I'm not sure about you, but for many of the people I know I am the only person they know who lives a simple, green, frugal and downshifted life. Many of them would never elect to go without their SUV's, drive through dinners, busy schedules, quest to climb the career ladder, extensive clothing/shoe/jewelry collections, the convenience of disposable diapers or even the use of paper plates {I have a friend who uses paper plates, cups and cutlery for all their meals - going through 72 of each per week!}. One of the main things I've noticed is they struggle to understand why anyone would choose to wash dishes by hand, hang clothes to dry, live without a vehicle, wait for books at the library and wonder how anyone can want those things. I try never to seem perfect or totally put together either on my blog or in real life and I certainly share that there are times I do really wish for a little bit of convenience {usually after a long hard day!} and yes, occasionally I want. The other day after a long day, I thought about all the things I occasionally want and I wrote them down. A few minutes later I countered my wants by identifying what my needs were...
I want to drive a car down a big open road, listen to tunes on the radio & gaze at the sky...but I don't need to own a car.
I want a week of no dishes...but I don't need a dishwasher, I have two hands that work perfectly well
I want a weekend where I don't have to make time to take my food waste to the city compost when my vermicomposting worms aren't quite up to the challenge...but I don't need that time, in fact I like my weekly walk and I certainly like my worms {most days!}
I want to be able to eat 3 mouthfuls of a cookie {which contains gluten} without spending the night with skin bleeding {like it is tonight!}...but I don't need to eat cookies to survive, in fact going without cookies is a good way to make my frugal budget stretch further
I want to have some reprieve from life & eczema by sitting on a beach in the sun for a week or more {just like my Dr. recommended!} and enjoying a good 5* service...but I don't need anything except inner peace and the earth certainly doesn't need those carbon miles!
I want a much healthier bank account...but I don't need anything more than trust, sacrifice and perseverance and I certainly don't need more work hours to give me that bigger bank account
I want a microwave to make my meals in 2 minutes flat...but I don't need things to be ready at the push of a button, there is a rhythm to waiting for good nourishing food that fills my evening routine, which I'd be sad to say goodbye to
I want a week of no dishes...but I don't need a dishwasher, I have two hands that work perfectly well
I want a new wardrobe that doesn't need to be built around my skin issues or a non-existent budget... but I don't need anymore than I have, even if compared to the world it is more than frugal.
I want my clothes to be dried in a dryer with no creases and no extra work of hanging to dry...but I don't need a dryer and there is something exceptionally mentally cleansing about hanging clothes to dry!
I want land with lambs, donkeys, rabbits and chickens {oh my!}... but I don't need anything more than myself in order to live the frugal, simple and green life.
Once I finished writing out my list, I reflected on what life would be like if I had all those wants. The truth is, my life wouldn't be something I personally would want to lead. I have enjoyed my little journey in downshifting, learning self-sufficiency skills and the peaceful rhythm which finds its way into my daily and weekly life. I like that my choices reflect the values I have and that I aim to tread lightly on this earth. Yes I occasionally have hard days, every so often I wish there was a little button I could push to make that particular day easier, but the truth is, I wouldn't swap my new life, or my new choices, to return to my old ways. Nope, no going back!
What things do you occasionally want that you don't need? Do you think about what life would be like if you weren't on this journey? Could you ever go back?
16 comments:
Your list is such a wonderful way of looking at things. There are days when I wish I didn't know what I do about nutrition so I could pick up fast/highly processed food for my family instead of making things from fresh, whole ingredients. However, I love my family too much to give them less than the best. Thanks for reminding me why I do the things I do.
Your list of what you want but don't need is very interesting, and I will think about my own list.
It's all about choices.
We happen to consider a microwave and dryer a necessity. Well my kids think the microwave is but I know the dryer is because of the ants here and the smoke smell. Almost everyone in our area lives frugally or self sufficiently to some extent. Oh and we have a car, not even close to new, and do all our own repairs on it.
Don't go to the library, have too many books from the thrift store (books are my addiction)so why waste the gas?
No dishwasher but if I could fit one in I would, lol. My daughter does a fair job at dishwashing but uses too much water and asks for too much allowance. I think a dishwasher would be cheaper.
Hummm, bank account...I'm working on it little by little.
Nope no cookies unless I make them. I am having a hard time buying anything at the store after reading the ingredients.
I have no desire to sit on the beach in the sun. I personally don't think that is natural and think if you really thought about it you would seek the shade where it is cooler.
Wardrobe-I actually bought some clothes this week. Nothing expensive but it wasn't from the thrift store like usual either. I would rather have made them myself but I need more time, space and material for that.
Truly if I could have my way, I would move away from civilization, live in a small cabin/shack/teepee, hunt, farm some and raise some animals. I guess that is what we all want but for some reason it costs money to sit on a piece of land anywhere these days and then even after you can call it YOUR land it still costs money...anyway, off my soap box, lol
I'm so glad I'm on the same journey. It's fun learning to do things in a new way while saving money and gaining better health. Big kudos to you for doing it well :-)
Well, the only wants I can think of are #1 a food dehydrator- It's been on my want list for years but to be honest I don't have the space for it and if I'm desperate to dry something, I can do it in the oven or the airing cupboard. and #2 is impossible- me getting 1 or 2 hours extra to everyone else one hour! *sigh* Me having a 72 hour day to get everything done, have time to do my crafts and still get plenty of sleep. Bliss! LOL
Have you tried Comfrey for your skin? Also look into the benefits of Turmeric.
I have wants, too, and sometimes I do indulge myself. But most of the time I allow myself time to compare my wants to my needs. I actually need so little.
I think the thing is that green thinking becomes normal and you don't miss or wish for certain things, and at the same time don't become obsessive about it, the occasional bought cake is not a sin:-) I followed this blog because I keep thinking I should be more 'simple, green and frugal' but i have always line dried my clothes, made my own meals, washed dishes and used the library, now we don't use a car, I bike everywhere or use public transport. the things I wish for are like the previous commenter ... more hours in the day for doing the things I enjoy:-)
thanks for sharing, thought provoking as always
martine
Nice blog and good points...Simple is better....In this instant gratification world, the faster, the better, so we can squeeze more things in and we think we're the better for it...If we could only take time to be still and know that He is God and is in control and let Him have the steering wheel and do His good will...Thank you for your post. Laura
http://rhodescreations.blogspot.com
Thank you! The way you look at things is so inspiring. I think for my generation(I´m 50, it has been normal to live relatively green, at least here in Germany. I never owned a microwave or a dryer, We have a garden and grow some of our own food, which has always been normal around here. Everybody has to put his waste in separate bins for paper, organic materials for composting, all kinds of plastic packaging, and waste. We do have a car because we live in a village wihr not much of public transport, but I try to bike and use the buses as often as possible. And using paper plates would be considered as really weird. The only occasion it is "allowed" is on kid´s birthday parties.
Agree there..i have a little list of wants..but nothing dramatic..my friends think i'm weird and i am slowly distancing myself from them..i love hanging out my washing and the smell is better than any shop bought scented conditioner..i love the fact that i have to cook my food and not bung it in the microwave..i appreciate my meals so much more..my family do too..to me being green means living at my pace not rushing everything and learning at the same time..my life is so less complicated now and i love it...
good for you,keep going we are all behind you and some are right beside you..
take care
sara
Thank you for all the lovely comments & stories. How wonderful it would be if we could all chat over a cup of tea!
For me, I think living a less frugal/simple/green lifestyle, despite its conveniences and easy acceptance by others, would be more stressful because I would be living in a way that didn't coincide with my values.
"We don't need to increase our goods nearly as much as we need to scale down our wants. Not wanting something is as good as possessing it." - Donald Horban
This was a great post-very thought provoking. I will spend some time today writing this out for myself. Thanks! So sad about that person who uses disposable plates and utensils every day. Such a waste not to mention how could the food taste as good? Even on a picnic I bring real silverware.
I want my clothes to be as free of dog fur as they were when I used a dryer... but I don't need to increase my electrical bills.
I'm pretty set and happy in my ways :-)
The voice of reason !! Just what I needed to read this morning - instead of "why cant I afford this that and the other" Keep writing and reminded us.
I know some people struggle with all the things they think they need. It took me years to get over that also but now I am there I love it !!
Contemplating this post (Yes I know it's an oldish one, first time I've seen it though) I've realised I don't want very much. Except perhaps a cure for my wifes spondylitis. Since enforced frugality, it's become such a way of life, and I wonder why I spent so many years chasing an impossible dream, I thought money bought everything.
Yes, we have a car, can't push a wheelchair very far and we live in a hilly village.
Yes we have a microwave, it cooks & heats very quick and cheaper than the oven.
Yes we have a dish-washer, it comes with the rented property, i've used it twice in 4 months.
Tumble dryer also comes with property, never used it.
Yes we have a bread-maker, I can smell this mornings loaf as I type.
Money we don't have much of, and strange to say don't want much either.
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