindfulness. I am keeping myself in check. What do I have, do I really need it, where is it coming from, who is it supporting... it is quite challenging to be a conscious consumer in this day and age so this is my personal solution. 3. I want my son to have a deep understanding, appreciation and gratitude for all that he already has in his life instead of falling into the trap of always wanting more.
Upgrade, upgrade, upgrade! Always wanting more... it is such a trap and it breeds a society of people who are never quite satisfied. (I'm sure there's a pill for that too) But the jokes on us, with the rapid pace that technology is advancing there will always be the latest and greatest car, cell phone, computer, gadget, clothing, jewelry, home you name it, that is just out of reach and as soon as you get it, its already obsolete.
I am choosing to live consciously for one year practicing sustainability, mindfulness & gratitude.
So here's to a New Year and an old humidifier!
We were on our way home from our New Years Adventure in Silverton, CO and my son wasn't feeling well due to the extreme dry and cold weather. Anyhow, I had tried our humidifier at home a few days earlier and it wasn't producing any steam. So what's $30 for a new one considering my son wasn't feeling well and would truly benefit from it... That was my automatic pilot response until I remembered...oh shit this is actually day ONE of my 'year of nothing new' and I can't break down now...that would be so lame.
I am happy to share that we headed home without stopping at Walgreens. My old broke down humidifier was still out from my previous failed attempt at using it, so I brought it into the kitchen for a closer look. After checking it out I realized that the vaporizer only had two screws keeping it all together... How hard could it be to take it apart and check out the problem? What's the worst that could happen... it already didn't work. I have to admit, even though I wasn't dismantling a bomb I started to feel like MacGyver. (Give me a piece of gum and a shoestring and I can fix anything!) Following my friend Amanda's advice, once I took it apart I soaked the vaporizer in some water and vinegar solution for a few hours, put it back together and you know what? It worked! Go me!
No, I am not a genius and yes, this was a small victory but what really happened for me was more profound... I am awake and aware of my consumption, I was forced to be more resourceful and best of all I didn't contribute to more plastic in a landfill.
Many people ask me why I am doing this and I've narrowed it down to three main reasons 1. It is simply not sustainable to continue consuming with a throw away mentatlity (Did you know that there is an island of trash twice the size of Texas floating around in the Pacific Ocean...if you don't believe me Google it) 2. It is a practice in mindfulness. I am keeping myself in check. What do I have, do I really need it, where is it coming from, who is it supporting... it is quite challenging to be a conscious consumer in this day and age so this is my personal solution. 3. I want my son to have a deep understanding, appreciation and gratitude for all that he already has in his life instead of falling into the trap of always wanting more.
Upgrade, upgrade, upgrade! Always wanting more... it is such a trap and it breeds a society of people who are never quite satisfied. (I'm sure there's a pill for that too) But the jokes on us, with the rapid pace that technology is advancing there will always be the latest and greatest car, cell phone, computer, gadget, clothing, jewelry, home you name it, that is just out of reach and as soon as you get it, its already obsolete.
I am choosing to live consciously for one year practicing sustainability, mindfulness & gratitude.
So here's to a New Year and an old humidifier!
Friday, December 14, 2012
Tune in, Turn on, Drop out
So here we are December 14, 2012. With so much speculation on what is next for our planet and our people just 7 days until 12/21/2012...the end? Or the beginning? We'll see. Either way I am taking this opportunity to align myself with my beliefs even further.
I am a strong supporter of living your truth and following your heart. (Do no harm and do thy will) I personally don't see any other way, however; it's not something that happens overnight we are vast, multifaceted beings born into a well oiled consuming machine and sometimes we don't know our beliefs from the ones we are sold.
As a first world citizen comfort and excess are our norm. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE my cozy bed with a down feather pillow top and comforter...warm, cozy & comfortable? Yes! (Here comes the dreaded but) But with most of the worlds problems pointing back to oil, yes a well oiled machine of massed produced, made in china, highly toxic from start to finish petroleum products; I have to ask myself when is enough, enough?
Because I want to be a part of the solution and because I don't want my child to grow up mindlessly believing that he can just go down to the local big box store and replace or upgrade on a whim. I have made a decision for myself and my 7 year old son. No more consumption for at least the next year. If a legitimate need arises I will barter, recycle, upcycled and make do. Whatever happened to being resourceful and allowing for our creative genius to make an appearnace? There is nothing outside of myself that is going to make me happy, more lovable or better in anyway...that's just clever marketing. The truth is I AM enough.
I am a strong supporter of living your truth and following your heart. (Do no harm and do thy will) I personally don't see any other way, however; it's not something that happens overnight we are vast, multifaceted beings born into a well oiled consuming machine and sometimes we don't know our beliefs from the ones we are sold.
As a first world citizen comfort and excess are our norm. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE my cozy bed with a down feather pillow top and comforter...warm, cozy & comfortable? Yes! (Here comes the dreaded but) But with most of the worlds problems pointing back to oil, yes a well oiled machine of massed produced, made in china, highly toxic from start to finish petroleum products; I have to ask myself when is enough, enough?
Because I want to be a part of the solution and because I don't want my child to grow up mindlessly believing that he can just go down to the local big box store and replace or upgrade on a whim. I have made a decision for myself and my 7 year old son. No more consumption for at least the next year. If a legitimate need arises I will barter, recycle, upcycled and make do. Whatever happened to being resourceful and allowing for our creative genius to make an appearnace? There is nothing outside of myself that is going to make me happy, more lovable or better in anyway...that's just clever marketing. The truth is I AM enough.
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