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Thinking back, I'm struck with how many of the choices we've made in order to exercise compassion + reduce our waste have to do with trust. In order to take the plunge into changing a habit, I had to trust that the new way would work + would be ok. There are so many examples of the intersection of trust + choice. Here are a few:
-I had to put my trust in crystal deodorant. When I switched back + forth depending on the heat or proximity to others, I smelled worse. In order to release all the toxins once + for all, I needed to commit to the change + trust. Once the toxins cleared, the smell did too.
-We all had to trust that we wouldn't miss out + would still have something to do without a television. We don't see advertisements very often anymore, which makes a giant difference in our passive or unconscious thinking. When we see ads now, every single one of us is horrified by so much of the messaging. I love that my girls have that recognition!
-Cleaning with rags rather than paper towels involved trusting that those rags would not make my washing machine gross...and would get clean enough to touch again. Today, I honestly can not even fathom paper towels.
-Here's an obscure one. Allergies make my ears itchy, which leads to ear infections. I made ear drops + tried to clean my ears with soap. At some point I decided to trust that my body knows how to best keep the insides of my ears clean. I decided that no soap or drops were needed in there + finally kicked the infections.
-After learning most of what I believed about cleaning from ads on tv (if I'm honest), I needed to trust that cleaning with baking soda + vinegar works. Also I had to trust that my whole house wouldn't smell like vinegar all the time (not my favorite smell, since my sisters worked at a pickle factory for many of my childhood summers). I don't know how I thought the toxic smell from commercial cleaners was even ok. I believe our home is much more truly clean today.
-Buying food out of bulk bins involved trust in a few ways: cleanliness (versus purchasing products sealed in plastic), budget-wise (that I'd be able to afford groceries from the health food store), and that I could actually feed my family this way. I'm not going to lie + say that I haven't found a pantry moth or two in my airtight jars...haven't spent more than I wanted to...or haven't ordered a pizza. The thing is that real food that nourishes our bodies comes from the earth...the out-of-doors. Food is perhaps the most important + most undervalued industry right now. Real food costs both money + time. I feel more of a connection to the food on our plates, to farmers, to the weather, and to the land now than when I was serving my family processed foods.
-In the beginning I had to trust that it would be ok to be the first one to use a reusable cup at the coffee shop..or cloth bags for groceries...or my own bin for bulk food. I learned to put more value on my belief that I'm doing something good for the environment, for my girls, for our global community...than on the judgement of others. Most of the time, cashiers are supportive or non-reactive. Sometimes they tell me that my containers harbor more germs than a litter box. In any case, I'm ok. :)
-When we started backyard composting we needed to trust that we wouldn't inadvertently become rodent breeders or smell up the neighborhood. We trusted that others knew what they were talking about.
-In order to avoid the packaging on some of my tribe's favorite snacks, we needed to trust that we could survive + thrive (+ still smile) without as many snacks.
-Embracing less in the closet involved trusting that people don't care if I wear the same pants three times in one week. Now, Jo + I love the concept of everyday pants. :) Mr. Tribe lives it too. We are more than what we wear, and that feels really powerful.
-In order to acquaint myself anew with necessity + enough, I needed to trust that we could wait to replace things. Often I forget that I ever thought we needed the thing. It's somewhat surprising + always freeing.
One may decide that trust doesn't come easily for them...and that must be why committing to change is so difficult. The thing is that we are already putting our trust in something. I trusted that there would always be enough trees to make more paper towels. I trusted that all the plastic in my trash can would go "away". I trusted companies not to put harmful chemicals on the food I fed my girls or the cosmetics I slathered on their bodies. I trusted that the chemicals in the cleaners I used were just fine to breathe. I trusted we fought wars to help people rather than to ensure access to oil.
Many of my examples show that the effort of trusting is somewhat short-term. In the beginning, we are just trying out a new way of doing things + want to know if it will work. We trust enough to try...we observe the outcome...and we reevaluate. Sometimes we'll need to try another way or engage our creativity. Sometimes, that trust is supported...and we find it easy to continue to trust.
Many of the above shifts involve the trust that it will be ok to look different. One of the first (simple + obvious) quotes that spoke to me in my journey to free myself from a devotion to stuff was, "I am more than my things." I needed to trust this truth first...in order to live it with confidence. I'm more than what I wear. I am more than what people think of me. It's ok to look different...to act different...to live differently. We can embrace this truth ourselves...then we teach it to others with our actions + attitudes (or we find that they already know this truth)! Trust in the right things gets easier.
Love,
Jane
-I had to put my trust in crystal deodorant. When I switched back + forth depending on the heat or proximity to others, I smelled worse. In order to release all the toxins once + for all, I needed to commit to the change + trust. Once the toxins cleared, the smell did too.
-We all had to trust that we wouldn't miss out + would still have something to do without a television. We don't see advertisements very often anymore, which makes a giant difference in our passive or unconscious thinking. When we see ads now, every single one of us is horrified by so much of the messaging. I love that my girls have that recognition!
-Cleaning with rags rather than paper towels involved trusting that those rags would not make my washing machine gross...and would get clean enough to touch again. Today, I honestly can not even fathom paper towels.
-Here's an obscure one. Allergies make my ears itchy, which leads to ear infections. I made ear drops + tried to clean my ears with soap. At some point I decided to trust that my body knows how to best keep the insides of my ears clean. I decided that no soap or drops were needed in there + finally kicked the infections.
-After learning most of what I believed about cleaning from ads on tv (if I'm honest), I needed to trust that cleaning with baking soda + vinegar works. Also I had to trust that my whole house wouldn't smell like vinegar all the time (not my favorite smell, since my sisters worked at a pickle factory for many of my childhood summers). I don't know how I thought the toxic smell from commercial cleaners was even ok. I believe our home is much more truly clean today.
-Buying food out of bulk bins involved trust in a few ways: cleanliness (versus purchasing products sealed in plastic), budget-wise (that I'd be able to afford groceries from the health food store), and that I could actually feed my family this way. I'm not going to lie + say that I haven't found a pantry moth or two in my airtight jars...haven't spent more than I wanted to...or haven't ordered a pizza. The thing is that real food that nourishes our bodies comes from the earth...the out-of-doors. Food is perhaps the most important + most undervalued industry right now. Real food costs both money + time. I feel more of a connection to the food on our plates, to farmers, to the weather, and to the land now than when I was serving my family processed foods.
-In the beginning I had to trust that it would be ok to be the first one to use a reusable cup at the coffee shop..or cloth bags for groceries...or my own bin for bulk food. I learned to put more value on my belief that I'm doing something good for the environment, for my girls, for our global community...than on the judgement of others. Most of the time, cashiers are supportive or non-reactive. Sometimes they tell me that my containers harbor more germs than a litter box. In any case, I'm ok. :)
-When we started backyard composting we needed to trust that we wouldn't inadvertently become rodent breeders or smell up the neighborhood. We trusted that others knew what they were talking about.
-In order to avoid the packaging on some of my tribe's favorite snacks, we needed to trust that we could survive + thrive (+ still smile) without as many snacks.
-Embracing less in the closet involved trusting that people don't care if I wear the same pants three times in one week. Now, Jo + I love the concept of everyday pants. :) Mr. Tribe lives it too. We are more than what we wear, and that feels really powerful.
-In order to acquaint myself anew with necessity + enough, I needed to trust that we could wait to replace things. Often I forget that I ever thought we needed the thing. It's somewhat surprising + always freeing.
One may decide that trust doesn't come easily for them...and that must be why committing to change is so difficult. The thing is that we are already putting our trust in something. I trusted that there would always be enough trees to make more paper towels. I trusted that all the plastic in my trash can would go "away". I trusted companies not to put harmful chemicals on the food I fed my girls or the cosmetics I slathered on their bodies. I trusted that the chemicals in the cleaners I used were just fine to breathe. I trusted we fought wars to help people rather than to ensure access to oil.
Many of my examples show that the effort of trusting is somewhat short-term. In the beginning, we are just trying out a new way of doing things + want to know if it will work. We trust enough to try...we observe the outcome...and we reevaluate. Sometimes we'll need to try another way or engage our creativity. Sometimes, that trust is supported...and we find it easy to continue to trust.
Many of the above shifts involve the trust that it will be ok to look different. One of the first (simple + obvious) quotes that spoke to me in my journey to free myself from a devotion to stuff was, "I am more than my things." I needed to trust this truth first...in order to live it with confidence. I'm more than what I wear. I am more than what people think of me. It's ok to look different...to act different...to live differently. We can embrace this truth ourselves...then we teach it to others with our actions + attitudes (or we find that they already know this truth)! Trust in the right things gets easier.
Love,
Jane
