Skip to main content

A Day of This and That

As the founder of the discussion group Sustainable Living here in Dalby, I had my first interview with the local online newspaper, Dalby Champions.  And it went well, I think.  Being my first interview, I am a bit nervous about seeing my ideas interpreted and written by someone else, out there for people to read.  And I've been thinking since then about what Sustainable Living is and what it means to me.

It's the small choices made on a daily basis.  When I first started looking for a better life, a happier life, a life less cluttered, and more meaningful; I found books to read (Simple Living, Radical Homemakers), blogs to read (Non-Consumer Advocate, Down to Earth),  and other people's routines to use (Flylady).

I was so inspired that I had found my people!  And I was going to do it all!  I was doing the daily cleaning routines, washing my hair with baking soda followed by a white vinegar rinse, de-cluttering my house, baking bread from scratch, buying everything we needed (and quite a bit we didn't) at the thrift stores, and raising chickens!  But at the same time, I was overwhelmed by it all.  It was too much.

Flash forward about 6 years later to this morning, and I've found my own way.  I've settled into my own version of the routines that saved me from CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome).  I've found my own pace of living which isn't so hectic.  And I'm not tackling the really big projects, but I am doing a little bit each day.

Today, I'll be doing some mending (replacing a zipper, hemming a pair of pants, and repairing DD's dress), some baking (banana and blueberry muffins), vacuuming, updating the budget, mixing up a fresh batch of cocoa mix, and playing.

I've learned that change comes about in small steps and that I don't have to do it all at once.  I've found a calm which has replaced frantic.  It all gets done, one bit at a time.

What small steps are you taking today?
What seeds are you planting for the future you envision?

Thanks for stopping in and reading today.  I'd love to hear from you.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Shari Burke13 July, 2014

    It's great that you learned enough about the stuff you were interested in as well as yourself and what you want/need in your life to be able to adapt all of the things you learned to your own particular circumstances and to be able to choose what to keep and what to let go of. And in the future, you might drop some stuff and pick up others. having that foundation allows you to adapt to whatever circumstance you find yourself in!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ann14 July, 2014

    Exactly. I dove in thinking I would do it all, but I'm learning what fits for me and what doesn't. Also that some of it is like a layer cake and you can't put on the upper layers until you've got a solid foundation and practiced a couple of the lower layers.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I'm in the pillowcase business!

Part of being a stay at home mom and making sustainable living choices is keeping expenses down, but the other part is to increase the income, too.  And working from home allows me to develop multiple small income avenues rather than just going after the one big avenue of income. With that in mind, I've been brainstorming, trying to come up with a project for the cold winter months.  I've kicked around various crochet ideas, but was truly inspired when I came across the idea of making custom pillowcases. Here are some photos of the one I whipped up this morning specifically so I could take photos to promote this new business venture. Isn't that a lovely pillowcase?  I can't wait to share with you all the pillowcases I have planned! Come spring, I'll add chickens, well eggs, as another avenue.  And of course the garden will go in which will reduce our food spending in a big way. What small avenues of income are you working on?
6 comments
Read more

Money

Money, the taboo topic.   We're taught, by our parents and the culture we live in, to not talk about money.  Don't talk about how much you make.  Don't talk about how much you spend.  Don't talk about the ins and outs of credit cards.  Don't talk about how much financing really costs. And if you're in a financial mess, don't talk about that either. So we're each alone in dealing with our finances.  Oh sure, you an ask your folks.  And get the lecture.  Or you can pay for a consultation with a financial advisor, and their sales pitch (usually).  But where can you just sit and talk about the basics? What if you just want to know you're not the only one who is bearing the consequences of a bad choice?  What if you just want to share ideas and hear other people's thoughts on what is working and not working? I propose that it starts here.  My sustainable living passion isn't just about the planet, environment, and being frugal because
4 comments
Read more

So Much Stuff

We live in a world of SO MUCH stuff. It's overwhelming just how much stuff there is in our world, at least in the US part of the world. Yesterday, I had a couple of hours to kill, and because my husband and I have decided we would prefer to furnish our home with antiques, I decided to take a walk through the local antiques mall. The antiques mall is in an old building downtown that used to be a JCPenney, so if you're familiar with the JCPenney stores of the 1970s and before, you'll know what I mean when I say it's big, really big, as in 3 floors of stalls of antiques. And the antiques range as far as they can from crochet-edged hankies to pyrex bowls to cast iron hand pumps to hoosier cupboards. Truly, if you're looking for a specific item, and you're willing to spend the time, you'll find it in this store. So much stuff.  Most of it just sits there, collecting dust. Like wall-hanging thread holder which I first spotted the first time I w
7 comments
Read more