One Step at a Time

When I was young I was outside all the time – exploring the woods, making a home in the trees, and imagining how to make a life there. An unquenchable appetite for freedom, enterprise, and autonomy. That one day I could make it on my own without the strictures of modern-day life. I think this is why I savor stories of time-travel to the past as if this juxtaposition exposes a fixture of simplicity and peace in the times before. But there is a danger in romanticizing “the simple life,” and most do not want to sacrifice leisure and lifestyle gained through industrialization and technological advancements. We cannot ignore, however, the burnout, discontent, disconnection, and damage much of this change has born. While some opt out of American consumerism and take to the land in one fell swoop, my dream of a simpler, more sustainable existence is iterative. I want to try new strategies to need and use less, learning from where I succeed and fail, and knowing that militant adherence will likely backfire without equally strong alignment with my values. I take one step at a time. While I think many of us want to jump to the end goal, it is usually highly unrealistic and possibly even counterproductive. Yes, I could quit my job and find the perfect homestead, but if I don’t yet have the cashflow and plan for new expenses, then I just trade my demons. So instead I am adjusting my work schedule to give me more time and flexibility to try new things and advance my goals. I bought a home that gave me more space to try out pieces of homesteading that my husband and I could still commute to our current sources of income. I am constantly looking for ways to cut spending and have developed new income streams. Not the end, but definitely progress.