Un/Learnings
I love Intending life so this OP was particularly joyful. I am also ready for some change in my direction; however, I have begun to believe that I need to simply walk one day at a time. I am inspired toward good desing
I have unlearned that it is "better" to be a flexible generalist. See 12-26-12.
I have learned that cheap energy drives our times and my life. I recognize that I can and aspire to unlearn some of the assumptions of cheap energy. This feels particularly apropos to my next output packet on energy. See 12-30-12.
I unlearned that I should focus my energy on managing others. See Journal 12-31-12
I have learned that I find myself somewhat digitally illiterate. Or I unlearned that I am competent at everything. This is tied into learning how and when I can and should ask for help. See Journal entry 1-3-13
I unlearned that paying for education with Gaia U was setting me on the fast track to become a permaculture teacher rather than putting in a decade in the fields. See Journal 1-4-13.
One learning that feels particularly valuable is reflecting on specific next steps, it inspires me to take the next step. See Journal 1-5-13
I learned that articulating who my allies are/could be inspires me to contact people who I am interested in working with.
1-3-13
Through this process, I am realizing how digitally illiterate I feel. In these times, I feel like the older generation who when we don't know something about a computer need look no further than a ten year old. I aspire to work more on self motivated learning and I simultaneously I feel empowered to seek and source help when that is more beneficial than unpleasant trial and error. Ultimately, I aspire toward choosing skills that I enjoy and believe will benefit me, asking for help in the early stages of vast learning and refining through my process of trial and error. I err on the side of wanting to be shown how to do something and spend my time doing it well.
1-4-13
I feel inspired to spend the next few years doing more catering and enhancing my role as a healer which I have been working at all my adult life (15 years)
I am allowing myself to see Gaia U and Permaculture as the hobby and passion I have to continue my personal growth. When I attended culinary school and massage school, I went solely with the intention of enjoying myself. I am inspired to reframe my attitude toward my master's degree to be for myself rather than giving myself pressure to develop professionally which I feel is inhibiting the enjoyment of my path. I intend to slow down my expectations of what I want while simultaneously putting out energy to keep moving forward. Synchronously, I am getting more requests to do catering and massage that feel like wonderful opportunities. Who knows what will develop with my permaculture lens . . I certainly didn't think I would be leading living foods cleanses a couple of years after finishing the rich creamy education of French based culinary school. wonderful as I am placing more effort into Permaculture techniques and design. I am realizing that I can and am happy to seize the opportunities that arise, and design situations where more opportunities arise while trusting that all good things come in all good time.
1-5-13
I notice that I can get overwhelmed in the whole project and I benefit from doing one thing at a time. Time feels like it is dilating for me this winter; all I have is time, so I just need to do one thing and then the next. Ironically, it is not the LIPD making me realize this but rather all the projects on my land after being gone for nine months.
12-26-12
I am discovering that although I aspire to be a flexible generalist, I am fairly skilled at becoming an efficient specialist. I think it may provide more ease and less stress in my life to accept what I am good at and use energy to make money there, rather than constantly trying to grow.
Reading David Holmgren today illuminated for me that the generalist possesses flexibility whilee the specialist has efficiency. I realize that at times I am like the dog chasing his tail trying to live and work in todays society as a specialized generalist. I am considering allowing myself to make more money with some of my specialties and continue with my passions as a hobby and allow that to develop into work in good time.
12-30-12
Principles and Pathways has been a potent book to be reading as I reflect on designing my life. Holmgren also illustrated for me that so many of us are addicted to cheap energy. His comment that the 1 billion middle class are the most destructive for the planet as the few elite can only consume so much and the world's poor consume significantly less energy than all of us (Even, we, who hopefully are mindful).
His comment about his friend who saves all her energy usage and then flies off to Europe hit home for me too. I recognize that I aspire toward low impact and then use my share of cheap nonrenewable energy in other ways as it is so easy.
I appreciated his comment that cultural norms like taking a shower every day fuels a demand for energy that is out of whack if we were actually doing the work (carrying the water). This particularly hit home this week as we have very little water pressure and I learned that our "off the grid" home in Baja relies heavily on a huge agricultural pump to provide us with sufficient water pressure.
12-31-12
I hope to light the flame under my own work and Just do it rather than fiddling about trying to create the perfect situation to do it or make sure that those who I am managing are always active. Often, it is more effective to simply remain active on my own when I am the one who knows what is going on. I notice this at times in catering events when I spend my day delegating to less skilled workers rather than simply getting the work done. Good design and Action sheets I hope can give me tools to know what I would like others to do and have that clearly articulated while staying focused and busy myself.