7: PreCommitment

Okay, I titled this "pre-commitment" because while I feel I have a great deal to say/process about this project, I am not quite ready to dive in with both feet. I am a logistics person, you see, and I need some time to think through the details of how this project will work for me/my family and what my motivations and goals will be for it.

I think the 7 project (click here if you have no idea what we are talking about)  is a great one - and simply reading through the book I am feeling an great need to gain all that there is gain from this experiment, now. But I know that the process is wherein lies the gift, and so I will ponder for a bit before I begin it.

Part of my issue is that I want to do all of it. At once.

I want to give away my stuff, limit my clothing, give my stuff away, recycle, grow a garden, turn off Facebook, turn off the tv, eat good food ...sheesh. In typical "Courtney" form I want to dive all in all at once ...but still do in a way that makes sense to me. Does that make sense?

Anyways ..in short, this book is messing with me.

I am thinking ahead to the areas that I will limit myself in the most extreme sense of the word (the "7" sense of the word) but I am already doing a few things that I can't help doing now that my thinking is changing.

I can't just wait to be moved to action, even if I am not ready to jump all in quite yet.

For starters, going to the grocery store today was like a battle of wills. My past self (which partnered with my husband, incidentally) reached for all the old processed foods; the prepackaged, easy to prepare stuff. While my new-ish self was feeling disgust for all "non-food" and "fake" food that all of a sudden I am acutely aware of.

I was finally pushed over the edge of procrastination and finally bought all the stuff I needed for baking bread and making homemade granola cereal. This is something I have wanted to do for awhile, and for a some reason this book did that to me.

Not really sure why - because the food chapter isn't as much about prepacked food than about limiting our choices a bit for the sake of sacrifice. But, I liked the idea of limiting ourselves to things that are good/better for our bodies, both mine and my little peoples (A-dawg is allowed to eat all the "real" cheese cheetoes he wants to ..for now.).

I am also feeling regretful that my neighborhood doesnt recycle, and that my waste company charges a $10 fee for removing recycling. I feel regretful about it, but not enough to make any sacrifices quite yet. It will come. Meanwhile, I am pondering ways I can reuse more stuff, and reduce my use of plastics. Gotta start somewhere.

I am also thinking about giving away stuff ..I will not wait for the my "7" inspired lifestyle to start this one. Right after I bake loaf of honey wheat bread tonight I am cleaning out my closet. No lie. I can't wait.

This week, the kids weren't allowed to do anything electronic until Quiet Time (an hour and a half we take every afternoon for everyone to go to their corners and be still - mommy loves quiet time.). That meant a significant reduction in tv time, and a lot less arguing about who was using the ipad or got to play on the computer. Less is good.

The final excess she looks at is stress. Well, I have that on in the bag ...its kinna my thing. But she approaches from a different angle than I have, and proposes a centuries old practice of recognizing 7 "pauses" a day. I am working on integrating those into my life as well, as it works so great with thoughts I am already having and is a great way to "pre-commit" to this project.

I am excited to see what other things I get to learn from the process of reduction and rejection of (less) excess. I will keep you posted!