When I was much younger I tried to educate myself about global issues. The more negative the better. This was not always easy to do because the internet did not yet exist. I got most of my information from obscure zines, and my favourite issues were the ones about animal rights. Later on I got into food security and environmental destruction, and when I chose my majors for my Bachelor of Arts one of them was International Development, which focused on these issues.
Somewhere along the way I crashed. I knew that the Western way of living was destroying the planet for everyone else, even though the media told us it was third world population that was responsible. At one time I wanted to work in the media but I quickly learned to distrust it, particularly the mainstream news. I also decided for my own sanity to ignore the booming "independent" film documentary industry that was seeking to expose the truths. I can handle only so much negative information before I start to become bedridden and despondent.
Since having my son I have been especially ignorant, and even started eating meat again, because I do not want to crush his spirit with negativity. After living an alternative lifestyle for so long I decided to raise him to be "mainstream," knowing that when he is older he can choose his own ideals and values, just like I did.
What does this have to do with my debt-free ambition? I think that I have really come a long way to curb my consumerism, which I believe is a huge contributor to the negativity of which I just wrote. Our demands for stuff: clothing, electronics, housing, food, coffee, etc etc etc has made the world more and more unbalanced in the past several decades. Now I am not perfect at all, and I do not strive to be (progress not perfection correct?) but I am pleased that some of my financial decisions might be contributing to a better life for all.
For example, I rent a small apartment, which means I do not have to spend a lot on utilities, and I do not have to worry about renovations, the materials of which can put pressure on the planet. I drive my cars until they are undrivable. Eventually I would like to go car-free but I am not ready yet. I drive only 10 kms a day to work and back. My son has sat in the same car seat since his birth, and rather than purchasing a new booster seat I borrowed one. I rarely shop for clothes and when I do 98% of the time I use thrift stores. I shop for food only once a week and buy the same basic stuff each time. I try to choose products with minimal packaging and when I do end up with plastic, I do what I can to reuse it a few times before recycling it.
I am not trying to brag or be better than you, I am just trying to remind myself of the good things I try to do. I do not live unconsciously, even if I do like to stop at Tim Hortons for coffee once a week with friends. I have to pick and choose what causes I get involved in, if any, and to me watching every documentary to inform myself of the (crappy) reality of the world does not help me. I know there are awful things going on out there. I am not in denial, but I can only handle so much information. I am trying really really hard to focus on the good things. Lately it has been difficult but I am still trying. If I do not click on the links to inform myself it does not mean I am sticking my head in the sand.
It means I am making choices. I choose not to keep myself awake at night worrying about what we humans have done to our beautiful planet. I choose to live simply, to focus on my breathing, and to try to use my time to find positivity. It is not an easy choice, but it is necessary for my sanity and my good parenting.
Seriously, Karissa
Somewhere along the way I crashed. I knew that the Western way of living was destroying the planet for everyone else, even though the media told us it was third world population that was responsible. At one time I wanted to work in the media but I quickly learned to distrust it, particularly the mainstream news. I also decided for my own sanity to ignore the booming "independent" film documentary industry that was seeking to expose the truths. I can handle only so much negative information before I start to become bedridden and despondent.
Since having my son I have been especially ignorant, and even started eating meat again, because I do not want to crush his spirit with negativity. After living an alternative lifestyle for so long I decided to raise him to be "mainstream," knowing that when he is older he can choose his own ideals and values, just like I did.
What does this have to do with my debt-free ambition? I think that I have really come a long way to curb my consumerism, which I believe is a huge contributor to the negativity of which I just wrote. Our demands for stuff: clothing, electronics, housing, food, coffee, etc etc etc has made the world more and more unbalanced in the past several decades. Now I am not perfect at all, and I do not strive to be (progress not perfection correct?) but I am pleased that some of my financial decisions might be contributing to a better life for all.
For example, I rent a small apartment, which means I do not have to spend a lot on utilities, and I do not have to worry about renovations, the materials of which can put pressure on the planet. I drive my cars until they are undrivable. Eventually I would like to go car-free but I am not ready yet. I drive only 10 kms a day to work and back. My son has sat in the same car seat since his birth, and rather than purchasing a new booster seat I borrowed one. I rarely shop for clothes and when I do 98% of the time I use thrift stores. I shop for food only once a week and buy the same basic stuff each time. I try to choose products with minimal packaging and when I do end up with plastic, I do what I can to reuse it a few times before recycling it.
I am not trying to brag or be better than you, I am just trying to remind myself of the good things I try to do. I do not live unconsciously, even if I do like to stop at Tim Hortons for coffee once a week with friends. I have to pick and choose what causes I get involved in, if any, and to me watching every documentary to inform myself of the (crappy) reality of the world does not help me. I know there are awful things going on out there. I am not in denial, but I can only handle so much information. I am trying really really hard to focus on the good things. Lately it has been difficult but I am still trying. If I do not click on the links to inform myself it does not mean I am sticking my head in the sand.
It means I am making choices. I choose not to keep myself awake at night worrying about what we humans have done to our beautiful planet. I choose to live simply, to focus on my breathing, and to try to use my time to find positivity. It is not an easy choice, but it is necessary for my sanity and my good parenting.
Seriously, Karissa
Going debt-free is an excellent choice to free yourself from those stressful obligations. But, there's always a time for everything, and when you loan, you do it in necessity.
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