In my post over on the “Keep It Green” blog on HalogenTV.com, I talk about how simplifying my life and going green brought into greater relief my lack of basic survival skills or tangible talents. It started when I was living in Guatemala:
I started noticing how the people who had trades were in a pretty good position to make money and get grounded in their communities. Hairstylists, gardeners, massage therapists, yoga instructors, artists, builders, cooks, and more – they worked with their bodies, not just their minds. And they could take those skills on the road.
It seemed like all of my so-called skills were meaningless outside of corporate or political life. No one in the little village I lived in needed a position paper or a media packet.
I started questioning my own knowledge base. What did I know? Was it truly important and useful? What else was there to learn about the systems we live in – and how we might change them? I decided to get more grounded.
I came back to the States and got back into professional American work mode. But sandwiched in between developing more skills in web, social media and entrepreneurship, I’ve focused on building skills that I can take on the road.
I’m a certified Kundalini yoga teacher. I’ve finally started gardening and was thrilled that this year I grew kale, tomatoes, basil, oregano, chard and a mix of salad greens all from seed! I’ve also been learning more about the systems I used to take for granted and what the more sustainable solutions are – from permaculture farming and solar power to hand-built cob housing and natural medicine.
Read more over at the “Keep It Green” blog about my journey into self-sufficiency and take the quiz to test how resilient you are in the face of big change and survival needs.
