Here are some ways I keep my head up when how I
want my life to be (homesteading) is far from how it really
is (urban).
1.
Finding tiny ways to change that are related to those big dreams.
I want to have a huge garden, but I have been able to enjoy a potted garden for two years now. I want
chickens someday, but I got a worm bin going.
2.
Finding many things to be grateful for in my current situation.
The Permaculture City (by
Toby Hemenway) blew my mind when I read it the first time. He left the homesteading/"self-sufficient" lifestyle to come back into the very urban scenario that I dream of escaping. My eyes were opened, through this book, to many benefits that a
city can provide, and those benefits can of course be further amplified by
Permaculture design! Personally, I'm also close to family here in the city--definitely something to be grateful for on a weekly basis.
3.
Contributing to those who are currently doing what I want to do.
My sister's in-laws (far away) grow organically on their family farm. I have tried to help them out a bit (financially) because I wholeheartedly believe in their mission and practices.
4.
Reading up further on all the things I want to do.
Widely reading helps me make discoveries that lead to 1) seeing opportunities for what I can do even now, 2) better planning what I will do in the future if I ever
do have more
land, and 3) trying out projects that increase my skills, which is always useful.
I often get stuck in jealously and hopelessness when I think about the big things I wish for. Keeping my eyes on the present moment helps me cope!
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