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“Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional” I heard a young female paraplegic say. Her words are humbling as the pain she speaks about, God forbid I would never have to experience. It puts any of my struggles into perspective.
Recently I have been pondering this very topic of dealing with hardships but not in the physical sense but emotionally and in particularly within the current global economic situation. No one really likes change but individually we all must face the reality that life is change. Don’t you feel however the whole world and every person living is currently been forced to change together because of the times we find ourselves in?
Those who know me well, will testify that I am someone who ‘lands on my feet’ or who can change and move creatively in the hardest situations. Very few people however will know that there is a period of time before my ‘creativity’ where I am a mess and will fight the need to change. The blessing for me, is my years has provided past history and knowledge. I now know that once you except change as a gift or an opportunity, then eyes are clear to find really creative possibilities that would not have been visible before.
In my office at work I have been adding phrases or statements to my wall that I can regularly reflect upon. The most recent addition to these proclamations is the phrase “Celebrate Life Now”.
Lately I have had the tendency to feel overwhelmed with the current times, because of the media hype and the changes at my company/work. In these stressed, overwhelmed, anxious and sometimes melancholy times, I stopped myself and ask “What am I grateful for, at this very moment?”
Sometimes the answer may be hard to find but I don’t allow myself to progress further into my day without a positive and honest answer. Once my answer was that I was grateful for the sun shining on my back while another time I remember thinking that I was grateful to have comfortable shoes on today.
The answer always makes me smile and brings a lightness to my heart and outlook.
Driving through the Sydney Harbor Tunnel the other day, I started thinking of a time long since past. A time of hardship experienced as a younger lady. Without bearing my whole soul on the actual details of the surrounding events, I wanted to share a strong memory from this time.
Good friends, who were preparing to travel too America asked me if I would like to mind their home while they were abroad. Knowing the details of my hardship they even suggested for me to invite some friends over for dinner one night.
After inviting my friends to an intimate dinner party and spending time deciding on a menu, I then went shopping. At the supermarket I spotted a number of environmentally friendly reusable bags that the shop was selling. I purchased enough bags to carry my groceries back to the car.
Arriving back to my ‘house sitting’ home, I placed the bags on the kitchen floor then walked back to shut the front door. It was then that I turned back towards the kitchen and spotted those very same bags on the floor. For what must have been a number of minutes, I stood silently staring at those bags.
Even today when I think about my response at that moment, I am fascinated and a little emotional. Just like the other day driving through the Sydney Harbor Tunnel, I often find my mind wonders back to that moment and ponders my reaction.
Reflecting upon it today those bags represent a change, a healing period and a sign that I was reclaiming my life. Why? To get through the hardship, to cope and to survive was my number one goal. As the hardship was sustained over a long period of time, the will to survive perhaps overwhelmed and dominated all other facets of my life – like the desire to live a greener life.
Those purchased bags, represented a ‘changing of the guard’ moment. That I was now moving towards reclaiming my happiness and listening to my inner voice that for a long time was lost. My inner voice is the inner me and it knows me better than my conscious self does. My inner me knew that I desired to live in peace, harmony and balance.
My inner me knew that I desired to live a ‘greener’ life and hence the very moment I stepped towards my desire and away from my pain, I took another step towards a life lived in peace, harmony and balance. This was because I walked in the direction of my desire. Throughout time others have called this desire other titles like; your passion, your bliss, your calling and your destiny.
I believe I remember this moment so well because I remember the tremendous feeling of happiness and pride as I gazed upon those bags. Though I wouldn’t have been able to articulate it back then, I believe my mind, soul and spirit knew that exact moment was significant.
Reading many blogs about other people’s green journeys, I am noticing a familiar pattern. Others have written about similar experiences, mentioning that when they moved towards a ‘greener’ life that they moved towards an inner awareness of themselves. Some bloggers have mentioned that they even moved towards peace and a sense of meaning.
It is apparent to me that my ‘green’ journey is an ongoing process of finding balance and harmony in my life.
Years ago I remember sharing with a friend that you can always tell how busy I am with work, by viewing the condition of my garden pot plants. In my free time, I love to ‘pot around’ in the garden but if I am too busy this enjoyment is neglected. Finding the balance between work and down time is a constant challenge that I have always needed to regularly review.
After reading my very first post titled ‘A Sneaking Suspicion’, you will realise that my busy work commitment was the biggest obstacle in achieving my desire to live a greener, sustainable life. Ironically making the conscious decision two years ago to officially start my journey towards a greener existence, has not added extra burden on my life and routine. If anything I am finding more peace and contentment.
However I am aware that the ‘green journey’ needs to be balanced too. I have recently wondered if my cyber blooger friends have ever experienced personal pressure on their green journey. I say ‘personal’ pressure because I am talking about what we individually create from our own expectations and goals, which at times may cause the feeling of being over whelmed or even guilt.
There was a simple yet inspiring post by the blogger ‘No Impact Man’ titled ‘I don’t want to burn myself out’. He was quoting Anne from ‘Not So Big Blog’ when he wrote “Be as I am – a reluctant enthusiast, a part time crusader, a half hearted fanatic. Save the other half for yourself and for your lives and for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it…..While we can……While it is still here”.
The green journey needs to be balanced. Enjoy the peace and contentment you can receive in the journey to live a sustainable life and don’t allow negative emotions like being overwhelmed poison your journey or life.
Remember living a greener life is a journey i.e. it takes time and there is a lot to learn about ourselves along the way.
If for example, you are like me and only write one post on your blog per week, don’t beat yourself up and feel guilty but smile and enjoy it.
With all the economic uncertainly in Australia and the world, everyone really has two attitude choices on how they will deal with the current situation.
1) Become overwhelmed, depressed and anxious about the ever increasing media reports.
2) Be aware and perhaps cautious but ultimately deciding upon a reflective and positive attitude.
I say reflective attitude, as this is the perfect time to stop, think and reflect on what we individually have been doing in the past and what we would like to change for the future. Use this time to look inwardly at your values, goals and life.
As a teenager when the ad campaign for ‘Buy Australian’ came out in the 80’s, I have been forever influenced. ‘Hey true blue, don’t say you’re gone……….” are lyrics etched in my memory.
The campaign was simply encouraging people to buy Australian made products.
So in my reflective and positive attitude I wish to encourage all Australian’s to remember the ‘Hey True Blue’ advertisement and buy Australian made.
Buying Australian is one requirement on new items I buy. Here are some more requirements:
1 Australian made & owned company
2 Environmentally friendly made
3 Recyclable packaging
4 Products not tested on animals
Here are two examples of my recent purchases:
1) Bought comfortable work shoes from Gilmore’s Comfort Shoes. Gilmore’s Comfort Shoes is an Australian owned business. My shoes were Kumfs that were New Zealand made shoes (does Australia make comfortable shoes for ladies?). I say if you can’t by Australian by New Zealand!
I was impressed by Gilmore’s service. They even gave me a free calico bag (great environment choice). They asked if I need the shoe box as they could reuse it (another great environment choice).
The only problem was when I got home Mini & Cooper argued over who was going to sit on the bag (they are like two year olds).
2) Bought Simply Natural Oils organic herbal shampoo. Australian made & owned, recyclable packaging and not testing on little white fluffy bunnies. Yay happy with that!
Standing in a department store line waiting to be served at the check out, got me thinking. Watching all the busy people, hurryingly around franticly buying items that they felt they needed, gave me a little insight into my own past buying behaviour.
Turning to my husband Brett I said “I am aware that we buy things as a way of rewarding ourselves for how hard we work. We tell ourselves we have been working really hard and hence we deserve these items…………. But would we have to work so hard if we didn’t continually reward ourselves?”
“Freedom from desire leads to inward peace” was a quote from Lao-Tzu in the 16th BC. Even though I read these words months ago, I am only starting to glimpse upon its truth for my own personal ‘green’ journey.
All the things that I have purchased up to this point have been a way of defining who I am. We all do this. What we buy is so tied up with our inner psychology – our thinking that I doubt many people could honesty claim that they are comfortable with themselves, if they stopped all unnecessary consumerism.
Ask yourself, “am I comfortable with whom I am?” If the answer is no then ask,”how do I attempt to achieve conformability?”
I ponder again my words from one of my recent posts; “I am starting to wonder and maybe even believe the damage we have done to our world is a direct result of the damage in our hearts, minds, souls and spirit.”
I am fortunate however that I am becoming aware; my eyes are opening to my inner thoughts and now understand my own personal reasons for what I purchase. I believe if people continue to have a never ending lack of personal inner knowledge, it will hurt their finances, their spirit and ultimately our world’s environment.
Every day I am experiencing the peace that Lao-Tzu spoke about as I move away from the desire to consume towards a greener existence.
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