Silence is peaceful to those who know how to make the best of it. It soothes the mind and calms the thoughts. It is a form of meditation in itself, without having to meditate. It can also be scary if you are accustomed to constantly having some noise in the background.
When you embrace silence, even if only for a few moments, your breathing will begin to slow on its own and you will feel a sense of relaxation. Do not resist this, it is your mind’s way of bringing your consciousness to homeostasis. You will be able to feel and experience thoughts and emotions, but they will not affect you as negatively as they would if you did not allow yourself some silence.
Embracing silence and lowering stress
Embracing silence goes along with taking time for yourself. Allowing yourself even a few sparse moments to relax and breathe among the hectic and chaotic world around you can bring you a sense of freedom and flexibility. You will be less tied down by stresses because you will have the ability to let it slide off of you. This is key to enjoying life and adopting simplicity.
Enjoy silence and life simply
Silence and simple living go hand in hand. Simplifying life brings you external calm, so that your surroundings and belongings portray a less busy and less stressful environment because there are not things everywhere. There will be things that are important to you, things that add real value to your life and your mind. Less excess and overload results in less stress. Silence brings you internal calm. It is a peaceful meadow where your thoughts can roam freely without constraint or fear. When you embrace this, you embrace the truth that is life.
Baby stepping your way to embracing silence
If you are used to rushing around and having constant background noise, it will be very difficult to embrace silence at first. Don’t try to just jump into it, because that leads to the overwhelming feelings that we all know and hate. Start simple and ease yourself into it. An easy start is to take five minutes each day where you sit or work or relax in complete silence. No TV or music in the background, just silence. Enjoy it, allow your thoughts to roam where they choose. Set a timer so that you don’t go too far all at once.
Try it for a week and see how your thoughts react. You will very likely find that your thoughts are clearer, you feel less stress, and you have more time to enjoy things that you want to do. Just give it a try, there really is nothing to lose.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Showing posts with label reduce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reduce. Show all posts
The Three R's - Recycle
The third, and final, part of the ever-important 3 R’s of eco-friendly living, not to mention less stressed living and more frugal living, is recycling. Recycling is typically known as being those little blue and black boxes that you fill with your plastics, your metals, paper and glass that gets picked up every week (alternating weeks for us Ontarians) along with the garbage.
Trust others to deal with your trash?
Does that seem safe? As much as I would love to have trust in the government to keep us safe and properly process our garbage, I must admit that I just don’t. They are all-too-often only looking out for themselves, and they like to keep us little people in the dark. I’m sure they do take the blue and black boxes away, and maybe they do process them down and make something new with them. They must, for we see post-consumer recycled content in many things, from McDonald’s take out bags to toilet paper.
All too much I’ve noticed that the items containing recycled content are not things that you would hope to see. Recycled content seems to have become synonymous with down-cycled content. Why does our recycling turn into something less than it once was? Why can’t it become equivalent or even become something more?
Think outside the box
It can. It takes some effort, and it takes innovation, but it can. The process is called up-cycling, and personally I much prefer it. It may not always be feasible, but it is an option for many things. Taking something that you no longer have use for, maybe it’s even broken or its use has been erased. Turn it into something useful, or even decorative. Create beauty from refuse and trash, and showcase it.
Recycling plastics – hoax to make you feel better about consumption
In order to recycle plastics, they need to inject and release just as many toxic chemicals into it as there was originally placed into it upon production. The energy reduction (or amount of energy saved) by using recycled plastics as opposed to producing new plastic is around 5%. That hardly seems worth the chemicals and toxicity that it brings into the planet. It is for this reason that I completely advocate getting rid of unnecessary plastics. They are a detriment to the environment by every angle. Not only this, but when you recycle plastics, it loses quality. It can no longer become what it was recycled from. A plastic bottle from bottled water can not become a new plastic bottle, it is too low-quality. It will become plastic lumber, netting, etc. Then what? You cannot recycle a plastic once it has hit that low quality mark, it just becomes garbage.
Recycling other materials
Recycling should be promoted for things that can actually be recycled and maintain their current quality. Glass, metal, and paper can all maintain their quality once recycled. They can become what they once were. A glass bottle can be melted down and made into a new glass bottle. An aluminum tin can be melted down and made into a new aluminum tin. These items can go full circle and start again. They are worth the effort of recycling, because they save a considerable amount of energy by recycling them as opposed to creating new materials.
Last and definitely least
Remember that there is a reason that recycling is the third on the list. It should be your last option. Just because you have curbside recycling available doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to reduce and reuse first. The purpose of recycling is to catch the remainder of what cannot be reduced or reused, so use it as such. If you are buying things that you know are excessive, and validate it by saying “well, the container is recyclable” you are just doing yourself and the planet an injustice. Rely on yourself, don’t buy more than you need and can use, and the planet will be grateful.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
This post is part of a series. Part 1 - Reduce and Part 2 - Reuse
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
This post is part of a series. Part 1 - Reduce and Part 2 - Reuse
The Three R's - Reuse
The next item on the list of primary and essential ways to follow green living and lessen your footprint on the earth is also simple: Reuse.
By reusing things that have further use to you or someone you know, you pass on and increase that item’s value. Reusing your belongings, possessions, etc is very easy and does not have to take up a lot of time or space. It may actually save you both.
Examples of choosing to reuse
For example, instead of using single use paper towels, grab a cloth rag. You will be able to use that one rag infinite times more than you could dream of using a paper towel. They are not even comparable in cost, as you have to buy paper towel, but you can make a rag out of any piece of fabric. Another example, instead of buying the single serving size cups of yogurt for your lunch, invest a few dollars into small reusable containers (I’ll bet you can find some at your local second hand store!); this will allow you to spend less money on the larger tubs of yogurt (way cheaper by weight/volume) and you’ll get enough to last you longer.
There are a few other obvious examples of reuse, such as investing in a stainless steel water bottle and stop buying bottled water, or bring a set of utensils with you when you go out for lunch so that you don’t have to get the single use plastic utensils. Countless options for you to follow that will lower your impact on the environment exist, all you have to do is pick one and get started!
Find a way to take something that you were going to throw in the garbage to either make it into something new, or to reuse it. Challenge yourself a little bit every day. Don’t be afraid to try new things, you might find something that was more efficient than you imagined!
Good example of a chronic reuser
If you want some very fantastic and interesting ways to reuse objects, check out Rob’s World. Every few days he posts a new project that he’s just completed, and honestly it’s all pretty simple stuff. Not only that, but you can guarantee that no one else will have the exact same copy of what he has made.
Spend your shopping dollars where it counts
My favourite method of following reuse is by choosing where to shop. Whenever possible, I choose second-hand stores (such as Value Village
Continue the second-hand cycle by donating your goods that you no longer needs to your local second-hand store (again, try to avoid the Salvation Army) so that someone else may be able to make good use of your old treasures. When you are slowly decluttering your home and life of excess stuff, drop the items that are still good off there. Clothes that don’t fit anymore, or that you just don’t like, drop them off. Continue to fuel the circle, and it will continue to provide for you.
Peace and serenity,
The Three R's - Reduce
Maybe you’ve noticed, and maybe you haven’t, that I have kind of drifted away from the green living topics. It’s not that I have changed my lifestyle, if anything I’ve gotten a bit crunchier. Every day I look for opportunities to improve my life as well as lessen my impact on the world around me, and that will never change.
Most of the subjects that are very useful information related to green living have been pretty well done. I read enough different blogs, articles, websites, forums, etc to feel that anything I have to add would be fairly minimal on these subjects. Sure, I have my own opinion of things, but who wants to read the same thing said twenty different ways?
The true and simple concept behind any and all true green living practices (as opposed to green-washing, which just makes you think you’re benefiting the environment while lining the pockets of different corporations) can be summed up in three words.
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
First and foremost
Reduce is the first mentioned on the list, and for a very good reason. It is the first line of defence in protecting natural resources, time, and energy. By reducing, you are taking the time to consider the need of items, and making sure that you only take what you need. It is the easiest and most effective way to have a positive effect on the planet when used properly. Using less stuff will lower the demand for raw natural resources. With a lower demand on natural resources there will be less destruction of ecosystems and natural habitats. Less destruction of ecosystems will lead to the planet reaching it’s balance once more, as it will not be being actively torn apart by man’s constant want for new.
Reducing the amount of stuff you have in your home/office/life will also result in less stress. Stress about money or stress about where to keep all of the stuff, and how to keep it all clean and maintained. Stress that the body does not need or deserve. By having and wanting less stuff, you will not only save money by purchasing less, you will also save money by having better health due to lowered stress levels.
Start simple, think big
Reducing may seem intimidating at first, but don’t let it scare you. Starting simple is the easiest way to go about it, and starting with something small is a great way to tiptoe your way into the environments graces. Don’t take big leaps unless you think you can make it, and don’t try to push yourself too hard, because you will just increase the likelihood of burning out. If you’re looking for somewhere small to start, keep an eye on the small steps series I have been creating. Cut things out one at a time, and in time you won’t even miss them. You may even find life more enjoyable when you have less stuff to worry about.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
This post is part of a series. Part 2 - Reuse and Part 3 - Recycle
Most of the subjects that are very useful information related to green living have been pretty well done. I read enough different blogs, articles, websites, forums, etc to feel that anything I have to add would be fairly minimal on these subjects. Sure, I have my own opinion of things, but who wants to read the same thing said twenty different ways?
The true and simple concept behind any and all true green living practices (as opposed to green-washing, which just makes you think you’re benefiting the environment while lining the pockets of different corporations) can be summed up in three words.
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
First and foremost
Reduce is the first mentioned on the list, and for a very good reason. It is the first line of defence in protecting natural resources, time, and energy. By reducing, you are taking the time to consider the need of items, and making sure that you only take what you need. It is the easiest and most effective way to have a positive effect on the planet when used properly. Using less stuff will lower the demand for raw natural resources. With a lower demand on natural resources there will be less destruction of ecosystems and natural habitats. Less destruction of ecosystems will lead to the planet reaching it’s balance once more, as it will not be being actively torn apart by man’s constant want for new.
Reducing the amount of stuff you have in your home/office/life will also result in less stress. Stress about money or stress about where to keep all of the stuff, and how to keep it all clean and maintained. Stress that the body does not need or deserve. By having and wanting less stuff, you will not only save money by purchasing less, you will also save money by having better health due to lowered stress levels.
Start simple, think big
Reducing may seem intimidating at first, but don’t let it scare you. Starting simple is the easiest way to go about it, and starting with something small is a great way to tiptoe your way into the environments graces. Don’t take big leaps unless you think you can make it, and don’t try to push yourself too hard, because you will just increase the likelihood of burning out. If you’re looking for somewhere small to start, keep an eye on the small steps series I have been creating. Cut things out one at a time, and in time you won’t even miss them. You may even find life more enjoyable when you have less stuff to worry about.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
This post is part of a series. Part 2 - Reuse and Part 3 - Recycle
Things my kid says: Plastic is bad for the environment
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| Dressed up in hand-me-down clothes, so cute! |
To which she replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world,
"I do like dolls, but they're made of plastic and that's bad for the environment."
Powerful stuff, I'm very proud of her. I have never once told her that her dolls were cheap plastic from foreign countries, or that they were made of a material that takes tens of thousands of years to decompose.
She recently began learning about materials, and what things are made of. So we were talking about it at home about a week ago, and she asked what plastic was. I told her [paraphrased] that plastic was made of oil and is bad for the environment. I told her that it kills animals if they eat it and that it is taking over the ocean.
She thought on that for a few moments, somberly, and then looked at me and asked, "what is made of plastic?" I told her, many things are made of plastic, and M and I make the choice not to buy them as much as possible.
She seemed content with that.
She put together on her own that her dolls were made of plastic and that she didn't want any new ones.
I am so proud of her. She can form independant thought and deduct information from many sources. I have never lied to her about where things come from, and she understands as much as she can about where her food and clothing comes from. Each time she asks me a question, I provide her an honest, age-appropriate answer.
Some might think that my answers are not age-appropriate, but I think that I know my daughter and her level of understanding better than pretty much everyone else. I know I can be candid and honest with her, and I know that if I take my time to explain new things, she will understand them.
She knows that she can ask me just about anything and I will give her an answer.
That is something I am proud of, and will continue to be proud of.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Adopting Simplicity: I could never...
When you hear people mention simplifying or minimizing, is your first though I could never live without (insert object/service here)? I know I used to.
But it's really not that frightening or traumatizing to go without things that you may have become accustomed to. Take your cell phone for example. I carry my cell phone everywhere with me. I have it at work, I have it at home, and it's next to the bed while I'm sleeping. Do you think that I could live without it? It would be difficult, that is for sure, but I could manage.
But how? How could I bring myself to go without something that is currently an integral part of my daily routine?
Simple. I lived without being constantly connected to the world via telephone communication, and I could surely do it again. Cellular phones only picked up really big in the last 15-20 years. Now look where we are, there are 6 year olds out there with cell phones.
Crazy, I hear you say, what could a 6 year old possibly need with a cell phone? Believe me, I asked myself the same question. Believe it or not, it's a simple answer. His/her parents thought that the kid might need to get a hold of it, and thought little Jimmy/Jane was too good to be 'forced' to use the school's phone. Now, this general situation may not be all encompassing, I'm sure that each parent has a very good excuse for giving their dependent and non-self sufficient child a cell phone.
But the simple fact is this: it's just an excuse. There is no real good reason for a child so young they are not even capable of crossing the street alone to have a cell phone.
This is only one example of course, but look at the things you have in your life. Before you start thinking I could never live without ... think about why not. Why couldn't you live without it?
Why can't you live without cable television? Because reality is too much to handle? Or because you need a way to 'relax' after work? There are so many wonderful things to experience in the world.
Don't waste your time and energy on things that don't contribute positively to your life.
Go out and live your life. Relax in the fresh air and allow your senses to take in and be encompassed by the world around you. There is more out there than can ever be seen, but that is no reason to not try.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Enjoy my Adopting Simplicity series? Here is a list of other posts from this series:
Step 1
Ask yourself this...
Be Here Now
Three important things per day
Simplify your holidays by adding depth
But it's really not that frightening or traumatizing to go without things that you may have become accustomed to. Take your cell phone for example. I carry my cell phone everywhere with me. I have it at work, I have it at home, and it's next to the bed while I'm sleeping. Do you think that I could live without it? It would be difficult, that is for sure, but I could manage.
But how? How could I bring myself to go without something that is currently an integral part of my daily routine?
Simple. I lived without being constantly connected to the world via telephone communication, and I could surely do it again. Cellular phones only picked up really big in the last 15-20 years. Now look where we are, there are 6 year olds out there with cell phones.
Crazy, I hear you say, what could a 6 year old possibly need with a cell phone? Believe me, I asked myself the same question. Believe it or not, it's a simple answer. His/her parents thought that the kid might need to get a hold of it, and thought little Jimmy/Jane was too good to be 'forced' to use the school's phone. Now, this general situation may not be all encompassing, I'm sure that each parent has a very good excuse for giving their dependent and non-self sufficient child a cell phone.
But the simple fact is this: it's just an excuse. There is no real good reason for a child so young they are not even capable of crossing the street alone to have a cell phone.
This is only one example of course, but look at the things you have in your life. Before you start thinking I could never live without ... think about why not. Why couldn't you live without it?
Why can't you live without cable television? Because reality is too much to handle? Or because you need a way to 'relax' after work? There are so many wonderful things to experience in the world.
Don't waste your time and energy on things that don't contribute positively to your life.
Go out and live your life. Relax in the fresh air and allow your senses to take in and be encompassed by the world around you. There is more out there than can ever be seen, but that is no reason to not try.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Enjoy my Adopting Simplicity series? Here is a list of other posts from this series:
Step 1
Ask yourself this...
Be Here Now
Three important things per day
Simplify your holidays by adding depth
Premium prices on premium products
Organics cost more than non-organics. We have mostly accepted that as a society. You pay a premium price, you get a premium product. Organics have many health benefits, as well as ecological benefits.
What about packaging? Sometimes the product you want (take for example, sketching pencils) will come in a variety of packaging. Will you pay the extra for the packaging you want?
I was at Michael's (local art store) looking for some sketching pencils and paper sketch pads. They had a variety of packs of pencils, most of which came in plastic, or cardboard with a plastic window. There was one package which, not only came with a great variety of pencil strengths, came in a little tin box. Now, to me, it was worth paying the extra 2-3$ for this, because the tin box will be useful, and it's less plastic being disposed of. This little tin box will keep my pencils from breaking as easily, and keep the cat from using them as toys.
Do you find that you're willing to pay extra for optimal packaging for the products you want?
If a store doesn't have a product with the packaging you're looking for, will you hold out until you find it?
Peace and curiosity,
Simply Me
What about packaging? Sometimes the product you want (take for example, sketching pencils) will come in a variety of packaging. Will you pay the extra for the packaging you want?
I was at Michael's (local art store) looking for some sketching pencils and paper sketch pads. They had a variety of packs of pencils, most of which came in plastic, or cardboard with a plastic window. There was one package which, not only came with a great variety of pencil strengths, came in a little tin box. Now, to me, it was worth paying the extra 2-3$ for this, because the tin box will be useful, and it's less plastic being disposed of. This little tin box will keep my pencils from breaking as easily, and keep the cat from using them as toys.
Do you find that you're willing to pay extra for optimal packaging for the products you want?
If a store doesn't have a product with the packaging you're looking for, will you hold out until you find it?
Peace and curiosity,
Simply Me
Saving the world during back to school? Why not?
Inspired by The EcoDiva's 16 green back to school tips, I am going to share the green back to school things I did this year for my daughter (who is starting grade 1 in September), as well as the things I plan to do throughout the school year.
Green things I did:
How about you, other lovely people? If you have children, what things have to done to lessen the impact of the dreaded back to school shopping without busting either your wallet or the environment?
And those of you without kids, do you take advantage of back to school shopping season to stock up while the awesome sales are going on? Buy up your favourite clothes, stationary, backpacks, etc?
Any new ways of taking advantage of the sales that are out there are always appreciated and will be spread to friends and family.
Love and serenity,
Simply Me
**Post Consumer Recycled Materials
Green things I did:
- Bought pencils in bulk
- Purchased a fabric pencil case, even though the list said to get a hard plastic one (no way!)
- Only got one box of freezer bags, and will send them as needed, instead of blinding sending 2 full boxes as requested
- Reusing previously purchased scissors/crayons/markers from her art collection and last year
- Picked the paper duotangs instead of plastic
- Got a paper 2-pocket folder, instead of plastic
- Avoided purchasing a pack of pencils wrapped in plastic, in favour of a box slightly more expensive packaged in cardboard with no plastic window
- Continuing to reuse her stainless steel water bottle, she loves it, it's covered in monkeys
- Not bought pre-cut tennis balls (turns out it was a waste of money, and they're useless for anything aside from putting on chair legs)
- Shopped around for PCRM** in her duotangs/folders/pencils/etc
- Not done any shopping at Walmart (damn the convenience of that hated store!)
- Look around for good deals on stationary and school supplies at all stores, including second hand stores
- Check the internet for any deals at any of my favourite green shopping websites, and look for new favourites
- When she needs clothes, head to the 2nd hand store up the street for clothes instead of Walmart/Childrens Place/etc
- Repurpose her smaller clothes with long sleeves/pants that still fit around into t-shirts/tank tops and shorts (done once already this year)
- Educate her on the perils and concerns with using hand sanitizer (especially since I'm sure the school has them ALL OVER THE PLACE!)
- Keep talking to her about advertising, since she seems to be a royal sucker for TV ads ("you need to get Bounce dryer bars, they're the best! The TV said so!" Oysh, thankfully we are watching more movies lately)
How about you, other lovely people? If you have children, what things have to done to lessen the impact of the dreaded back to school shopping without busting either your wallet or the environment?
And those of you without kids, do you take advantage of back to school shopping season to stock up while the awesome sales are going on? Buy up your favourite clothes, stationary, backpacks, etc?
Any new ways of taking advantage of the sales that are out there are always appreciated and will be spread to friends and family.
Love and serenity,
Simply Me
**Post Consumer Recycled Materials
7 different ways to use salt
So, like I said, I love finding fun new information on the internet.
Found on AboutMyPlanet.com, a list of new ways to use salt. Regular table salt.
Check out the full list here.
I love that these tips and ideas are actually practical, and use an everyday household item.
Let me know if you have tried any of these, and how they work! I am interested in seeing different peoples opinions of these uses.
Lots of love,
Simply Me
Found on AboutMyPlanet.com, a list of new ways to use salt. Regular table salt.
Fantastic!
Check out the full list here.
I love that these tips and ideas are actually practical, and use an everyday household item.
Let me know if you have tried any of these, and how they work! I am interested in seeing different peoples opinions of these uses.
Lots of love,
Simply Me
Day 8 of 30: Favourite Internet Friend ... AND fun new ways to reuse old coffee grounds!
So today's Challenge Tweet is to be directed at a favourite internet friend. This may sound surprising, but I actually don't have many internet friends. I have people who's blog I follow, or people who I talk to primarily over the internet, but no one who I can honestly say that I met online and only (or primarily) talk to online. So I'm going to send this tweet out to Crunchy Chicken, who despite being a mother and wife, and having a job, manages to keep the rest of her viewers and readers entertained. Myself included.
@CrunchyChicken You are an inspiration and a fantastic person. You reach out to people you have never met, both to support them and be supported. You rock!
And for today, a fun little link for new ways to reuse coffee grounds!
We've all heard of throwing them in your compost, or sprinkling them in your garden to help keep pests away and fertilize them. Well, here at Simply Green, I am passing on a new list which piqued my interest.
Some of the fresh ideas are: skin exfolliant! (fabulous!) furniture scratch fix! (who doesn't need that when you have pets?) and deodorizer! (for your fridge, skin, shoes, anything!)
So if you like to reuse stuff, and love your coffee, click the photo caption above and read up on The Good Human's top 16 ways to reuse coffee grounds.
Lots of love, all,
Simply Me
@CrunchyChicken You are an inspiration and a fantastic person. You reach out to people you have never met, both to support them and be supported. You rock!
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| Click HERE! |
And for today, a fun little link for new ways to reuse coffee grounds!
We've all heard of throwing them in your compost, or sprinkling them in your garden to help keep pests away and fertilize them. Well, here at Simply Green, I am passing on a new list which piqued my interest.
Some of the fresh ideas are: skin exfolliant! (fabulous!) furniture scratch fix! (who doesn't need that when you have pets?) and deodorizer! (for your fridge, skin, shoes, anything!)
So if you like to reuse stuff, and love your coffee, click the photo caption above and read up on The Good Human's top 16 ways to reuse coffee grounds.
Lots of love, all,
Simply Me
Day 4 of 30 - My sibling AND wedding update
@Phil Despite the fact that you don't try to push yourself forward in life, I hope you can find your goal, and become all you should be.
My brother is a strange person. He is incredibly gifted and intelligent, but in that lays overconfidence and know-it-all-ism. He doesn't always accept that his way is not always the best, but he is usually there for me. We have had many disagreements, and many months where we did not speak. But he is my brother, and I do love him dearly. I only hope that he reaches for the dreams that he has, and I know that he will attain them.
In other news:
Just finishing up the sample procession for the wedding (which is in like less that 3 weeks!) and putting everything in order. My brain is mush. There is so much left to do, but it's all little details. I wish I had known how much was left, before now! Then I wouldn't be in crunch time! Bah!
Also, I'm handmaking my place cards. Did not want to pay for someone to do something that I can do. So I'm stamping cardstock with pink and blue letters. Good fun.
My brother is a strange person. He is incredibly gifted and intelligent, but in that lays overconfidence and know-it-all-ism. He doesn't always accept that his way is not always the best, but he is usually there for me. We have had many disagreements, and many months where we did not speak. But he is my brother, and I do love him dearly. I only hope that he reaches for the dreams that he has, and I know that he will attain them.
In other news:
Just finishing up the sample procession for the wedding (which is in like less that 3 weeks!) and putting everything in order. My brain is mush. There is so much left to do, but it's all little details. I wish I had known how much was left, before now! Then I wouldn't be in crunch time! Bah!
Also, I'm handmaking my place cards. Did not want to pay for someone to do something that I can do. So I'm stamping cardstock with pink and blue letters. Good fun.
Wednesday's small step: New pastimes
Passing the time, beating boredom, is one of the easiest ways to fall into a trap. A trap where you feel like all you can do is sit on the couch, watch garbage TV, and eat junk food. You fall into the cycle, because you're tired, because you're lazy, but you're also bored.
One thing I've found, boredom can be beaten with minimal effort. Television, computer, or any type of technology is, is not needed for breaking through inertia. All you need to do is think a little bit outside of the box. Remember things that you liked doing when you were younger.
Me, personally, I love being artsy, being creative, and spending time outside. So my 'new' pastimes include knitting (right now, working on a curly scarf kind of like this one) or crocheting (which I'm not so good at, haha). I also enjoy thinking of new ways to use things that I have around the house. Such as a ripped pillowcase. Which I still haven't actually decided what I'm doing with yet, but I'm working on it.
And, on my weekends, when I have all day to do (pretty much) whatever I want, I love to do this. With my closest beach a 10 minute drive away, it's a great way to spend the day, and my daughter loves to swim. The water may not be the cleanest (we tend to get no-swim advisories every other week) but that's what showers were made for. And soap. So we go anyways. Still haven't caught E.coli, so I think we're good.
I also read. Fantasy, murder mystery, romance, non-fiction, anything you put in front of me, I'll read it.
What kinds of things do you do to disconnect yourself from technology, and from boredom, when the TV is calling your name?
Do you try to change it up, and be creative, or do you have tried and true pastimes that have stayed through the years?
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Enjoy the Small Steps series? Let me know what you think below.
One thing I've found, boredom can be beaten with minimal effort. Television, computer, or any type of technology is, is not needed for breaking through inertia. All you need to do is think a little bit outside of the box. Remember things that you liked doing when you were younger.
Me, personally, I love being artsy, being creative, and spending time outside. So my 'new' pastimes include knitting (right now, working on a curly scarf kind of like this one) or crocheting (which I'm not so good at, haha). I also enjoy thinking of new ways to use things that I have around the house. Such as a ripped pillowcase. Which I still haven't actually decided what I'm doing with yet, but I'm working on it.
And, on my weekends, when I have all day to do (pretty much) whatever I want, I love to do this. With my closest beach a 10 minute drive away, it's a great way to spend the day, and my daughter loves to swim. The water may not be the cleanest (we tend to get no-swim advisories every other week) but that's what showers were made for. And soap. So we go anyways. Still haven't caught E.coli, so I think we're good.
I also read. Fantasy, murder mystery, romance, non-fiction, anything you put in front of me, I'll read it.
What kinds of things do you do to disconnect yourself from technology, and from boredom, when the TV is calling your name?
Do you try to change it up, and be creative, or do you have tried and true pastimes that have stayed through the years?
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| I love Microsoft Paint! My first handmade blog photo :) |
Simply Me
Enjoy the Small Steps series? Let me know what you think below.
Hypocrasy or baby steps?
Spoke with my fiancee yesterday, we've been having more disagreements than usual, mostly due to her trying to quit smoking. She mentioned how she thought it was hypocritical of me to be preaching about buying humane, organic meats, and yet still have tons of clothes and love shopping.
I know I'm not perfect, I admit that I am materialistic, but I do try. I try to do my best, and sometimes I make mistakes. She has an all-or-nothing attitude, and I think that shows through a lot when we talk about the environment. I however try to look at it as baby-steps and accepting that no one will ever be perfect.
In a world where it has gone so far, this disposable lifestyle that the world is so accustomed to and so attached to, baby steps is the most viable way of trying to change that. I avoid plastic as much as possible, I'm cutting down on my meat consumption (again), I buy as much as I can second hand, we recycle, I try to find ways to reuse the stuff we have before chucking it. That's more than a lot of people do, that is what I'm proud of.
I know I'm not perfect, I admit that I am materialistic, but I do try. I try to do my best, and sometimes I make mistakes. She has an all-or-nothing attitude, and I think that shows through a lot when we talk about the environment. I however try to look at it as baby-steps and accepting that no one will ever be perfect.
In a world where it has gone so far, this disposable lifestyle that the world is so accustomed to and so attached to, baby steps is the most viable way of trying to change that. I avoid plastic as much as possible, I'm cutting down on my meat consumption (again), I buy as much as I can second hand, we recycle, I try to find ways to reuse the stuff we have before chucking it. That's more than a lot of people do, that is what I'm proud of.
Reusable, Ridiculous
So slowly on my quest of making my personal ecological footprint smaller, I have stopped using almost all things disposable. So far such things include:
-Coffee cups
-Drink cups
-Utensils
-Plates
Soon, I will be investing in some organic cotton handkerchiefs so that I never need to use tissues or napkins again. Recycled toilet paper (which is toilet paper made of recycled paper, not recycled toilet paper) is also on the list for as soon as I run out of the stuff I already have. I've also been looking at Diva Cups, or Moon Cups for my girly times.
I am also making a concerted effort to a) reduce the amount of packaging on the stuff that I do buy, and b) think of ways to reuse it if there is any left.
That being said, I really hate walking into a Tim Hortons, where they have reusable china mugs for their hot beverages for those dining in, and 80% of the people I see who are staying in, are using the freakin disposable cups! What the hell, how does that make sense?
People are so selfish.
-Coffee cups
-Drink cups
-Utensils
-Plates
Soon, I will be investing in some organic cotton handkerchiefs so that I never need to use tissues or napkins again. Recycled toilet paper (which is toilet paper made of recycled paper, not recycled toilet paper) is also on the list for as soon as I run out of the stuff I already have. I've also been looking at Diva Cups, or Moon Cups for my girly times.
I am also making a concerted effort to a) reduce the amount of packaging on the stuff that I do buy, and b) think of ways to reuse it if there is any left.
That being said, I really hate walking into a Tim Hortons, where they have reusable china mugs for their hot beverages for those dining in, and 80% of the people I see who are staying in, are using the freakin disposable cups! What the hell, how does that make sense?
People are so selfish.
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