March and April goals! (happy post- leap day!)

March and April
~Right view
Life is suffering, strive to eliminate it for those around you in ways that matter to them, not yourself
End toxic relationships for good
Cultivate wholesome relationships with like-minded people: find more vegans
Avoid attachments to unnecessary or unwholesome things: stop watching reality tv
What goes in is what comes out: go organic and/or grow it yourself

I hope that everyone had a fun Leap Day. I know it was weird for myself, writing 2/29 all day, but it was a good day as usual. I talked to a friend who’s been on my mind the last few days, so that’s always good (shout out to vegriot).

So the first part of the new year I really tried to focus inward, to make sure that I was ready for the task ahead for the rest of the year. While in a couple areas I floundered, I did really well in others. This time around I get to look outward, sort of. This is my proverbial “Spring Cleaning”, since in the American Southwest, it’s been teetering between Spring and Summer since mid-January. It was 60-ish yesterday, but all last week it was closer to 80 degrees.

Anyway, it’s important for me to feel like I’m on the right track and that not only I am happy, but that I’m contributing to the happiness of those around me. Often because of my very hectic schedule, I find myself curled up with my honey on the couch at the end of the day, chatting and checking out with some television show. Lately, it’s been a string of “Repo” shows where people are getting their cars repossessed. Sometimes the show revolves around the drivers and the melee they come across and other times it’s the people getting their cars towed… these people. WOW. Sometimes you have to wonder how much is “reality”. They’ve got to be staged. It’s often like an episode of Jerry Springer with tow trucks and weapons.

Every time I watch these programs I feel guilty. It’s sad to think that there are so many people who can’t or just don’t pay their car payments that there’s literally 10 shows on tv about them. What’s more is that it’s like watching Jersey Shore or a train wreck. You kind of get sucked into the stupidity. I’m not sure I like being part of that. It’ll be hard to convince my beloved that we can’t watch this stuff anymore. But we’ll see what happens. If I’m going to be in front of the television, which I have to admit I hate in the first place, I want to watch something of value or at least intellectually stimulating. “Bubble gum” shows are fine, I’ve got nothing against them. I love several sit-coms. But reality tv has got to go for me. I really think it perpetuates voyeur mentalities as well as people living their whole lives in the public forum. Yes, I’m a blogger and I write about my life, but the gory details are spared and I allow some serious privacy.

Another big goal is to end toxic relationships. While this may sound one-sided, it’s really not. If I am toxic to someone, I want to do them the favor of walking away or changing my behavior. I have come to understand that relationships are not the same from both sides. One side may feel like best friends and you couldn’t be closer. The other side may just tolerate you as a part of their life, barely, while secretly lamenting you. I’ve been on both sides of that equation myself. Therefore, it’s my goal to only continue relationships that are wholesome, encouraging, fruitful and fun for everyone involved. If I’m a crap friend, it’s my duty to get away from you.

By the same token, since I’ll be eliminating some people or they’ll be eliminating me… I need to find new friends that are wholesome. I want to associate with more like-minded people, rather than carrying around friends from my past forever, thinking that we are those same people. Of course, I’m bound to retain some old friends that I’m not particularly close to. I’m in no way going to just toss everyone I’m not besties with over the cliff. Not at all. But people who are a drain or I am a drain on, will not make it. This is going to be INCREDIBLY hard for me. Once I am “friends” with someone, I want to keep them, quite literally, forever. I hate ending any relationships, toxic, damaging, hurtful or not. I am the type that always seeks approval, though I often want to admit otherwise and hate it when people are mad at me for any reason, even if it’s 100% out of my control. Bending over backwards to keep someone in your life is silly and it’s not healthy.

Onward and upward! Finally, I’ll be doing a little bit of “inward” thinking too… but with purpose that radiates out. Supporting big agri-business is something I hate. I’m part of a food co op that buys local, regional and small whenever possible. I think this has been an important step in the transition to going organic. Strangely, my brother has already taken this step, but for very different reasons. I’m more about the environment and health and he’s coming from the “survivalist” mentality. Nevertheless, I love that he’s taken that step. Now it’s my turn. Since it’s getting close to planting season here in AZ, it’s time to really think about growing a garden. Having a way to produce much of my own food will allow me to spend less money on large scale grown products and more money on wholesome, local, organic foods. With that, I’m going to start composting too. I have taken note lately about how much food I waste and how much of it can be recycled into food for plants. It’s time to take that step.

I know this was a long entry and I’m sorry for that, but there was a lot to cover. Thank you all for reading. If you have any suggestions, comments or gardening tips, please feel free to share them! I look forward to reading them. Thanks again!

(above pictures from: http://www.johnsorganicworld.webs.com/ & http://www.fitnessgoop.com/2010/08/community-supported-agriculture-affordable-local-organic-produce/)

 

~ by wendemachete on March 1, 2012.