Ready for Change: Surviving and Thriving
By Melissa Mansfield | October 1, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Photo by ItzaFineDay
I was living in Guatemala after having been a lobbyist for six years in Virginia. In my former life as a lobbyist, I was highly skilled in writing white papers, holding press conferences and testifying before committees. In my life as a backpacker, traveling and working in Guatemala, those skills didn’t get me too far.
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.
But it turned out that I did have one skill and passion that I could offer: I could dance. I started volunteering as a dance instructor at La Camabalacha, a non-profit arts project for Mayan Youth, and offering salsa lessons to travelers.
The experience set me on a new path. It’s not that I didn’t value what I had learned about politics, media and communications in my role as a lobbyist. Or that it hadn’t been valuable to others. I had represented many cause-oriented groups who were doing important work to advance women’s rights, children’s health and social justice.
But I wanted a mix of skills.
And to be honest, I didn’t want to feel so vulnerable. It occurred to me that I didn’t know anything about how to survive as a plain old human being in the world. I didn’t know how to grow food, build shelter, or make fire – or how the very modern systems I was completely dependent upon really worked (e.g. water, waste and power systems).
Of course, I knew that I could easily get along without knowing any of those things. But, I wanted to. I wanted more of a connection to the elements of life that are truly necessary to my survival. I wanted to feel the joy and security that could come from understanding the basics of being human on this planet.
Am I an expert in living off the land now? Ha. Not even close.
But I’ve been trying. 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.
And, now, I’m ready to take some bigger steps. My partner and I are exploring how to combine our professional expertise in web, video and social media with a focus on growing our own food and spending more daily time in nature.
How? Well, we’re still figuring that out.
Our first big adventure is coming up soon. In less than a week, we’re leaving for Hawaii for 10 days to film a short documentary about an aquaponics farm on the Big Island. We’ll be attending a four-day training on aquaponics, so we can get hands-on experience in how these sustainable food systems work.
Why? We know we need to take a leap if we want to create a lifestyle that feeds our spirits and helps us help the world. We need to meet new people and learn new things.
Our global economic systems are in flux and our unsustainable systems based on fossil fuels are increasingly unreliable. Change is necessary – and it’s going to happen whether we’re ready or not. We want to be ready.
We’re not alone. The newest issue of Yes! Magazine highlights people around the world who are coming together to “buffer themselves from the uncertainties of the times by creating more resilient ways of life.” They’re sharing DIY skills, building cob houses, starting urban farms, and more.
In a time of anxiety, stress and fear around economics and politics, it’s still possible to feel hopeful and inspired about the future. When we support and educate each other about taking care of ourselves and our communities, we can be ready for the big changes to come.
Are you feeling resilient in the face of major changes? Take the quiz and let me know in the comments!
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