Introduction
This is not a hard-hitting journalism piece — none of my writing here is. :) It is just a collection of some thoughts I’ve wanted to get out of my head.
Earlier this year I turned 50. As with many of you, many of my friends from high school, and local friends, this age marks a shift, mentally, in terms of how I (and others who may) perceive the world and start to look back on our lives. I have likely got less time ahead of me than behind me.
Earlier this year too, I got a new job, after not working professionally for 2 years. I had taken time off to do a Master’s and recover from some physical ailments, surgeries, and emotional crap.
During the 2 years of not working, I did a lot of thinking, careful planning to use my savings wisely, and to see how to live a simpler life. Now, I am trying to figure out how to do this in a more long-term timeframe — part of me, like many here and in my friend group, wants to withdraw. Not so much “doomsday prepper” withdraw to live in a bunker with a lot of canned goods and guns, but to find a tiny place to grow some food, have a few chickens and a tiny house with solar power.
I am finding this urge is a reaction to not just the pace of my life, my extremely busy job, the daily hustle and bustle of living in a small-ish city...but also as existentialist angst. I am freaking out about global climate issues. About the continued plummeting of insect numbers and potential collapse of nature as diaried yesterday. I am slightly hopeful though, that planting billions of trees across the world is by far the biggest and cheapest way to tackle the climate crisis. With so many things that negatively affect our planet (ocean plastic pollution, the sixth extinction, human overpopulation, etc etc), I wanted to start brainstorming on how to make the rest of my life more meaningful to me and to see if I can have a positive impact.
What I want to ask you, dear readers
1. I am sure there are some DK folks who have moved to a small place, reduced their workload, reduced their stuff, become more eco-focused in light of the climate crisis. So, how did you do it?
— How did you do this and how did you plan?
— What was your biggest challenge?
— How do you access the Internet?
2. Do you feel better?
— Can you say your mental health overall is better? Physical health?
— Did you go all Marie Kondo on your belongings and chuck things that were not bringing you joy?
3. What kind of simple life do you have now? Can you share with us?
— Do you know people who have done this?
— Do you have chickens?
— Do you have links or resources to share?
4. Are there groups here on DKos I should know about?
— I am aware of the Climate Change Anxiety Support Group and read many things there, and the green news posts, too.
Fundamentally, though...
It does come down to the issue tho, that to life simply one does not require a move, tho I think this will be my solution. I read on a blog recently, “You don’t need to change addresses or move mountains to discover simplicity. You don’t even need to travel.” Going for more walks, going to a park, getting outside, reducing our consumerism, taking up new hobbies that don’t have huge costs associated with them….all are things we can do to live a simple, fulfilling life.
It won’t help with existentialist thoughts on the planet, or the climate crisis, but it may help with some of the anxiety overall. And it will help me to feel better if I am not buying a lot of stuff, if I can limit my plastic use, and if I can just appreciate little things and the people around me.
Some things I have already done to have a simpler life
There are a lot of little things that I have done to deal with this feeling. I limit my FB time now to less than an hour per week. I limit my twitter time to about the same. I have removed both from my phone. And since my smart phone seems to be slowing dying, I am considering going back to a dumb phone. This will help limit my reading news while on the bus, etc. However as this is my source of Internet I may have to rethink this plan. :/
I try to sit or walk outside at least 30 minutes each day or if I am working at home to work with the windows open or on my very small balcony. Being outside to hear birds helps.
Reducing my work percentage. This is a tough one. I started this job as I said, a few months ago, at 100%. But I was unable to keep up with a lot of the work and my boss really wanted a creator, whereas I am now (after 2 years out of the workforce) more aligned with being an analyser. I tried. When we had my review, I proposed that I take on a 50% role doing more events work that allows my analysis side to flourish. I am good at logistics and planning and tracking. While the pay cut is significant, I will be able to live (tho not save much), and this will also give me time to work on the paperwork involved in aiming for a move from my current city — in about 9 months to a less expensive place.
Spending more time with friends. I have a close friend and mentor, who is 58, and she is dying. Cancer. And her husband also has cancer, he is 68, and his is less advanced, but, well….yeah. I try to spend time with them and with other friends and just do simple things like hang out, go for a picnic, enjoy a glass of wine maybe. This could be a part of my angst, as I am more aware now than ever before of my mortality as seen through her eyes. It sucks.
Playing with my cat more. Having a pet is good for my mental health.
In closing
Overall, I want to avoid withdrawing from the world, but I do want to be out of the city and become a lot more self-sufficient soon. I will have to find ways to work remotely, or develop a new model for income, or start an online business of some sort (consulting or selling crafts which is very difficult), and if I get a cabin maybe I can rent a room or AirBnB it, etc etc.
Lots of challenges ahead, and as a single woman, it seems do-able but daunting. I would love to hear from other women who’ve done something similar.
Peace.
Thursday, Jul 18, 2019 · 8:03:24 PM +00:00
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LokiMom
Wow — reblogged a lot of places on DK that I did not know of, thank you all :) And thanks for all the comments with good links and tips. This topic resonates, and I am glad to see us working together on this!