Letting go of stuff

We’re not greedy, we say. It’s everyone else who is acquiring useless stuff. ~ Judith Levine

I've found that despite reading quite a number of self-help decluttering books, actually shifting stuff out of my house, out of my comfort zone, out of my life, isn’t always simple. More and more I realize how easy it is to lapse into keeping and longing for too much stuff, all the while recognizing that stuff isn’t going to change my life for the better.

So, why do we gather stuff and why do we hang on to it, often long after it has served any useful purpose? Often for me it's about emotional ties - there is the stuff people give me that I feel obliged to keep, and there is the stuff that speaks to me of good times or of times I held on and made it through despite the odds. For me, a lot of my stuff speaks to my past, a past I have often yet to make peace with. I realize that even that’s an excuse – emotional pain forming a barrier to utilizing common sense but still, it's very real.

Deep down, I also know that it’s the memory in my mind’s storage that needs dusting off the most. When I’ve learned to dissociate memories from stuff, I know I’ll find it easier to let go. Until then, I'll keep trying to spend wisely, declutter when the mood descends, and ask myself “Do I really need that?”. There will be times this doesn't work, but I'll keep working on it.

In creating a pathway to a more minimalist lifestyle, I'm going to practice:

• Acceptance that I am the sum of my relationships, my health, my dreams, my hopes, my sanity, my connections, and not the sum of what I have.

• Self-forgiveness for my inevitable moments of weakness while living in a society driven by a “stuff solution” for every problem.

• Realization that she who dies with the most toys doesn't delay the inevitable. It’s the journey that matters, not the collecting, it's the legacy of who I am, the love I have spread, that lives on, not what I owned.

So now there’s another “R” for me. Recycle, reuse, reduce, and release.

How do you let go of the "stuff" that isn't either useful or beautiful in your life? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

The restorative hike

When information overload and pressing activities are causing you to feel flustered, tired, and stale, how do you rejuvenate? Are you tempted to lie on the couch with a favorite movie, to crawl under the covers and read a magazine, or even to simply ramp up the pace to try and achieve more? I’ve tried all of these responses, and I’ve quickly discovered they don’t restore me; in fact, they have the ability to make me feel even less focused. Apart from ensuring that I’m getting adequate sleep, there is one activity that is always guaranteed to restore my sense of purpose and ground me again – and that is getting back into nature.

It is only when I remove myself from the gadgets, the to-do lists, and the pressing engagements, that I can see clearly again to reorganize my approaches and to get back on track. I’m blessed by living on the doorstep of wonderful hiking trails but even then, making use of them isn’t always easy when I weigh the to-dos with get-into-nature, the to-dos often winning out. All the same, when I am honest with myself, I recognize that I am a better, more whole and more productive person after spending time in nature.

Here are some ways I use to overcome the feeling I don't have the time and how I make the most of getting back into nature:

1.    Stop taking it all so seriously. This is the number one excuse that is too easy to convince oneself with – “If I don’t get this done, the world will fall apart.” No it won’t and likely without restorative breaks, the end product won’t be as good as it could have been.

• Be kind to yourself  – remind yourself that this is for your own good, for your health, for your reinvigorated sense of direction in whatever it is you’re working on.

2.  Keep your walking shoes clean and ready at the front door. No more excuses like “I can’t find those comfortable walking shoes, too hard, not going.”

• Keep a raincoat, a daypack with a reusable durable water bottle, and a snack pouch all ready for filling and grabbing to get you out there. Fill the pouch and bottle before you leave.

• Keep sunglasses, hat, gloves, etc., nearby as well. Anything you need for the current season should be to hand.

3.    Find a place to hike. If you’re in an urban jungle, find the green jungle.

• Find good parks or Botanical Gardens that are local to you and make them your regular walking space. The trick is to love familiarity while still observing seasonal changes, finding new ways of seeing the trees, the animals, the sky every time you visit.

• Get on a train or bus on the weekends (you can rest while not driving) and head out of town to your nearest decent hiking park – restorative hikes are fantastic when paired with the weekend break and can provide sustenance for the upcoming week.

4.    Go at a steady pace. The hike isn’t a race. Leave competitive walking pals at home – this is about restoring your soul, not beefing up your biceps.

• Choose walks that bring you into direct contact with amazing nature, such as old trees, clearings in the forest, streams, waterfalls, caves, groves of trees, berry plants, wildlife, etc.

• Realize that everything you see, hear, smell, feel, and sense when immersing yourself in nature is an incredible, connecting experience, no matter how small, or familiar.

5.    Go solo. The best thinking time is alone time. If you’ve got a problem that’s bothering you, a conundrum that just won’t gel, or a sticky work issue, time spent alone in nature can do wonders.

• Take a small note pad and jot down thoughts, poems, sketches, as the inkling takes you.

• Find good places to sit during the walk and just take it all in. A log, a rock, a soft piece of grass. If there is a view, soak it in. Become one as you sit, and take time to let nature re-energize your soul.

6.    Go with a pal. Take that overwrought, bogged down work pal of yours and do her a favor by taking her out to relax in nature. She might not realize she needs it but she’ll cotton on when she’s gazing at the trees and finally sees the forest.

• Keep the pace steady and talk to one another as you walk.

• Ease up on the work strategy conversations. It’s fine to let off some steam but hopefully as the hike continues, nature will quell that.

7.    Go with the kids. Your kids need nature as much, if not more, than you do. Show them that not only do you love being out in nature, but that they can have fun being a part of it.

• Talk to children about nature and what you’re seeing as you go.

• Wax poetic – show your love, astonishment, enjoyment, enthusiasm for nature: “I love how that flower glistens under the dew”, “Wow, look at the different shades of gray in that approaching storm!”, “How soft these buds are, feel them for yourself!” Children will learn by example how to see nature through wondrous eyes.

• Create a nature counting chart to keep really young children enthused.

Just go. I know you love MiniMonos in your downtime – I love that you’re reading this post and I love that you’re playing Monkey Fist. But in its place, in its time – go on, just go, now, get some nature. Your hiking trails are calling, your boots are in the corner. Monkey Fist will still be here when you get back, and that’s a promise from the whole MiniMonos team!

Spilling My Eco-Secrets

Hi. My name is Andrea, and I'm an eco-hypocrite.

I don't live off the grid. My carbon footprint is larger than it ought to be. And (PLEASE don't tell anyone!) I eat meat. From farting cows. It's mortifying.

At the same time, if we ever want to make a positive difference to our environment, we have to start with a fearless and unflinching assessment of where we are now. Fortunately, Jenn Savedge at The Green Parent is currently holding an eco-confessions carnival, which is providing me with the perfect opportunity to come clean.

Ew. Yuck. Here goes!

• KFC. My worst confession. About once a month. A guilty treat with my 7-year old when Dad goes away. We do recycle the box. We feel sorry for the chickens afterwards. We say we’ll never do it again.
• Lengthy showers. I have long hair and shave just about everything -- that’s my excuse.  My 85-year old grandmother tells me I should wash my hair in the sink. Don’t think I’ll give her details about the shaving.
• Walking to work. I have no excuse. I’m only half an hour from work. Our city is flat. Its pedestrian-friendly and my very good friend walks the same way. No defense. Shame.
• Our wonderfully cozy log-burner. In our city everyone is phasing out their old log burner fires and moving to clean heat. We not only haven’t done this but we have a little dance around the fire and clap our hands every time it's on. Apologies to those in our valley.
• Plastic bags. I’m honestly trying to do better with these; however, my cupboard is now groaning with cloth bags because I keep forgetting to bring them with me and I have to keep buying more.  This is seriously defeating the purpose. Then when I think I can’t possibly buy another cloth bag, I (just this once) use plastic bags.  BUT I can’t throw them out, so I now have to warn my son not to go near the kitchen cupboard for fear of  him being attacked by a cloth-and-plastic-bag avalanche.

The more I learn about the ways I could be looking after our environment, the more I cringe when I see what I’m NOT doing, which is the whole point, I guess. So I’ll keep cringing and making those changes… you know, I did use to have KFC every week…