Cost and Investment

Approaching my mid-thirties, I began to notice the amount of time, energy and attention I had been spending on relationships from my past, present and especially those awaiting in my future. Movies and television reinforced this behaviour by telling stories of many others doing the same and always finding love in the end. It seemed such a “normal” practice, that I allowed it to consume all of my teens and twenties. Seeing that it hadn’t been improving my situation but cost a great deal, I began to ask why.

Incapable of providing an answer, another question blossomed, “What might I accomplish if I redirected that energy to something else?”. I strolled the valley of ideas, window shopping for some new focus, seeking something worthy of this wealth of energy I carried in my pocket. Some ideas were just too small while others were no different than where my energy had already been invested but wore new packaging. Soon, I stumbled across a recipe for making my own deodorant using baking soda and a few other items from the pantry. Having developed a skin sensitivity to many products, I gave it a try and, in its success, I had my answer.

I then redirected all this energy and attention into exploring ways to support a more natural way of being. It was an investment in something useful rather than wishful. Making my own skin care products or seeking out more natural sources required more effort that the average person was willing to commit when drug stores provided thousands of options at the ready. The monetary expense was an accepted compromise for the supposed savings on time. I was beginning to see things differently.

In the years since, I have explored many recipes or ideas of my own and replaced not only personal products but also several cleaners around my home. The illusion of excessive time and energy required to accomplish these things was shattered when I found it took less effort than going to a store and cost a fraction of anything on the market. The satisfaction gained has provided a more harmonious way of being without a sense of depletion while significantly reducing my impact on the planet.