Re: Little Things that Make a Difference
I have a couple observations and suggestions I'd like to toss into the mix here, if I may.
Walking the walk, first and foremost, usually (though, not necessarily) means learning to think and live "outside of the box." Yet a few of the well-intended suggestions, as well as excuses, I'm seeing here so far are more akin to merely rearranging the furniture.
For instance, there's a suggestion to shop with coupons and select items offering rebates to save money. Okay - on the surface, that might seem like a good idea, but is it really? Think about it. Have you ever seen anything (food-wise) being offered on a coupon that you actually feel good about putting into your body? Fact is, it's always some sort of chemical-laden over-processed garbage that, in addition to being something you really don't need in the first place, should be avoided at all cost. And who offers these enticements, anyway? Yeah, that's right - the big conglomerate "food" (and I use that term very loosely) factories and their bought-and-paid-for outlets. Are the small "mom and pop" markets really any better? Yeah, sometimes. But many if not most of them get their inventory from pretty much the same distributors that the big chains do. They just don't get the same wholesale rate, and so aren't able to compete and are eventually forced out of business.
A solution? Avoid supermarkets and buy organic, or at the very least, natural food items as much as humanly possible.
Oh, but that stuff is just way too expensive and I can't afford it!
I hear that a lot and it's utter nonsense! That's a myth based on a skewed, inside-the-box belief system. My question is: Can you afford the growing list of ailments and serious dis-eases that are now plaguing virtually all industrialized societies many of which have been directly linked to a consistent diet of garbage?? The chemicals and over-processing that go into the bilge being passed off as food is a lot like continuous exposure to low-level radiation. It doesn't seem to have much of a noticeable effect on the body at first, but it's cumulative. So, over time it adds up until a critical threshold is finally reached. Then it's: Boy, am I ever glad I had that "health" insurance! Or: Oh, man - I wish I would've had "health" insurance!
Either way, if you're buying into that sort of mind-set then you are a willing slave to the system.
Let's examine this so-called "health" insurance briefly. First of all, the name is inaccurate. It isn't health insurance at all. It's disease insurance! Most folks have it - many don't. What I'm wondering is, why do those who have it, have it, and why do those who don't, covet it? The main reason is because they've been brainwashed into thinking that it is an indispensable part of life and that they'll surely need it at some point down the road. And as many already know, what you put our attention on is what expands in your reality. In other words, if you go through life assuming a defensive posture, then you will almost certainly attract a situation wherein you will be required to defend yourself. Changing that paradigm only requires a simple shift in perception. Instead of investing energy and resources defending one's self against dis-ease, simply embrace wellness. For when you fight against a thing, you energetically tie yourself to that thing.
So, I say dump the insurance - it's a scam! Insurance of any kind is a relatively recent phenomena in human experience, and didn't begin cropping up until our over-all quality of life began seriously deteriorating. In case you haven't noticed, insurance companies (most notably "health" insurance) and big business (most notably allopathic "medicine"/big pharma) are the coziest of bedfellows! Ever wonder why?
Take charge of your life! Stop giving exorbitant amounts of your hard-earned money to those vultures and instead, use it to feed and take care of yourself properly. Grow as much of your own food as you can or have the ability to. Join a co-op where you can exchange some of what you have for some of what you don't have. They're all over the place. If there isn't one near you, get together with other like-minded individuals and start one. Create community gardens!
Simplify your life! The less you have to "juggle" the more you can live "in your ease."
Dump the cable/satellite TV! There's nothing of value there, peeps, only mind-numbing propaganda and social conditioning. Why do so many feel the need for both that and an internet connection? Believe me, when you disengage yourself from the tube, the withdrawal only lasts for a couple weeks in most cases. And after a few months you'll probably wonder how the hell you were ever able to tolerate any of it in the first place! It's an addiction similar to eating carbohydrates - the more you eat, the more you want. In fact, I'm convinced that carbs are the primary reason for the epidemic incidence of obesity as well as dis-ease in this country. You know that "food pyramid" pictured on nearly all boxes of processed carbohydrates? It's a blatant lie. It represents the exact opposite what nutritionists all know to be healthy. So instead of grain being the least important part of even a moderately healthy diet, it's promoted as being the most important. And don't think for a moment that's an accident. Incidentally, if you're buying your food in a cardboard box, you'd be far better off eating the box than the swill that's in it. If you're not in the habit of reading labels I would urge you to educate yourself on what to watch out for and then implement that knowledge.
Every single one of us here has a computer with a working browser. Put it to use, if you're not already, and do your own research. I am amazed, however, at how many people don't really know how to even go about that. And for that, you can mostly thank our illustrious "education" (read social indoctrination) system where teaching day to day problem-solving skills is completely left out of the curriculum. Of course, this helps breed more and more dependence on outside authority so it's not at all surprising.
Let's see... someone mentioned that their cell phone was crucial for their business, but I'm having a hard time buying that. I was sole owner and operator of a very successful business for 7 years and never once considered the need for that brain-frying technology. I always liked the idea of me running my business rather than my business running me!:lol: I think Lyra really nailed the topic of cell phones down with her observations and assessment. As with so much of our current technology we must ask ourselves: is this really adding to my convenience or to my enslavement?
Ultimately, if autonomy, vibrant health and well-being are important enough to you, then you will figure out a way to make it so. But if you feel that's it's just too overwhelming or simply not possible, then you are, in fact, choosing to be a slave to the system.
All in all, this section of NR seems to be off to a great start and I think it has great potential for blossoming into a veritable cornucopia of alternative living ideas!:)
It's worth it to pay an extra dollar or two for organic veggies than to get the ones coated in pesticides. Same goes for the extra several dollars per pound spent on hormone/antibiotic-free meat and dairy products, versus the regular supermarket stuff. 
