Gratitude in Challenging Times: Everything Is A Gift

Many of us have had quite a turbulent year, and not just because of the pandemic. Of course it is easy to see the gifts in events and situations we evaluate as positive, but the biggest rewards come when we are able to see the gift in everything… EVERYTHING. This year has given most of us a particularly good opportunity to learn and practice this, and now we can reflect on this year and see if we can recognize the gift in all of it.

Challenges always have a gift
Being confronted with a challenging situation is always an opportunity. It offers you a choice in how you are going to deal with it or react to it, an opportunity to learn about yourself (to see who you are and how far you’ve come), and usually also an opportunity to give. And giving or responding with love is a gift to yourself as well.
Often we can see the gift of a tough situation in hindsight, but we can also train ourselves to see it in the moment. That was the focus of this year for me. Can I see the gifts life brings as it happens, as the events are unfolding? And it turns out, I can. Maybe not always instantly, but often not long after. And so can you.
If you are looking back on a grim year that had nothing to offer, think again. Make it a challenge to look back on the year and find the hidden gifts that were there all along. Look for the gift in each moment, especially the challenging moments. Stay present and in touch with your emotions – they can guide you like a compass. Look into the present. Really, look into it. Go deep. Fully open up to it. Where are you holding back? Where are you resisting? Where can you let go? If you fully surrender to the present moment, then you’re bound to find the gifts. You will find that life can never stop giving; it always gives to those who are open. Once you see it, it will be overwhelming. Can you handle it? Can you be open to it? Can you surrender to it? If you can and you do, then you will find only beauty, bliss and blessings.
This is the secret: you can only receive a gift in the moment if you are open to receiving all of them (in that same moment). So don’t close yourself off from the challenges life brings, because then you will also close yourself off from all the love and joy and fulfillment in those times you perceive as challenging. So if you are feeling depressed... what gifts are you missing?

Emotions each have their gift
We tend to see emotions as either negative or positive (and want only the positive), but they are neither. If we can get in touch with our emotional world, and stay connected with it without judging it or suppressing it, and without being overwhelmed by it nor dismissing it, we can always be peaceful, connected, balanced and even joyful. Emotions can be (and often should be) seen as separate from the triggers that seem to cause them; this is a way to observe them objectively and take in their message. Emotions keep you connected to your Self, and show you how to navigate through life, coming out stronger and more balanced. Emotions show us where personal growth, healing, or a shift in perspective are needed, or where we are resisting something or holding on too tightly. In combination with thought, they are a compass for finding our way. They always point us in the right direction, if we know how to listen.
Here are some emotions that some people would label as ‘negative’ and the gifts they bring:

• Anger: Anger is a sign that someone has crossed your boundaries, or (most likely) that you have crossed your own boundaries in some way (like not listening to the signals of other emotions, or doing things for others just because you feel like you have to in order to get accepted by them). It can also be an attempt to suppress a (seemingly) more painful emotion such as sadness, and an attempt to experience a (false) sense of control over it. Anger can help you set boundaries, be assertive, communicate your needs, or be a sign that you lost touch with some suffering underneath the surface. In that case, try to slow down and find the pain that is hidden underneath.
  

• Sadness and grief: Urge you to slow down and take notice of the pain, and to direct healing to where it is necessary. It urges us to look after ourselves and engage in self-care. Sadness is an exercise in healthy self-love. It also shows you that you care, and it can easily transform into gratitude if fully felt/experienced.

• Worry/Stress: This is a chance for you to do a reality check: are my worries realistic? What evidence is there that these thoughts are true? What evidence is there that they are not true? What would I tell someone I loved if they were in this situation and had these thoughts? In this situation, what is the worst that could happen? In this situation, what is the best thing that could happen? Are these thoughts hindering me in major ways in my life, preventing me to achieve or pursue things that are important to me and/or could bring me a (deeper) sense of fulfillment? Asking yourself these questions can help you determine whether it is best to avoid the situation, or develop a skill and/or courage to overcome your limiting beliefs. Usually, working to overcome your limiting beliefs is the best choice of action here, because you can always avoid the situation later if you still feel the same about it afterwards! But then at least you are not avoiding it out of fear or worry, and you can make a more balanced decision. Fear, worry and stress often cloud our judgment and when left unchecked might make us (not) do things that we'll regret later (sometimes many years later). Recurring worries might indicate that you need to let go of the need for a secure future. There is no such thing! Worry and stress can also be signs that you would benefit from some serious self-care strategies: get some rest, read a book, take a break. The world often looks much brighter after a good night's sleep!
  

• Guilt: Guilt is a sign that we have done something that is in conflict with our own values. If you see it as something that can guide you to be a better person or to set things right, then things will turn back into balance very quickly. And it will feel really good! Guilt can help us stay true to ourselves and move through life with integrity. Setting things right, or following our moral compass to begin with, will give us a strong sense of self-respect. And if you feel like you've lost your way... it's never too late to set things right and start over!
  

• Fear: Fear can be an alert to danger. However, most of our fears are imagined and irrational. Overcoming our fears can give us confidence and courage, and make us more complete and balanced as human beings. When fears are not adequately, objectively and thoroughly explored, it can lead to many reinforcing thoughts where we end up scaring ourselves and sustaining the problem by avoiding confrontation. So make sure to apply the reality check, find the roots of your fears, and pull them out like weeds (see also the worry/stress part). Emotions that result from thought are never pure, and as you get more in touch with your emotional world, you will learn to see the difference more and more clearly and quickly.
  

The gifts of (lost) romantic love

It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all

I lost two romantic relationships this year, one at the beginning of the year and one at the very end. The first one ended because it had reached its natural expiration date - and so it was a relief when it ended. The latter was much harder to deal with, even though it lasted for a shorter time, because I didn't (and still don't) understand why it had to end. It feels like I have waited my whole life for the kind of connection we had (and to some degree still have), only to find that it is out of my reach...

When romantic love is lost untimely, it hurts. But something beautiful can happen when we stay in touch with our pain in that moment. Be thankful for the pain as well as the beautiful moments you shared together and the joy it brought to your life (which is probably still there to some extend). You can’t exclude one without excluding the other; the only way is to fully, wholeheartedly be open to both. Stay in touch with yourself; hold yourself. Take this opportunity to see that you can handle the pain; that there is no need to be afraid of it. That you can stay open and connected to yourself (and by extension, to others also), now and in the future. And notice that, when you experience it in this way (i.e. feeling the empowerment in your own vulnerability, without resistance to the pain and without wallowing in it - staying in touch with both the joy and the pain in a balanced way), they merge. This is what some call (universal) Love, which is much greater than romantic love. And in that place, when fully embraced, all pain vanishes and/or transforms, leaving you just with a full heart, overflowing with Love and gratitude.

Also, lost love is an illusion. Heartbreak is an illusion. For you can never lose the love you felt (even though it feels that way sometimes, especially when our gift of love is not received or reciprocated by the other person), because the love you felt for him or her was never theirs; it was yours. It originated from you and will stay with you, and you can always choose to continue feeling/giving it (silently or expressed); there is no reason to stop the flow of love unless we want to punish ourselves. And staying in touch with your love, the love you feel, also doesn't prevent you from saying goodbye if that is what you need to do. Love can be felt in any situation, whether from a distance or up close. The love you feel is your gift to the world. There is no way you can lose it, but the only way to feel it and be aware of it is to give it away / let it flow through you freely (as universal love, in its many forms). 

Don't limit yourself to feeling and expressing love only in a romantic relationship. Try to experience love and caring and appreciation (for yourself and others and nature) in everything you do. Love is still with(in) you; so share it, feel it and enjoy it. Whether others receive your gift of Love is their business, but really it doesn't matter, because just the act of giving is always a gift to yourself first. If you can find someone who appreciates your gift and is as open to (giving and receiving) it as you are, even better: after all, most things are better when they are shared. And don't be surprised if your gift of love (whether silently experienced or expressed) inspires others to open up in response. So don’t allow the world to extinguish your flame; instead, shine your light on the world and allow it to transform all (within and without) as a result.

Trust that life will have gifts to offer no matter what happens in the future, and let go of the need for security (definite answers) or wanting to control outcomes. Also, accept the past, as we can't change it. In other words, surrender to the present moment. That is the key to receiving its many gifts.

In one of my next posts I will outline some specific tools that I use for working through emotions and staying in touch with my true (loving) nature.

Steps For Creating A Vision Board: Reshaping Your Life

When we are clear on what we really want out of life, the universe will suddenly align in new, unexpected and mysterious ways to make things happen that previously might have seemed unattainable, highly unlikely or simply impossible. Even before I created my first vision board, I have seen this principle (of the Determined Mind) work its magic in countless areas of my life (job opportunities, travels, dumpster finds, the entire journey to moneyless living, etc). Now I am also starting to see that a vision board can serve as a great (daily) reminder of our hopes, dreams and priorities in life. It can help us remain focused on what we truly want rather than what we don't want, and it can also help us catch any self-sabotage, subconscious resistance, or doubts that might crop up (as well as blind spots, double standards and hypocrisy) so that we can nip them in the bud.

As with most things in life, the actual process of creating a vision board is far more powerful than the final product, because it brings us clarity along the way. A clear, uncluttered, conscious and determined mind is what we need to create the life of our imagination. It works because when we are clear on what we truly want and focus on those aspects of our lives, we no longer resist whatever else happens. When all our focus is on what truly matters to us - what makes us feel truly alive - then everything else pales into insignificance. It doesn't matter anymore. It falls away. It literally disappears from our world. If you no longer give it any attention, it ceases to exist. That is how you rebuild your world. You can starve the parts of your life that no longer serve you by just refocusing your attention on what matters to you most.

Attention is always selective, so it's not a matter of either focusing your attention or not. We are always in the process of creating a new world, whether we do it consciously or not. Therefore it is important to focus with awareness, so that you can create consciously. And a vision board is a great way to get started.

Here are my personal guidelines for creating a vision board:

1. Think about what you really, really want. This is probably the hardest (and most important) part. Sometimes we think we want certain things, but upon closer inspection we just believe we want them. Maybe we really want something different. Also, sometimes we set the bar too low, due to limiting beliefs. What would you really want if there were no limitations? What makes your heart sing when you think about it? What would make you excited to be alive? How would you like to feel in this world? What kind of world would you like to live in?
Make sure you don't go for too much comfort. Remember that comfort kills growth. What would make all the pain worthwhile? What would make you forget about it altogether? If it's something you can find within your own heart, then that would be even better. No one can ever take that away.
2. Make a selection of your own favorite photos (and perhaps some from the Internet for things that haven't happened yet, or that you don't have suitable photos for); the ones that make you feel so enthusiastic and happy that you forget about everything else - even if just for a moment. Photos that make you laugh, or that remind you of good times or good qualities of yourself. Next, match those photos to the themes you selected for your vision board.
3. Write a detailed description of all the themes so that it is clear in your mind what you are going for. I kept adjusting the description until just reading the text made me feel enthusiastic and happy about the future. You can read the description I wrote for my themes in the second half of this post.
4. For each theme add affirmations, action steps and perhaps even powerful songs that make you feel happy, enthusiastic, empowered or peaceful - such as this one.
The most important steps to manifest your dreams are step 5 and 6:
5. Make sure your thoughts, words and actions are all in alignment with your goals. This helps you to stay mindful and alert of possible limiting beliefs that need to be worked through as well as self-sabotage (e.g. inaction).
6. Completely let go of any outcome and realize that your life is already wonderful as it is. Enjoy the process of becoming.
Whenever I look at my vision board - because of the happy pictures I have chosen - I am reminded how great my life has already been so far and I would not want to waste a moment of it by focusing on what *might* be missing. If you focus on what is missing in your life, you actually miss everything that is already right here, right now, making your life wonderful. Looking at my vision board I also feel excited about what's yet to come - on such a deep level that I know and feel that I would not want to settle for anything less than the highest vision (depicted on the board). If it were to require some time to materialize, it would be so worth the wait - no matter how long it would take. And even if my dreams would never materialize at all, it still wouldn't matter because I am living my truth authentically. This is what life is about for me. Time no longer matters when you have chosen your highest vision. When even time loses its significance, looking at the vision board makes you feel like you are already there, celebrating your life as what you envisioned. And when your mind is no longer in the way, that is the truth.
7. Review your board from time to time and change it as you change.

Creating a personal vision board is a fun, empowering and freeing experience. The mind is a powerful force. It is important to remember that. Therefore, take it seriously, and spend some contemplative time on the first step. Your focus can literally change the world. If we make our focus too narrow or focus on things that only benefit ourselves, we run the risk of becoming blind for others' experiences, and others' suffering. However, if we focus on creating values that benefit all beings, then we can transform the world together.

Making A Vision Board

For the past few weeks I have been suffering from a broken heart. I 'met' someone online and we had a great connection: shared ideals, shared plans for the future, similar values, great communication and a shared passion for self-sufficient lifestyles. Due to living in different parts of the world we hadn't met in person yet but we talked via chat and on Skype. And then suddenly everything changed. I am not sure what happened. Maybe the excitement wore off for him, or maybe he was afraid of taking the next step (meeting), or maybe there was someone else in his life. I don't know. All I know is that it was over. He never actually told me why or what happened. He just found ways to shut down all communication between us, and after a few months of trying to reconnect (and merely getting vague and indirect answers) I think I have to conclude that he no longer wishes to be a part of my life. I will never know what might have been.

Of course, rationally, I can tell myself this is a good thing. After all, it would be much easier to be with someone who wants to share with me what is going on for him, even when this is difficult to do. Situations and feelings can always change, but when things are not working out as you hoped then it's fair to let the other person know so that they can either do something about it or move on with their lives, instead of leaving them hanging - and guessing - for months. So rationally I understand this wasn't such a good match after all. But still, it hurt.
A lot.

I contemplated what it was that made it so difficult for me to let go this time and I realized there were three things:

1. For me, meeting someone who has similar ideas and values and who actually wants to create a similar kind of lifestyle is a rare event. From this it is easy to conclude that perhaps there aren't many people who have similar life goals to mine, but it could also mean that I don't meet enough people and/or that I go to the wrong places to meet them. On top of that - as I wrote in my previous blog post - I move around a lot, which makes it difficult to build and maintain lasting friendships. So it will be important for me to start meeting more like-minded people; not just people who live far away, but also people who live nearby. And the more people I meet, the bigger the chance that some of them will have similar values, goals and dreams.

2. At least some of the time I doubt whether the kind of person I would like to share my life with exists at all (and whether they are within my reach). The first part of this is connected with the previous point: because I believe that I am looking for a rare combination of qualities. But maybe this is just a matter of being in the wrong crowd. Also, I have to remind myself that it is not necessary to find many people like this - just one will do.

3. Another subconscious belief that came to the surface is that sometimes I feel like I am not good enough as I am, or that I somehow have to earn love; that I am not lovable just the way I am. In those moments, I feel like I have to convince others that I am worthy of love. Of course when someone loses interest, it reinforces the story - even though it probably has nothing to do with me.

These realizations finally motivated me to create my First Ever Vision Board to help me focus on shifting these tendencies, and it was SO much fun! I highly recommend it :) You can use a program like Vision Board Builder. I started off with a colorful wallpaper image to get the beautiful background colors, and layered the other images over the top.

Here's a breakdown of my vision board:

LOVE (and friends)
For me, 'practicing life' is about unconditional love, towards myself and others. Universal love goes beyond preferences and all other types of judgments. Love is joy in its purest form. It is a practice; a way of life. 'Issues' that come up in relationships with others can teach me what I haven't realized yet about myself, or show me what I have to let go of.
Love is free: free of attachment and free of demands. Love is connection, sharing and openness. Love is about being myself around others, getting comfortable being uncomfortable for the sake of personal growth. Love is about bringing out the best in each other, and looking for the best in everyone I meet. It is about bringing joy into other people's lives, because I know and support others' deepest wishes and desires and support them as much as I support my own, without the imposition of my own agenda. It is about honest self-expression, and therefore also about listening with compassion when others share their world with me. All of this starts with knowing myself, accepting myself, and loving myself- not superficially, but unconditionally.
Romantic love brings two people together who want to explore the depths of self-growth and unconditional love, and share the best and the worst of life's experiences with each other in order to learn and grow. Together they build a strong bond so that they can take each other to higher/deeper levels, explore all facets of life together and be each other's mirror and inspiration.

TRUST
Without trust there can be no love and without love it is difficult to trust. The trust I am talking about is a fundamental (and therefore unshakable) kind of trust: a deep knowing that whatever will happen is what needs to happen. Moreover, knowing that what happens is always the best possible outcome. Trusting that life will always bring me what I need and even what I ultimately want, even if I don't realize it at the time. And trusting that everything that happens in my life is designed to bring me happiness and freedom. Everything is a gift. So far this has always been true for me - without exceptions. It just takes me a while to realize it sometimes.

PEACE
Inner peace is the absence of stress. When I experience stress, I look to my mind to see what causes it. When I experience peace, I can see that I am connected with truth - in the flow of the present moment without resistance or attachment - free to respond naturally and spontaneously. Even the slightest amount of stress is my wake-up call. Peace is always present inside and stress is always caused by me. That is empowering knowledge. I can choose peace at any time. 

CREATIVITY
We are always creating, but what we are creating depends on our inner states. When we have trust, inner peace and an awareness of love, then our creations reflect that. Creation is perhaps one of the most magnificent wonders of life, because it can be a way to shine a light for others, simply by expressing what is true for you in the moment and what is important to you.

In my experience, gratitude is not something that needs direct focus because it results from living in a harmonious and present state of mind. Trying to ‘be grateful’ doesn’t work, because you are trying to get an effect without putting in the required ingredients first (or more precisely: without doing the work that is required to uncover it). It might feel inauthentic or forced. I only included it as a measure for progress. I also included fun and health, because sometimes I particularly forget about those two aspects of my life. It serves to remind me to check whether I am eating healthy foods and whether I am making time to play and have fun. It is important not to take yourself too seriously at least some of the time.

The picture in the center of the board is one of my favorite pictures of me because it represents all of the aspects that are important to me in one single image. I added the Tarot card on Wednesday when I did a past-present-future spread which gave me the 10 of cups as my card for the future. That happens to be one of my favorite Tarot cards and it fits very well with the themes on the vision board.


If you have a vision board as well, I would love to see yours!

Back To Square One: Planning The Future

As most of you already know, I have just moved back to the Netherlands after spending almost 3 years in Norway. This was probably the longest period of time I have spent in one place in a long, long time. Since I was 18 years old, I have moved 32 times between 26 different addresses, across 7 different countries (or 8 if you count Northern Ireland as separate from England) and 3 continents. It was self-imposed and I used to enjoy every move - and still do to some degree. It keeps me from accumulating too much stuff, it is exciting and brings new adventures, it allows me to start over each time and therefore live in the moment more, and it helps me to gain new perspectives and to see the world through new eyes.

Nevertheless, there are also some downsides to long-term travel and living a rootless life, and for the past five or six years these have been coming to the forefront more and more. It can be challenging to maintain close friendships, or to experience a sense of belonging. Even though I can easily feel at home anywhere in the world, I also feel like I am an alien everywhere I go. I belong everywhere and nowhere. Each time I move to a new place it is a little less exciting and more exhausting to start up my life yet again, because I know it is just temporary and I will have to start all over again after just a few years. Saying good-bye to some of the wonderful people I meet along the way and grow to love and respect also gets more difficult each time. Sometimes I feel like an outcast, even though so far it has been mostly by choice.

I feel like it is time for a new phase in my life: a phase where I start to put down some serious roots, settle down, meet people (and really get to know them) and fully commit to building up my life in one place. To me, that feels quite a way outside my comfort zone because in a world that offers no certainties, my sense of security has come from remaining unbound and free. But at the same time that also brings a constant restlessness to my life; a sense of always being on the run (even when I am not).

So the next step in my rewilding adventure will be to build my own self-sufficient home, preferably in an environment where money and ownership are entirely absent (in the wild) or where I could more easily forget about those concepts (on my 'own' piece of land - which would be the next best thing if living in the wild would somehow not be an option). Therefore, the next time I move I am intending to stay for a while; maybe even forever. I will pluck up the courage to put down some firm roots, build solid friendships, and start living my dream: creating a self-sufficient, sustainable environment where I can live in harmony with nature, possibly with room for others to join me. No more waiting for the perfect time, the perfect people to show up around me or the perfect circumstances. Life offers no guarantees. I may be uprooted once again through circumstance, but I can always re-plant myself, and it may even be easier the second time.

The planning phase starts now. The first step will be to decide which country is best suited for me to build an eco-home, grow foods year-round and build a small community (whether in the wilderness or not). At the moment I am considering Norway and France as viable options, or perhaps further afield…

(If you have any advice for me, please let me know!)

Much love to you all. <3

What It Means To Be Successful

Success is often described in material terms. Society seems to prescribe it in terms of whether you own your own home, have a (nice) car, have a well-paid job, etc. If you don’t have a job or one that barely pays the bills, then it seems you can’t be successful according to society’s standards.

However, what matters is not how society defines success, or how your parents or friends define it. It matters how you define it. This is the only measure of success that you need to determine whether you have succeeded in life or not. It also doesn't have to be an end goal far into the future: it can be something you can achieve in any moment, over and over.

'How do I define success?' is one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves, because it can help us remain true to ourselves and true to our path when hard times arise and we have to make tough decisions. Our definitions of success change and evolve over time, because life changes and situations change as well, and our perspectives may change as a result of that. In my experience, it usually becomes simpler as we get older and wiser. We realize that success really isn’t that complicated (which doesn't mean it is always easy), and that we really don’t need that much to live a meaningful, happy and fulfilling life. We realize that it is more (or even entirely) about what happens on the inside rather than about what happens around us. That realization is success in itself - if freedom is important to you.

For me, a definition of success is only meaningful if it is something that I can achieve at any time (no matter what happens). It is about prioritizing what matters most to me at that point in time. It is always about me, because I can’t decide for others, or dictate what situations may come my way. Defining success as a personal quality that I want to develop not only makes life simpler and more enjoyable, it also helps me to see the perfection of life because everything that happens is an opportunity for me to learn and to practice. I can start over in every moment. Sometimes I fail, sometimes I succeed. It doesn't matter. I get to practice.

Have you noticed that the challenges that come to you are always the right ones? And that the people who show up in your life (and leave again) also bring you exactly what you need?

*****

How do you measure success in your life? What does being successful mean to you?

 

Overpopulation: Why It Matters

I am extremely surprised that many people still believe that overpopulation is a myth. I wonder if it has something to do with Hans Rosling's talks, who uses very unconvincing (and unscientific) argumentation to 'prove' that overpopulation is a myth, while he is conveniently overlooking the interdependence between humans and other species and completely ignores our unsustainable ways and what it would take to change this. Let me address those points now to help make clear why overpopulation is a huge problem that needs to be addressed.

1. Carbon negative living is now the only way to stop climate change
Did you know that to make life on earth sustainable (and survive as a species) we all need to start living a carbon negative lifestyle right now? The main reason is that even if we would all stop emitting carbon from now on, and if we all went vegan overnight, still more carbon would be added to the atmosphere than can be absorbed. Part of the reason for this is the carbon that is released from the permafrost, which is melting due to already increased temperatures.
So this means we need to be focusing on rehabilitating nature and on making completely self-sustainable communities ASAP: no more mass-production of food (because that requires transport), no more mass production of unnecessary products (which may include more than you think) and no more jobs that do not contribute to the well-being of the planet (or worse: which cause destruction). If we just continue "doing our jobs", there won't be any human life left in a few decades.

2. Humans require space and natural surroundings to remain in touch with nature
Do you think the human population of the entire earth can live in harmony with nature (i.e. living a carbon negative lifestyle)? If you think so, have you ever been to the Netherlands, India, China and other densely populated places? If you live in those places, you hardly have any contact with other species. It might seem that humans are the only species there, or at least the most important ones, which is of course very misleading. Where are all those people going to live, if not in high-rise apartment buildings?
Have you ever watched the world population clock? Have you tried growing all of your own food year-round in areas like Canada, Norway and other places with long winters? Have you ever tried growing all the food you eat anywhere in the world, or living merely on foraged foods? Do you know how much land is required to do this sustainably? And do you know how much land is required for us to repopulate creatures that are on the brink of extinction and to restore forest areas enough to reverse our collective footprint into the carbon-negative?

3. Carbon negative living requires us to live in a temperate climate
Weather conditions are often not taken into account when overpopulation is discussed, yet it is a very important factor, especially with regards to carbon negative living. Have you tried compensating for the carbon you emit by planting trees, living a fully self-sustainable lifestyle with a carbon negative footprint? I would say try it. You would at least need to be growing all of your own food, give up any fossil-based transport/consumption and live without heating or air-conditioning. Give it a go and see how difficult it is; especially in colder climates. And then put human overpopulation into that new perspective.

4. We are part of the ecosystem
Perhaps the most important point is that humans depend on many other species for their survival. When overpopulation is discussed, strangely enough other species are often entirely overlooked. We are not the only species that matters. In fact, there are species that matter much more, and that do far more for nature and their relative ecosystems than humans (also because we have lost touch and most of us don't even know the role of humans in nature anymore).

Yes I agree that 'overpopulation' would just be a matter of lifestyles and distribution of resources IF humans were the only species that mattered AND if we were not part of an ecosystem, but that is a rather simplistic view. Some resources are not meant to be distributed. Resources are in a certain area for a reason. It makes the earth habitable for humans in that area. Distributing resources pollutes the earth AND disconnects us from those resources and therefore prevents us from being able to manage them properly.

At this point even moneyless living is not enough to save life on the planet. We need to be out there tearing down factories, planting trees and cleaning our rivers and lakes. Are we willing to do what it takes to save ourselves?



(This blog post is adapted from a Facebook update I posted on 8 October 2016)

Pursuing What Matters

As a PhD candidate in Norway, I get a personal budget to spend on research and research-related travels. I have not used much of it yet, as I have been thinking about a good way to spend it. It is difficult to know what you want to pursue early on, because in the beginning everything seems interesting and it is difficult to choose. But as you get more into the topics, you start to see clearly what you would like to explore in more detail.

During summer I came up with a plan.

Norway can be quite a lonely place and therefore I felt like doing something that requires me to meet like-minded people and to connect with them. Also, my personal moneyless / rewilding experiences have allowed me to experience first-hand the changes in thinking that result from this new way of being, which is not always easy to understand for others who have not had these experiences, nor is it easy to explain. I would love to learn to communicate about this more effectively; not just from my own personal experience, but also from a deeper understanding of the processes involved and how the mind works. Furthermore, I would like this information to be available to everyone, so that it will be much easier for everyone to make decisions about their lives and so that we can all understand the consequences of our lifestyle choices for our own health and happiness (even when -or especially when- you think that you don't really have a choice!).

And so that is what I would like to get into and explore further: what kind of changes happen when people live alternative, more self-sufficient lifestyles? And what makes this so?

To investigate this further, I will be interviewing everyone I have come to meet (virtually until now) who lives (or has lived) without money or with very little and as self-sufficiently as possible as a conscious lifestyle choice. Most probably I will also look at the other side: people who disapprove of such a lifestyle. I think the personal budget is a great opportunity for me to research this, as I think it would be difficult to find funding for such a project otherwise. Luckily, my supervisor is very supportive and it is thanks to him that I will be able to carry out this plan very soon.

I will be traveling to the US next month for the first set of interviews. Unfortunately there was no way for me to avoid flying. However, the next trip goes all the way to Australia, and I will attempt to get there without flying. I will be taking a train all the way to Singapore and then find a way (hopefully) to get to Australia by ferry / sailing. Along the way I will be meeting people who live alternative, mostly self-sustainable lives (or the other side of the coin: people who strongly reject people who pursue such lifestyles). I will aim to rely on Couchsurfing as much as possible so that I can familiarize myself more easily with the countries I am visiting and have yet another opportunity to connect with amazing individuals. It will also help me to extend the trip even further and collect more data.

If you know anyone you think I should meet, please let me know! Also feel free to get in touch if you would like to host me or want to organize an event with me. I am open to doing workshops, speaking events, etc.

Source: seat61.com - Silk route

If you are in a similar predicament and would like some guidelines on how to spend research budget, go for the following:
1. Choose something you are really passionate about
2. Choose something that is unlikely to get funded if you would submit it as a project directly
3. Choose something that can potentially change the world for the better in a big way (because we need that!)

The same goes for choosing a career.

I hope to meet many of you along the way!

From 'Moneyless Living' To 'Rewilding'

Lately I have noticed that I have started to cross the fine line between having guiding principles in the service of learning about a new way of life, and having rules and dogma. The aims for moneyless living and caring for the environment have slowly progressed from being an ideal I live out, to something I put on myself rigidly and sternly. Here is how to tell the difference, why it is harmful and how we can prevent it from happening.

Rules versus guidelines
The crossing of this line becomes apparent when we start saying things like: "I will NEVER do this or that again". You cannot know what you will do, and saying things like this limits personal freedom and prevents you from doing what's right for you in the moment. It takes you out of presence and into a future that doesn't exist. Examples are: "I will never use money ever again". I have said this, although I can't know what I will do in the future; I only know what my intentions are right now. I also found there is a lot of disagreement between what people consider "using money" and "living without money". It all depends on one's definition. Of course I know what I mean by it, but it is hard to convey to others without getting wordy (after all, it involves an entire mindset). In trying to explain it, the message usually gets lost.
People often end up disagreeing with some parts of my 'moneyless' definition: For example, they argue I am still using electricity, water and internet that was paid for. I am still receiving a salary (even though I am not using it). I am still using products that required production and that have been paid for (such as my laptop from uni). And I am still using roads and other public services. To them it doesn't matter that contribution can take another form than the standard financial form. It doesn't seem to count.
To make matters worse, I am planning some trips (before I start the nomadic journey) that will be financed through my PhD travel budget. Does that mean I will be using money? Probably, yes, at least indirectly. But to me the answer to this question doesn't really matter, because living without money is not (and has never been) the end goal; it is just something that helps me to get in touch with my true goal (presence and awareness) on a daily basis. And that is all that matters. However, lately (after a series of negative comments on various Facebook pages and constantly getting the same questions about this lifestyle) I have allowed myself to get drawn into explaining myself over and over (and over), which brought me closer to the realm of the 'rules' mentality.
I find myself thinking about "money" more often, and questioning whether I live entirely moneyless or not. And while reflection from time to time is really helpful and beneficial, preoccupation is not.




What's in the name?
When I gave up the use of money in my daily life, it was freeing because I no longer had to worry about money. I simply didn't have to think about it anymore. I still don't have to think about it, because I can survive just fine without it - no matter what happens. This is what appealed to me about this lifestyle. It freed up a lot of mental space to focus on other - more important - things. However, with all the comments I kept getting about what 'moneyless' means and what it is and is not to other people, I still got drawn into thinking about money all the time. Yet this is what I wanted to leave behind.
Some people have suggested the problem largely lies in the term that I use: moneyless. It keeps bringing money into the conversation simply because it is part of the description. I think they have a valid point. So I have thought about other terms that cover the journey I am on succinctly - preferably in just one word. I think the closest term that fits is 'rewilding': the process of getting back to nature and letting go of artificial rules and structures (including, but definitely not limited to, money). From now on I hope to remember to use this term more frequently instead.


What happens next?
Does this mean I am giving up living moneyless? No, probably not. Does it mean I will never use the term moneyless again? No, probably not that either. It has no real practical, outward implications; I am just no longer going to identify as a 'moneyless person'. Instead of labeling myself, it is enough for me to know what it means to me. I am also going to be less preoccupied and (mentally) radical with following some kind of ideal - I am not going to burden myself with rules and limitations. Life is about living, and freedom and peace of mind are my main priorities.
I am also not going to explain myself all the time and explain what "moneyless" means to me, as I have done way too much in the recent past when people kept telling me why my lifestyle was not 'moneyless enough' for them and why it should not be called that. Genuine questions can get a genuine answer, but comments are not questions. I am getting tired of explaining myself, mainly because it doesn't matter - it is not the essence of my journey at all. It is not important whether I use some things that others have paid for or not. The point is to become aware and to experience life from a new perspective: perhaps a more connected and pure way. Making it into a strict rule or dogma would defeat the entire purpose of the practice.

In reality, life has only one rule:  
There are no rules.

(NL) Interview door Maaike Wijnstra (Dutchies)

Hierbij het volledige interview met Maaike Wijnstra, waarvan een samenvatting is gepubliceerd op haar blog.

For the English version, click here.

Naam: Liselotte Roosen
Leeftijd: 34
Woonplaats: Trondheim, Noorwegen
Sinds: 28 September 2014

Persoonlijk

Hoe ben je terecht gekomen in Noorwegen? Bijvoorbeeld de eerste keer dat je er kwam.
Begin 2014 raakte ik mijn baan als psycholoog kwijt wegens longontsteking door burnout en besloot ik iets nieuws te gaan doen met mijn leven. Ik wilde niet meer als psycholoog aan de slag. In augustus 2014 kreeg ik twee banen tegelijk aangeboden: één als docent psychologie aan de vrouwenuniversiteit van Riyad en de andere als PhD kandidaat environmental psychology (climate change & art) in Trondheim, Noorwegen. Na lang nadenken en afwegen (het was een moeilijke keuze) werd het uiteindelijk Noorwegen, omdat ik hoopte met een PhD daarna ook weer meer kansen te hebben.

Waarom heb je besloten naar Noorwegen te verhuizen? (en wat gaf voor jou de doorslag)
Ik wist sowieso dat ik niet in Nederland wilde blijven. In Nederland mis ik de ruimte, de natuur en de bergen. Er zijn teveel mensen, er is teveel vervuiling en er zijn teveel regels voor alles (red tape). En het weer vind ik ook al niet geweldig, hoewel ik daarvoor ook niet naar Noorwegen had hoeven gaan. De winters zijn hier erg lang, koud en donker. Dus daardoor heb ik nog wel even getwijfeld. Maar ik ging hier vooral naartoe voor de (tijdelijke) baan (een contract van 3 jaar). Tijdelijk past goed bij mij want ik houd van verandering (dus daarna kan ik altijd nog naar Riyad als ik dat echt zou willen). Ik ging dus vooral voor de baan en niet zozeer voor het land, hoewel bijna alles beter is dan in Nederland, maar dat geldt voor bijna elk land in mijn optiek.

Wat vindt je de voor- en nadelen van Noorwegen ten opzichte van Nederland?
De voordelen zijn de ruimte wegens de lage bevolkingsdichtheid, de bergen en de (relatief schone) natuur. De nadelen zijn lange, koude, donkere winters, maar dat is niet alleen in vergelijking met Nederland, maar met alle landen waar ik gewoond heb. Ook vind ik het relatief moeilijk om echt in contact te komen met mensen hier en vriendschappen te sluiten. Ik heb hier ook moeite met het vinden van gelijkgestemden. Dat is wel eens lastig, maar mijn blog helpt hier wel bij.

Heb je het idee dat er daar meer begrip is voor jouw levensstijl dan in NL?
Nee, dat denk ik niet... hoewel ik het moeilijk kan vergelijken omdat ik mijn nieuwe levensstijl (leven zonder geld) pas echt heb doorgezet hier in Noorwegen. Wel lijkt het dat de mensen in Nederland over het algemeen zich meer bewust zijn van milieuproblematiek dan hier. Misschien is dat juist doordat er zo weinig natuur over is in Nederland (minder dan 12%) en mensen het daardoor meer willen beschermen. Uiteraard helpt het ook als mensen gereisd hebben naar andere landen met meer natuur en daardoor weten wat ze missen.

Leven zonder geld

Hoe kwam je in aanraking met de no money leefstijl?
Ik kwam op het idee doordat ik was begonnen met dumpster diving, voordat ik naar Noorwegen kwam. Dat beviel zo goed, dat ik ermee door bleef gaan en behoorlijk fanatiek werd. Vervolgens begon ik het idee van ‘leven van overschotten’ op steeds meer aspecten van mijn leven toe te passen. Zo kwam ik uiteindelijk terecht op 100% zonder uitgaven. Pas toen ik mijn blog gestart had, hoorde ik via lezers van mijn blog over anderen die ook zo leefden: met name Daniel Suelo en Mark Boyle. Ik hoop hen nog ooit te mogen ontmoeten.

Op welke manier ben je er mee begonnen? / Wat zijn de eerste praktische aanpassingen die je hebt gedaan?
De eerste stap was het dumpster diven en die stap was geinspireerd door Rob Greenfield. Ik volgde hem al zo’n twee jaar via Facebook en vond zijn levensstijl heel inspirerend omdat hij in alles zijn passies volgt en daardoor vrij is, in tegenstelling tot de gemiddelde mens die denkt dat hij/zij moet werken voor de kost en een huis moet hebben. Dit idee wordt ons min of meer opgelegd van jongs af aan en ik denk dat dat er (mede) toe leidt dat veel mensen hun echte dromen al snel opgeven en zelfs vergeten.

Wanneer besloot je het naar het volgende niveau te tillen en echt zonder geld te willen leven?
Eind november 2014 besloot ik de uitdaging aan te gaan om volledig zonder uitgaven te leven (met uitzondering van huur), omdat ik zag dat het kon. En kort daarop (begin zomer 2015) bedacht ik dat ik ook kon proberen om gratis woonruimte te vinden. Rond augustus 2015 vond ik een gezin waar ik gratis bij mocht komen wonen. En vanaf 1 october 2015 leefde ik volledig zonder uitgaven. Na 3 maanden verhuisde ik naar een boerderij waar ik mijn eigen cabin heb, met een badkamer en keuken naast de paardenstallen.

Wat zijn de eerste dingen waarvan je je realiseerde dat je die niet nodig had?
Het begon ermee dat ik me realiseerde dat ik dingen niet hoef te kopen. Alles wat te koop is in supermarkten is ook te vinden in de dumpsters. Ook schoonmaakmiddelen en hygieneproducten. Zelfs (werkende) oplaadbare batterijen en opladers heb ik gevonden. Maar de challenge heeft mij ook de vraag doen stellen of ik zonder zou kunnen, of wat ik zou doen als ik zonder zou komen te zitten. En dan blijkt eigenlijk dat we maar heel weinig dingen echt nodig hebben. Zo ontdekte ik dat men wasmiddel niet nodig heeft om was schoon te krijgen. Ook de meeste hygiene producten zijn volledig overbodig en zelfs schadelijk voor het lichaam en het milieu. En recent ben ik tot de conclusie gekomen dat we ook voedsel van de supermarkten niet echt nodig hebben en dat er veel voedzamer eten te vinden is in de vrije natuur. En uiteraard beperkt het zich niet tot produkten: ik weet nu bijvoorbeeld ook dat ik geen baan nodig heb – en dat is misschien wel het meest bevrijdende.

Kun je kort omschrijven wat voor jou de kern is van leven zonder geld?
In het begin ging het mij er vooral om dat ik niet meer wilde bijdragen aan verwoesting van de aarde door mijn aankoopgedrag. Bijvoorbeeld, als ik een ananas koop in Noorwegen, dan weet ik dat deze lang heeft moeten reizen en dat ik dus bijdraag aan de vervuiling die daarmee gepaard gaat. Of als ik kleding koop, dan ondersteun ik daarmee waarschijnlijk lage lonen, uitbuiting van mensen, misschien zelfs kinderarbeid en wederom een hele hoop vervuiling. Als ik niet-biologische produkten koop, dan weet ik dat ik daarmee bijdraag aan het uitsterven van bijen, waardoor een heleboel plantensoorten zullen verdwijnen. Ik wilde dat niet langer op mijn geweten hebben. En omdat ik zag dat er zoveel voedsel (en andere produkten) verspild wordt, zag ik hoe ik eindelijk uit die destructieve cyclus kon stappen. Daarnaast was het ook mooi meegenomen dat ik geld kon sparen om in de toekomst een ecohuis te bouwen of een ecodorp te kunnen starten.
Toen ik eenmaal geldloos leefde merkte ik dat het nog véél meer voordelen had, die allemaal voortkomen uit het ontwikkelen van een nieuwe kijk op de wereld. Geld promoot een voor-wat-hoort-wat mentaliteit. Als je zonder geld leeft (zonder uitgaven) dan kun je daar langzaamaan van loskomen en dan merk je hoeveel impact dat heeft op alles wat je doet. Want die mindset is bij veel mensen in bijna alles doorgedrongen.

Wat is je uiteindelijke doel?
Voor mijzelf is het doel ultieme vrijheid en mijn missie op grotere schaal is het aandacht geven aan de verwoesting waar we allemaal aan bijdragen. Hopelijk kan ik mensen inspireren om veranderingen in levensstijl te overwegen, of hen in elk geval laten zien dat er alternatieven mogelijk zijn. Veel mensen zien het leven zoals het is namelijk als de enige mogelijkheid. Ik dacht dat zelf ook voordat ik aan mijn projecten begon. En dat is heel deprimerend en ontmoedigend, vooral als je iets voor de aarde wil doen en je leven betekenis wil geven.

Je krijgt veel vragen over hoe je leeft zonder geld, maar toch gebruik maakt van faciliteiten waar andere mensen voor betalen. Wat is daarop je visie?
Het klopt dat ik nog steeds gebruik maak van bepaalde faciliteiten die door anderen zijn betaald. Ik gebruik bijvoorbeeld internet en water/electriciteit wat bekostigd wordt door de eigenaren van de boerderij waar ik nu woon. Verder maak ik gebruik van wegen en andere openbare structuren. Voor mij is het echter niet relevant dat hiervoor betaald is; dat maakt mijn geldloze bestaan niet minder geldloos. Mensen bedoelen namelijk vaak dat als je niet betaald en toch gebruikt maakt van dingen waarvoor betaald is, dat je een soort uitbuiter bent; iemand die leunt op anderen.
Het doel van mijn levenswijze is niet om alles voor niets te krijgen en mijn leven gemakkelijk te maken. Het doel is ook niet om alles alleen te doen of volledig onafhankelijk te worden (al zou ik genoeg kennis hebben om zonder hulp van anderen te overleven). Het doel is om los te komen van structuren en constructies die destructief zijn voor de aarde – en helaas is gebleken dat geld één van die dingen is.
Als iedereen zo zou leven als ik, dan zou dit punt er natuurlijk niet toe doen, want dan zou iedereen alles gratis doen. Mensen zouden hun steentje bijdragen aan de gemeenschap omdat ze belang hechten aan bepaalde zaken in plaats van puur om geld te verdienen. Helaas is mijn levensstijl echter nog niet zo algemeen dat mensen direct begrijpen wat het inhoudt. Veel mensen hebben er ook bepaalde (onjuiste) veronderstellingen en associaties bij.
Mensen lijken vaak angstig dat als er geen geld zou zijn, dat er dan veel meer mensen zouden zijn die hun steentje niet meer bijdragen en dus het harde werk van anderen uitbuiten. Ik denk dat dat niet zo is. Natuurlijk zullen er altijd mensen zijn die op anderen leunen en het systeem uitbuiten, met of zonder geld. Maar ik denk dat dat er juist minder zullen zijn als geld geen rol meer speelt. Dan zijn er namelijk veel meer natuurlijke (en directe) consequenties voor ineffectief gedrag. Bijvoorbeeld, als jouw leefgemeenschap in een gebied woont dat kan overstromen omdat het onder de zeespiegel ligt, dan moet je er als groep voor zorgen dat de dijken sterk genoeg blijven. Iedereen is dan gemotiveerd om daar aan bij te dragen, want het is een gemeenschappelijk belang. Als iedereen het aan anderen zou overlaten en er op den duur nog maar een paar mensen overblijven die het werk doen, dan zouden die daar op den duur ook genoeg van krijgen en zich gewoon elders vestigen. Er zijn dus veel eerder natuurlijke consequenties voor onbehulpzaam of egoistisch gedrag. Dat is veel eerlijker. In een samenleving met geld is er ook nog eens veel verborgen luiheid: mensen die simpelweg anderen betalen zodat ze zelf niks constructiefs hoeven te doen.

Momenteel heb je een baan en zet je al je geld opzij. Je wilt stoppen met werken eind 2017. Ben ik nieuwsgierig:
1.    Wat ga je met dat geld doen? Drie jaar salaris is toch een flink bedrag :)
Dat klopt :) Ik weet nog niet precies wat ik ga doen... Oorspronkelijk wilde ik het opsparen om daarna een stuk land te kopen om een eco-community te starten, maar door mijn nieuwe levensstijl en nieuwe inzichten ben ik daar niet meer zo zeker van. Als ik namelijk iets koop, dan zit ik weer vast aan kosten (en aan geld) en daar wilde ik juist van loskomen. Dus waarschijnlijk houd ik het achter de hand als een plan B maar ga ik eerst kijken hoe ik als nomade kan leven, volledig van de natuur.

2.    Wat ga je dan met je tijd doen?
Ik zou heel graag een tijdje als een nomade gaan leven, reizend naar veel verschillende plekken en onderweg leren over (en leven van) eetbare planten. Voor mijn volgende project ben ik van plan om van Noorwegen naar Spanje te reizen, ofwel te voet of te paard. Ik ben momenteel al op zoek naar een geschikt (gratis) paard. Paarden worden hier regelmatig gratis weggegeven, omdat het erg duur is om ze te onderhouden. De meeste paarden die worden weggegeven zijn gepensioneerde paarden uit de sport, of erg jonge en onervaren paarden. Ik heb in elk geval de mogelijkheid om hier een paard te stallen als ik een geschikte vind.
Ik zou ook graag naar andere landen reizen. Het lijkt mij bijvoorbeeld geweldig om een keer de zijderoute te doen. Dat lijkt me een geweldige ervaring! En onderweg kan ik dan gratis workshops en lezingen geven over alternatieve levensstijlen en geldloos leven. Dat is ook waar ik de rest van mijn leven graag aan zou willen wijden: het welzijn van de aarde en aan het promoten van een milieuvriendelijke levensstijl.

Wat is voor jou momenteel het lastigste aan deze levensstijl? Zijn er dingen waar je tegen aan loopt?
Gek genoeg is er niet echt iets wat ik kan bedenken wat lastig is aan deze levensstijl, behalve dan de groeiende angst dat de mensheid teveel natuur verwoest (en blijft verwoesten), wat mijn levensstijl en dat van vele andere levensvormen met mij, in steeds grotere mate bedreigt... zo moeten andere wezens zich denk ik ook voelen. Er blijft steeds minder ruimte over en steeds minder natuur. En het is de natuur die ons allemaal leven verschaft. Niet de supermarkt en niet de bedrijven en zeker al niet de staat/overheid.
Maar wat mij persoonlijk betreft, heb ik vooral gemerkt dat mijn leven zoveel simpeler en makkelijker geworden is en dat ik veel gelukkiger ben en me vrijer voel. Ik kan mij wel voorstellen dat als ik bijvoorbeeld ziek zou worden (of al een ziekte zou hebben) het misschien lastiger zou kunnen zijn. Maar ik verdiep me in elk geval in plantengeneeskunde en probeer zo goed mogelijk voor mijn lichaam te zorgen. Daarbij denk ik dat de doorsnee levensstijl veel slechter voor de gezondheid is dan de mijne, dus ook dat zou denk ik voor mij geen reden zijn om mijn droom op te geven. Ik zal er in elk geval alles aan doen om het voort te kunnen zetten, wat er ook gebeurt.

We zagen al op Facebook dat er best wat reacties loskomen wanneer jij aangeeft op deze manier te leven. Wat zijn de reacties uit je omgeving? En in het begin?
In het begin dachten de meesten dat ik mijn verstand verloren had :) maar dit veranderde gelukkig al snel. Toen bleek dat het allemaal mogelijk was wat ik van plan was, waren mijn vrienden en ouders vooral heel blijverrast en trots dat het gelukt was. Op Facebook zijn er gelukkig ook wel vaak positieve reacties, maar voor sommige mensen is het nog een stap te ver. Dat begrijp ik ergens ook wel, want voor mij is het ook een geleidelijk proces geweest, dus het is logisch als anderen (vooral als ze niet vanaf het begin hebben meegelezen) niet altijd begrijpen hoe je de dingen anders zou kunnen doen en interpreteren dan de gangbare manier.

Wat wil je zelf overdragen?
Ik zou heel graag zien dat wij (de mensheid) op een andere manier met de natuur omgaan. Dat we ons weer één voelen met het ecosysteem waarin we leven en dat we ons meer bewust worden van de resources waar we gebruik van maken. En ook dat we weer meer verantwoordelijkheid gaan nemen voor de gevolgen van ons eigen handelen, bijvoorbeeld door de aankopen die we doen. Ik zou graag zien dat mensen weer meer zelfvoorzienend worden, want dat zou de duurzaamheid op aarde ten goede komen. Ik zou graag zien dat we weer meer gaan denken aan de lange termijn in plaats van de gebruikelijke wegwerp-mindset. Dat we weer meer gaan kijken naar hoe we echt waardevol kunnen bijdragen aan de aarde, in plaats van alleen maar kijken naar financiele contributies. En dat dus het belang van de aarde weer voorop komt te staan in plaats van eigenbelang.
Ik denk dat geldloos leven een heel geschikte weg is om dit allemaal te bereiken. Als je namelijk de natuur weer als belangrijkste en primaire resource ziet (wat het ook is), dan ga je de natuur ook automatisch veel meer waarderen en beschermen.

Voor jou staat leven zonder geld gelijk aan vrijheid. Maar is het niet zo dat er juist veel mensen zijn die dat andersom zien? Dat ze met geld hun vrijheid ‘kopen’, doordat ze zich de dingen kunnen veroorloven die ze graag willen doen of bijvoorbeeld vroeg met pensioen kunnen?
Dat klopt inderdaad, en vroeger dacht ik dit ook. Maar nu zie ik dat het vooral een valkuil is; een truc om mensen aan het werk te houden. Natuurlijk kan je veel dingen doen als je geld hebt, maar ik kan diezelfde dingen ook zonder geld doen (vooral als het gaat om ervaringen). En daarnaast: wat is de prijs? Als ik diezelfde dingen zonder geld doe, dan hoef ik niet eerst te werken om geld te verdienen om het te kunnen bekostigen en dan heb ik dus ook de tijd om deze dingen daadwerkelijk uit te voeren. Met een full-time baan en hoge vaste lasten heb ik er misschien geld voor, maar geen tijd meer om alles te doen wat ik zou willen doen. Dan kun je alleen de dingen doen die je echt wilt in weekends en vakanties. Dat betekent dus dat je leven ineens een stuk korter wordt. Nu kan ik de dingen die ik belangrijk vind doen wanneer ik maar wil. Niet ooit in de verre toekomst als ik met pensioen ben, maar nu! Ik kan mijn hele leven er aan wijden.
Ik kan bijvoorbeeld nu direct met pensioen gaan als ik dat zou willen. Ik hoef daar niet jaren voor te sparen, want geld is geen noodzaak meer voor mij. Ik hoef ook niet jarenlang een baan aan te houden waar ik geen voldoening uit haal en waar ik voor mijn gevoel geen toegevoegde waarde mee bijdraag. Als niemand meer zou geloven dat geld een noodzaak was, dan zou niemand meer werk doen wat oninspirerend was. De wereld zou er dan heel anders uit zien!
Dan hoeven we geen werk meer te doen wat bijdraagt aan vervuiling van de aarde. In plaats daarvan kunnen we stoppen met werken en ons full-time inzetten voor het behoud van de natuur en andere dingen die we werkelijk belangrijk vinden.
Werken om met pensioen te kunnen is geen vrijheid. Het is uitgestelde vrijheid. En je weet nooit wanneer het precies zal komen. Als de regels weer eens veranderen (bijv. pensioengerechtigde leeftijd weer eens omhoog), dan duurt het misschien weer langer dan gepland, en je hebt het niet eens zelf in de hand. Iemand die vrij is, is niet gebonden aan regels. Wat de regels ook zijn, ik kan nog altijd met pensioen wanneer ik dat wil.
Dat is vrijheid.

Je geeft aan dat een leven zonder geld voor jou een leven zonder stress betekent. Hoe werkt dat? Want ik persoonlijk (en met mij waarschijnlijk de rest van de wereld) ga juist stressen als we géén geld hebben. Als ik niet weet wat ik ga eten morgen en geen geld heb om iets te kopen dan is de druk toch juist heel hoog om iets te vinden of te regelen? Dan is het juist relaxt om naar de winkel te kunnen gaan om iets te kopen.
Yes! Je slaat de spijker op zijn  kop :) Als je geen geld hebt, dan is het stress, want we hebben niet geleerd om voor onszelf te zorgen. Daardoor is het ook heel stressvol als je mogelijk je baan kwijt gaat raken. Maar wat als je gewoon voor jezelf kunt zorgen en je weet waar je eten vandaan kunt halen? Wat als je weet dat je altijd op de natuur terug kunt vallen? Dan heb je nooit meer stress, want je weet dat je altijd veilig bent. Je kunt altijd voor jezelf zorgen, ook als de staat of het systeem het laat afweten. En de staat laat het heel vaak afweten.
Als je weet hoe je zonder geld kunt leven, dan maakt het niet uit als je je baan kwijtraakt. Zelfs als de supermarkten niks meer op voorraad hebben wegens een crisis, dan maakt dat ook niks uit, want je bent niet meer afhankelijk van de supermarkt.

Ga je nog wel eens naar Nederland? En hoe reis je dan zonder geld?
Ik ben vorig jaar nog eens in Nederland geweest voor een conferentie (de universiteit betaalde mijn reis), maar ik was blij dat het maar voor een paar dagen was. Ik merkte dat ik last kreeg van mijn longen door de vervuilde lucht. Ik denk dat dat was omdat ik het niet meer gewend was. Als je er woont dan merk je het op den duur niet meer. Dat is ook het gevaar van wat we met de natuur doen: we wennen eraan en daardoor lijkt het minder erg dan het is.
Overigens, als ik klaar ben met mijn PhD volgend jaar ben ik van plan nog steeds veel te reizen, maar alleen nog maar (of op z’n minst voornamelijk) lopend, liftend, op de fiets of te paard.

Tips

Kun je een heel beknopt stappenplan maken voor de gemiddelde consumer zoals ik, om meer te besparen / zuiniger te leven? Echt superkort en beknopt de belangrijkste tips om toe te passen in het dagelijks leven.
1.    Dumpster diven is een heel goed begin. Zo is het voor mij ook begonnen. (Een alternatief is 'foragen' (=eten uit de natuur).
2.    Daarna kun je stap voor stap gratis alternatieven vinden voor al je kostenposten. Elke keer dat je geld uitgeeft kun je je afvragen: hoe zou ik in deze behoefte kunnen voorzien zonder geld uit te geven? En dan experimenteren en uitproberen.
3.    Elk alternatief kun je vervolgens ook testen aan de duurzaamheidsfactor. Als het niet duurzamer is dan de doorsnee manier, dan is het misschien ook niet heel waardevol. Je zult zien dat als je de dingen doet die goed zijn voor de aarde, dat dat ook goed is voor jou!

Tot slot hier nog wat links voor meer informatie, met praktische tips over hoe je aan de slag kunt gaan:
Meer over de Stop-Shopping-Challenge, waar alles mee begon:
Meer over Dumpster diving:
Meer over gratis woonruimte:
Meer over de Moneyless Mindset:
Meer over Leven in vrijheid: