The monthly newsletter for aspiring downshifters,
sustainable living enthusiasts and sustainable small businesses.

January 2008
In this issue...

1. Simple Futures: Keys to Sustainable Planning.
2. Just For The Love Of It. By Mark Boyle
3. Your exploration this month.
4. Quotes of the month
5. Want to comment or contribute?
6. Teleclasses and personal coaching

1. Simple Futures: Keys to Sustainable Planning.

It can be said that there are only two certainties in our lives – that we will die and that there will be change. The beginning of a new year is traditionally a time for planning but sometimes planning can seem futile when life can be so unpredictable. How do we come up with a plan for our business or our personal life that is sustainable? How do we ensure that our plans are flexible enough to be worth spending any time on?

The good news is that there is an easy solution. Sustainability in every aspect of our lives is about simplifying. Somehow we’ve come to associate progress with more sophistication, in our technology, in how we communicate, how we look after ourselves, how we raise our children. And yet, simplicity is often the more elegant solution and the more sustainable. Think of the difference between creating energy from a nuclear power station or a wind turbine. Think of the difference between steering an ocean liner or a rowing boat. The simpler and less sophisticated the system, the more manoeuvrable, flexible and sustainable it is likely to be.

In our homes - fewer, multipurpose tools.

De-cluttering is a term in common usage these days. It seems to me to be an essential step towards simplification. I’ve found, in my own downshifting ventures, that de-cluttering is best treated less like a “spring clean” and more like “brushing your teeth”. By that I mean that simplicity requires daily rather than annual attention and involves a deliberate decision to maintain or reduce items rather than accumulate. This can apply to paperwork, gadgets, toys and games, clothes. One way to reduce the number of items you need is by using fewer multipurpose tools. For example, in the kitchen, when your food processor wears out, you could replace it with a good quality cook’s knife. Similarly with our clothes, we can decide to keep fewer, simpler, more flexible items that can be mixed and matched. If more specialised items are required, for example for a special occasion such as a wedding, we can choose to hire an outfit rather than buy it.

In Our Businesses – simple systems, health and heart.

In my experience, most business owners who love their work have a strong, well defined vision and a few simple and robust business systems. For most of us, there will be several ways in which we can earn a living. The reason, other than money, that we do what we do is our business purpose – our vision that drives us forward and adds meaning to what we do. When we have a strong, well-defined vision for our business then we have something congruent and steadfast with which to align our decisions. This usually makes decision making simple and straightforward. It also makes designing and creating robust business systems simpler, more sustainable and less time consuming to manage.

Your continued and sustained good health and wellbeing are as much assets of value as the material items you believe you need for your success. It’s a good idea to make sure that your business plan leaves spaces for you to look after yourself.

Sustainable businesses place a heavy emphasis on people and relationships. When we communicate from the heart we value honesty over manipulation, cooperation over competition and authenticity over propaganda. This is simpler and less energy draining than trying to force ourselves, our employees or associates to behave in a way that’s not authentic for them.

With Our Children – individuality and exploration.

What is our vision for our children? What kind of parents do we aspire to be?

We can teach our children to live in simplicity and in alignment with their values by modelling it ourselves. Expecting them to lead a heavily timetabled life, controlled mainly by adults is just leading them to believe that a rat race existence is normal and healthy.

Whatever our views might be about the need to control children, they will in the end walk their own path. Our children are not just smaller versions of us, but have their own preferences and their own strengths and weaknesses. It is usually simpler for all concerned when we acknowledge and accept this early on rather than battling with it.

When we consult children on decisions that affect them and show them that we value their input then they feel respected and are easier to be with and to plan with.

Conclusion

Plans for our future, whether at home, in our businesses or with our children, can be easy to create and to follow when we emphasise simplicity and a well-defined vision. Having such a focus allows for flexibility in the face of unforeseen events and sustainability in our actions.

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2. Just For The Love Of It. By Mark Boyle.

Have you ever had a moment of pure clarity when you just know what you have to do? Well this time last year I had two of those at the same time. The first realisation I had was that I didn’t own my possessions, but that they owned me, and instead of liberating me they actually restricted my freedom. On top of that it dawned on me how poor a substitute money is for trust in both humanity and the universe to look after our needs.

So I jumped out of the bath of inaction screaming ‘Eureka’ and did two things. The first was to set up a project called ‘the freeconomy community’ whose raison d’etre is to rebuild communities on the foundation of mutual help and what I call ‘harvest culture’, as opposed to the profit and greed that is the norm today. In this community you can share skills, tools, space and land and it is all done on a ‘pay-it-forward’ basis, so the person you help or share with may not directly help you back, but being part of a diverse community you know there will always be someone else with the skills or tools you need who will be willing to help you. It’s only 3 months old and is already a huge success.

The second thing I did was to ‘become the change I want to see in the world’. Inspired by Gandhi, I have decided to give away all my worldly possessions and walk from the UK to India without money. I will walk from town to town asking people ‘Can I help you?’, a question designed to plant a seed in the hearts and minds of those I meet. All I will need to move on to the next town is enough food to keep me alive and maybe a bit of shelter for the night. I leave on the 30th January 2008.

You can join the community and follow the blog of my journey at www.justfortheloveofit.org

3. Your exploration this month.

What is your personal vision for 2008?

If you run your own business, what is your vision for your business?

Which areas of your life are in most desperate need of simplicity?

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4. Quotes of the month.

"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak."
Hans Hofmann

" Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials."
Lin Yutang

“ Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.”
M. Scott Peck

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5. Want to comment or contribute?

If you would like to comment on any aspect of this newsletter or submit an article for inclusion in it, please contact me by email.

6. Teleclasses and personal coaching.

"6 Steps to a Sustainable Small Business"

A series of 6 teleclasses, each 45 minutes long, exploring the three main elements of the Triple Bottom Line of Sustainable Business Practices, People, Planet, Profit and how to incorporate them into your business.

More details.

"How to Step off the Treadmill"

A series of six teleclasses, each 45 minutes long, exploring the elements of downshifting, the reality of living a sustainable lifestyle in a consumer driven society and how to motivate ourselves to make the switch.

More details.

What is a Teleclass?

A teleclass is a straightforward, low cost and sustainable way of taking part in a group learning session. It's like a conference telephone call.Each participant is supplied with a phone number to call at the appointed time. When you call, you will be welcomed to a virtual classroom where you can listen to the class leader present the teleclass material and you can participate by asking or answering questions if you wish. So it's just like being in a real classroom or workshop setting except that you can take part in the comfort of your own home without having to travel anywhere!

More details

Personal Coaching

One-to-one coaching can help you:

• let go of your old,stressful way of life, find a new path of vitality and an improved way of living.
• deal with fears surrounding financial responsibilities, your relationships with others and other consequences of making a major life change.
• improve your health, wellbeing and spiritual life.
• further your personal growth.
• achieve balance, clarity and peace.
  
  You can view further details on personal coaching here.

7. Privacy policy

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Have a fruitful month!

Sally

Sally Lever
Sustainable Living Coach

+44 (0)1749 674842
sally@sallylever.co.uk
http://www.sallylever.co.uk/

7 Welsford Avenue, Wells, Somerset. BA5 2HX. UK.