Slow living:Live by your values

As discussed in my previous post about exploring slow living, today I want to explore the first principle, namely that of living by my values. It’s surprisingly difficult to hone in on the essential values that I hold dearest. It’s easy to produce a laundry list of values, but much harder to boil them down to what I consider absolutely fundamental, which are those that motivate my actions and guide me through life. People’s personal values vary; none are more important than others, as these are all subjective choices. Personal values can change over time, so I want to focus on a handful that have been with me for most of my life. Part of slow living is learning to focus on what you consider to be truly important; having a comprehensive list of personal values can actually defeat the purpose, as the point is to be focused and intentional. This process is not easy and, for someone who is as prone to analysis as I am, it can become somewhat akin to falling down the proverbial rabbit hole, so I relied more on my intuition and focused on the first values that popped into my head, in a similar process to word association. I won’t go into the process in any detail, but the values below are what emerged as my top contenders, which I list in alphabetical order:

• Beauty
• Kindness
• Knowledge
• Religion (or Faith)
• Responsibility

Beauty: I’ve always been drawn to beauty for as long as I can remember. While beauty can manifest itself in several ways, I have always been drawn to visual and aural forms of beauty, such as art, sculptures, architecture, and music. I’m a reserved person and not prone to wearing my heart on my sleeve, but beautiful objects, music, and so forth, can move me to tears, even if they are not necessarily visible to others. I take such pleasure in finding beautiful objects: they don’t need to be famous works of art, sometimes a simple and elegant candlestick can make me smile. I’m usually at my happiest when I’m in a gallery surrounded by beautiful objects, or in a magnificent church (this is related to my Religion value). I will strive to take time every day to revel in beauty and to immerse myself in it, even if it’s just for a moment, as a bulwark against a sometimes ugly world.

Kindness: Kindness is the sincere and voluntary use of one’s time, talent, and resources to better the lives of others, one’s own life, and the world through genuine acts of love, compassion, generosity, and service. This is a value to which I strive but of which I often fall short. Learning to be kinder to others, as well as to myself, is something that I need to work hard on, particularly since my desire for competency, a deep-rooted aspect of my personality, can make me intolerant or impatient.

Knowledge: This is perhaps not a surprising value for someone who has pursued an academic career. There is an irony, however, to having a career where knowledge can be pursued more as a means to an end, rather than for its own sake. By this I mean that there is a complusion in my profession to translate that knowledge into a tangible outcome, such as a journal publication. I find that this pursuit can sometimes serve to commodify knowledge, if you will, and rather takes the fun out of it. I want to place a greater emphasis on knowledge for the sake of knowledge, without a specific end goal in mind, career advancement, or the like.

Religion: Religion has been a part of my life since I was a baby. I was educated in a religious school until university, and have been actively involved in various churches for most of my life. I consider myself to be a religious person, in that I adhere to the beliefs (most, but not all) of a particular religion. My faith has always presented me with an interesting conundrum, as it often battles against my very rational and logical brain. I do know that my religion provides me with a sense of purpose, guides my values, and provides a sense of perspective on what is truly important. It’s an area where I profit immensly when I give it the time and attention it deserves.

Responsibility: A former colleague once told me “you suffer from a surfeit of responsibility.” I’ve always placed a very high value on personal responsibility; it can drive me to be a better person, but it can also lead to harmful behaviours, such as taking on too much, driving myself too hard, and having unreasonable expectations of others. It’s likely a word that could be etched on my tombstone. My slow living approach to responsibility is to use it to help me focus on monitoring my own behaviours and well-being, while to be forgiving of both myself and others if we fall short of my (sometimes unreasonable) expectations.

SkinFix

I have recently modified my skincare routine. My skin is very dry and reactive, and it’s a challenge to find products that are both moisturizing enough and non irritating. Plus, of course, they need to be vegan and, if possible, in sustainable packaging. The ingredient list of so many of these products, however, often contains a laundry list of items that irritate my skin on contact, such as limonene, linalool, retinol, glycolic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, ascorbic acid, essential oils, and so forth. And don’t get me started on fragrances.

After doing a fair amount of searching on dermatology sites, I found that many recommended products by SkinFix. To my pleasant surprise, I found that the company is PETA certified, which means all its products are vegan, uses recycled plastic and paper, has a refillable option (more about this later), and its products do not contain a very long list of irritating ingredients. The company works with an impressive list of dematologists. The icing on the cake: The company is Canadian and based in Fall River, Nova Scotia.

I’ve been using the Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream for a week now and am very pleased with the results. I need a rich, thick moisturizer, and this fits the bill; plus, there is no stinging, burning, or redness when I apply it. It has a very unique pump action that doesn’t actually use a pump, which means that (a) you are not exposing the product to the air, and (b) you’re avoiding the plastic spout and nozzle that most pumps have. You can buy a refill pod that fits under the pump mechanism, so this saves some plastic. They do use recycled plastic, so that’s a bonus.

They have products for different skin conditions, such as eczema and rosacea; I use the barrier restore line and it’s best suited to my needs. They send me a sample of the cleanser and it was very soothing; most cleansers, even those targeted for dry skin, leave my skin very tight. So far, I’m impressed.

Rejecting the culture and worship of busyness

Bartleby the Scrivener

Herman Melville’s Bartleby the Scrivener’s catch phrase “I would prefer not to,” leads to extreme behaviour for the character, but I think we could learn a thing or two from this phrase, as well as Scrivener’s belief that “We must cultivate a relationship with inactivity, and not become disoriented or panicked at how unlike work, or being at some task, our leisure actually is.”

There have been many excellent articles and posts written about the culture of busyness. The growing number of such articles is an indication, perhaps, of how much this culture has grown over the years. I use the term “worship” in my title, because I think that’s become a very common approach to busyness: we worship at the altar of busyness like acolytes looking for validation of their worth and reward for their efforts.

Busyness has become a competitive sport; we all seem to feel the need to tell others how busy we are. How many times do you hear (or say) “Busy,” when people ask you how you are? In my professional environment, it seems that the number of hours we dedicate to work are seen a badge of honour: we list the number of evenings that we work, as well as weekends. We say we can’t not look at work email when we are on holidays because we will spend too much time catching up afterwards. We feel the need to take on tasks that fill almost every hour of our working days. Time and time again, people say how tired they are and busy, yet they take no time to rest, or to say no to tasks.

I say none of this to offend anyone; I’ve done all these things as well. As I say, busyness has become engrained into our culture. We are expected, it seems, to take on task after task and to work evenings and weekends. We are always connected and must respond at the drop of a hat. We are also to blame to some extent for people’s expectations; so, for example, I make it very clear to people that I’m not joking when I say that I don’t read or respond to email when I’m on holidays and I have found that people tend to send me fewer messages as a result. I think spending a few hours catching up with email when I return is a small price to pay for taking a true holiday from work.

How much of this obsession with busyness is tied to our fragile egos? Do we keep busy, and let others know how busy we are, because we feel the constant need to receive validation of our worth? Is our self worth tied so strongly to public perception (and our declaration) of our productivity? Do we unknowingly use our busyness as a way of showing that we are somehow better or more valid that others? If we aren’t busy, then we can’t be important and contributing members of society. In many ways, we have reduced ourselves to commodities.

Have we fallen into the trap of measuring our self worth with what we do and how much we produce? How many of us tie our identity do our professions and what we produce? Again, I’m pointing the finger at myself when I say this. One of the reasons I’ve embraced minimalism over the past few years is because I’m simply tired of being a rat on an endlessly-spinning wheel. I simply cannot and will not accept that who I am is defined by what I do for a living. Who I am is a combination of the principles, beliefs, values, and morals that I hold. My professional career is something that I do and enjoy, but it does not define who I am. It’s a cliche, I know, but there really is more to life than work.

I’m not going to get all new age and “intentional” on you; that’s simply not who I am. My brain is hardwired to always seek the most efficient and effective ways of doing things. I’ve extended this lens to the quality of my life, and working all hours of the day and over weekends is simply an inefficient way to live. Being constantly busy is actually a failure on my part to be efficient, because it means that I’m spending too much time on what I do for a living, and neglecting who I am as a person. Spending 12-14 hours a day on my work life (the what) means that I have little to no time to devote to me (the who). Neglecting the who is the ultimate inefficiency. The less time I spend on the who, the less efficient I am dealing with the what.

Every day, I carve out time for the who and guard it jealously. I’m an early bird, so I spend quality time on the who before I work on the what. The what takes a hiatus in the evenings and over the weekend. Does this mean I will produce less than others? Perhaps. Does this make me less self worthy? This is the ultimate question I need to deal with because of my emphasis on efficiency. I’ve learned, however, that efficiency and productivity are only loosely correlated. One can produce a lot of things; the quality of these things may not be that good, however. Even if the quality of the output is good, what is the impact on the who? I’ve seen what has happened to my health when I’ve placed the what above the who; this is the ultimate inefficiency and something I’m not willing to live with.

The more time I spend on the what, the less satisfaction I feel with the who. Ultimately, for me it’s the who that counts more. If I can’t take the time for the who, and to work on expanding my horizon and knowledge, I have failed my ultimate test of efficiency. Yes, the work I produce adds to my knowledge and, I hope makes a contribution to others, but this is only one aspect of who I am. I simply need more than this. And yes, I’m worth it.

What I’ve written above relates to only my reflections on what is important to me. I realize that other people’s lives, realities, and priorities differ from mine, and that the choices I make are designed for my well-being. I do think, however, that a reflection on the impact of busyness on our lives is worth the effort.

Holiday shopping in Halifax Regional Municipality

I am somewhat reluctant to write this post, as I encourage people to buy less, rather than more, but I realize that buying gifts is an inevitable part of the holiday season for most people. I’m a strong believer in supporting locally-owned businesses; I think this is particularly important during this COVID-19 period, where so many small businesses are struggling to survive. The list below are my favourite local stores that sell a variety of items that reflect my interests; most of these stores feature products made by local artisans. The stores are located in the Halifax Regional Municipality; all have online shopping options.

Bookmark. We are a locally owned, independent bookstore. We are passionate about books. Since 1972 in Charlottetown and 1989 in Halifax, the Bookmark people have promoted the benefits of the written word, the beauty the book as physical object, and the value of sharing stories and ideas. We see independence as a virtue and are doing our part to keep our communities interesting.

I am an avid reader, but I don’t buy a lot of physical books, as I prefer ebooks. For those who purchase physical books, this store has an excellent selection of titles in a variety of genres, and also a good collection of planners and stationery.

Biscuit General Store. Biscuit General Store is inspired by our love of beauty and by our community here in Halifax, N.S. This place is our heart and soul, and we are always evolving to offer what resonates for us and our customers. We opened the shop in 1996, in a tiny space with no money! We wanted to offer an alternative to shopping in mall chain stores that was more fashion-centric, more local, more human, and more fun.

This store sells primarily clothing for men and women. I don’t buy too many items of clothing from the store, but I have purchased accessories, soaps, and home goods. True to its name, this store sells a bit of everything in addition to clothes.

Duly Noted Stationery. Notebooks, stationery, pens, ink, planners, and much more. I’ve bought a few fountain pens from this store (a weakness of mine), and buy my ink and writing supplies here.

Independent Mercantile Company: Curating this jewel box of home decor, kitchen goods, bar provisions, plants, books, candles, stationery and personal care is a celebration. It’s offered up for your enjoyment. This store sells a wide variety of home goods, and many with a strong eco-focus.

Inkwell Modern Handmade. Inkwell is a modern handmade boutique and letterpress studio located in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, with an abundant selection of specialty printed paper products and handmade delights made with love, by artists from around the corner and across the world. Wonderful selection of handmade cards. I’ve bought some beautiful cushion covers as well.

Jennifer’s of Nova Scotia. Located in Halifax. Proudly Supporting Artists of Atlantic Canada since 1978. This Halifax staple features a wide variety of handmade products, including jewellery, scarves, gloves, plates, and decorative items.

Kept: This store has a large variety of items for the kitchen, children, home décor, and stationery. Many of the products are made in Canada.

Made in the Maritimes. Our curated collection includes pottery, fine art, prints, textiles, cards, woodwork, folk art, jewellery, housewares, soft furnishings, glass art, baby gifts, gourmet edibles, health and beauty, and many other items. Most items are made in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick or Prince Edward Island. We also carry a curated collection of Canadian Made products. This description says it all.

Woozles. If children are on your gift list, you can’t go wrong with this independent bookstore with a focus on children.

Thornbloom. This store has a large variety of home goods, including linens, furniture, cookware, etc. I’ve bought a sofa from this store, as well as most of my kitchen linens.

Another variation of vegan bolognese sauce

Ingredients

1 onion, finely diced

1 large carrot, finely shredded

3 cloves garlic, minced

Dried basil and oregano

Crushed tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

I used my food processor to dice the onion and carrots, and the fine shredder attachment for the carrot. You want the vegetables to be as fine and thin as possible.

Sauté the vegetables in olive oil for a few minutes. I like to add the herbs, as this brings out their flavour.

Add the crushed tomatoes and the remaining seasonings. Bring to the boil, then simmer on low until the vegetables are tender.

Le Marché, King’s Wharf

As I had a car rental this past weekend, I decided to visit the King’s Wharf community in Dartmouth. I discovered a new local store, Le Marché, which sells a nice variety of mostly-locally made food products, including fresh bread and produce, as well as some natural cleaning and beauty products. I treated myself to some unpackaged white Lebanese olive oil soap bars, as well as to a bottle of Splash blood-orange olive oil. The store has a small, but good collection of olive oils stored in vats; you fill glass bottles with the oil, and can bring the bottles in for a refill. It’s the same concept as the larger Liquid Gold stores in Halifax. It’s a nice little store that I will make a point of visiting again.

Environmental footprint check-in: Kitchen, 2018

Image source

Once a year or so I like to check in on my progress in minimizing my environmental footprint and reducing my use of plastic. The term “zero waste” has become very popular amongst Millenials, which I am very happy to see, but my environmentally-conscious practices date back quite a bit further than that to when I was in my early twenties.  As always when I do these check-ins, I focus on areas of the home.

I did a major declutter of my kitchen last summer; I do this twice a year in all my house, but this past summer was a particularly rigorous exercise. I had accumulated a lot of smaller appliances and gadgets that I rarely used. With most of my possessions, I use the simple criterion of “have I used this item in the past year?” If the answer is no, out it goes (donated or recycled responsibly). This applied as well to a number of pots and pans. I have only what I need. I use glass jars to store dried legumes, sugar, coffee, and so forth. I use glass jars as well to freeze food, vegetable broths, and so forth.  I have no plastic storage containers anymore. I rely mostly on reusing jam jars, pickle jars, and so forth. I have bought some larger jars to take with me to the Bulk Barn which, I am delighted to report, now allows me to bring my own reusable jars and bags.

I have been using Credo produce bags for several years to buy fruits and vegetables. I have sewn my own cloth bags to use in the Bulk Barn. I am using this wooden dish brush that comes with refillable brushes, and this bamboo and metal dish rack. I stopped making my own dish soap,  as I found I was generating more waste in buying the products and, further, that I had to use a lot of it to clean items properly. I have chosen the more efficient option of this multi-purpose concentrated cleaner to wash dishes, as well as the kitchen and bathroom counters and surfaces. The cleaner comes in a plastic bottle, but it lasts a very long time and generates less waste in the long run. I wash dishes in this tub (British style), as I find this saves a lot of water. I use old rags and flour sack towels to clean surfaces; I haven’t used paper kitchen towels in over 20 years.  I have tried a zero-waste charcoal filter for my tap water, but I wasn’t pleased with the results, so I have purchased this Brita Filter pitcher; the company takes back the filters and recycles them. It’s not an ideal solution, but it’s better than plastic bottles. Our drinking water in Halifax is very good, but I do prefer the taste when I filter it. The new filters last a very long time.

Much as I would like to buy my coffee beans in bulk, I am very, very particular about my coffee. Coffee beans in bulk bins are often too stale for my liking. This is not an area in which I intend to compromise, so I do buy beans in sealed bags that contain some plastic. I use a burr grinder for the beans, a French Press (which generates no waste), and compost the grounds. I do like the occasional cup of herbal tea, which I buy in loose form from a local store that allows me to bring my own container.

I use only cloth napkins and tablecloths. I travel with a travel pouch that contains a cloth napkin, this foldable set of utensils, a metal straw, and this small Keep Cup. Although there are glass Keep Cups, I find them too heavy for my handbag and, besides, I’m rather too accident prone to be safe around them. I carry a stainless steel water bottle, as well. I don’t carry a metal lunchbox with me, as this would take too much space, but at least I can use reduce my waste consumption with the items in my travel bag.

I buy my fruits and vegetables seasonally from a local farmers’ market. I wish it were possible to avoid all foods in plastic, but some things are unavoidable. I cannot possibly eat bread without vegan margarine, which comes in a plastic tub. I buy my bread from a local baker (The Petite Baker), and exchange cloth bags with her every week. Staples such as tofu and vegan cheese come in plastic, but I do make sure to choose the ones with the least plastic. I prepare most of my meals from scratch, so this helps cut down on the purchase of a lot of prepared food products, and I cook all my legumes from their dried state. I purchase the following items from the bulk store in my own containers: Legumes, sugar, grains, pasta, coconut oil, cornstarch, flour, arrowroot, baking soda, soap nuts, bar soap, nuts, nutritional yeast, spices, and herbs.  Naturally,  all shopping is done with my own bags.

I would welcome any ideas for other things that I could do to reduce waste and the use of plastic.

 

 

Quiet Revolution

 

As a Canadian, and one who has degrees in Canadian and Quebec history, the phrase “Quiet Revolution” inevitably conjures images of Jean Lesage and the Quebec Liberal Party in the 1960s. This revolution, however, refers to the community webpage created by Susan Cain, the author of the book I’m reading, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. This book has been on my wishlist for a while.  I have always scored very high on the introversion scale on all the personality tests I have taken over the years. My scores have been very consistent, including my Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBT), where I have been an INTJ since I first took the test in my early twenties. There has been a fair amount of literature about introversion over the recent years, likely inspired by this book.

Some people have a difficult time accepting that I’m an introvert because I am not shy. As a child, I was very bookish and studious and always had my nose buried in a book. I was also a very intellectually curious child, so I was often called precocious, as I always had a long list of questions to ask about everything. Because I asked these questions, and kept drilling down responses with further questions until I could make rational sense of what I heard (Typical INTJ), I was often called talkative, which is not a trait one normally associates with introverts. In my case, however, I spoke not because I wanted to engage in conversation for its own sake, but because I was looking for information to form an understanding of a particular concept.

An interesting lesson I learned as a child, and have continued to observe throughout my life, is that staying in my comfort zone of quiet often leads to misunderstandings, and questions such as “what’s wrong? Are you upset?” I have been labelled “moody” more times than I can recall, simply because of my preference for quiet and solitude.  For most of my life, I have felt the pressure to work to extravert norms; this, sadly, is likely true of most introverts. I’m the person who cringes at the thought of having to go to a large social event; when I am there any small talk I make sounds forced to my ears. I’ve learned to “fake it,” thanks to years of practice, but the discomfort never goes away, and I escape as soon as I can.

This book provides an interesting look at how the characteristics of extraversion have become celebrated over the past 100 years.  It doesn’t tell me anything about myself that I don’t already know, but it helps to put it into a larger societal context. It’s also refreshing to read a book where introversion and quiet are celebrated, rather than seen as traits to be overcome.

 

Lush shampoo bars

 

I have been on hunt again for a low waste method for washing my hair. For a while, I had used the rye flour method to wash my hair, but I wasn’t too happy with the results, as even though I rinsed my hair well, I would still have some residual flakes from the flour. I have tried a number of shampoo bars, but many of them either dried out my hair, or left too much residue in my hair, likely because of the high concentration of oils. Many shampoo bars use coconut oil, which my skin does not like.  I am not a fan of coconut oil at all, as I find that it sits on the skin rather than moisturizes it.

I had avoided trying Lush shampoo bars because they contain SLS. Liquid shampoos with SLS have been disastrous with my hair, leaving a veritable rats’ nest behind. If  have to douse my hair in conditioner to overcome the damage from the shampoo, then clearly there’s a problem. This article, admittedly written by Lush, suggested that SLS in shampoo bars might be less damaging because you apply only the foam to the hair, rather than the product directly: When you use a liquid shampoo you apply the neat material to your scalp, but you don’t get that with a shampoo bar — you only get the foam that comes off the material, which means that even people with the most sensitive scalps can use it.  I don’t know if this statement is scientifically sound, but I was willing to give it a try.

Choosing a shampoo bar at Lush is a challenge in that all of the bars contain fragrance. I know that Lush takes pride in its fragrances, but I do wish that some unscented products were made as well. Shampoo, at least, rinses out, so I crossed my fingers. I selected the Jason and the Argonauts shampoo bar, which is vegan. I use the shampoo bar only once a week, as my dry scalp does not like to be over washed; I wash with water and conditioner in between shampoos as necessary. I’ve been pleased with the results. The bar lathers well, and you use very little of it, so this bar should last me for a number of bars. It cleans the scalp and hair well, and does not appear to over dry my hair. I was pleased to note that the scent of the bar does not linger in the hair. So, this bar is a win-win with regard to zero waste and effectiveness.

Update: I have had to give up on this soap bar. As I feared, the sulfates in the bar eventually became a problem, drying out both my hair and my scalp. On the other hand, I’ve been using a silicone-free conditioner to wash my scalp for about two weeks now, and this has been working very well. Unfortunately, the conditioner does come in a plastic bottle, but I can’t seem to find a plastic-free option that works for my scalp and hair.

Some of my favourite online Canadian green stores

Image source 

If buying gifts is on your agenda for this holiday season, why not consider giving environmentally-friendly gifts? I have compiled a list of my favourite Canadian online retailers that sell green and sustainable products. Buying in person is always the best option, of course, but online stores provide a wider range of options at times, especially if you want to ship items to friends and family. If possible, buy only what people need, to avoid adding waste to landfills.

• P’Lovers: This only store sells eco-friendly products, and has physical stores located in Mahone Bay, Halifax, and Dartmouth in Nova Scotia.
• Life Without Plastic: This store has been in business for a number of years, and is committed to providing products that are sustainable and that reduce our use of plastic.
• Rawganique: This store sells mostly clothing and accessories made from hemp, linen, and organic cotton.
• Green Cricket: This store sells personal and home products via two storefronts: Retail and Commercial. All the products sold are made by the company.
• Just the Goods: Personal care items.  I started buying from this store when it had a few products on Etsy. The store has since grown, but continues to maintain its very high standards.
• Ten Thousand Villages: This retailer provides handcrafted products made in a variety of communities around the world, with a focus on fair trade and local materials
• Elate Cosmetics: Vegan beauty products with a focus on reducing packaging and using refillable products.
• Cool Earth Products: Canadian-made products to reduce the use of plastic. I have been using their Carebags produce bags for years.
• Hornet Mountain: Various eco-friendly products for personal use, the home, and animal companions
• Bamboo Clothes: Self-explanatory.
• Eco-Handbags: All bags are made from recycled materials.
• Eco Suds: Soapnuts and wool dryer balls.
• Penny Lane Organics: Personal and home products at reasonable prices. Their cleaning paste is excellent.
• The Soap Dispensary: This brick-and-mortar store in Vancouver sells a large variety of refillable home and personal products. An online shopping site will be opening soon, which I would be interested in exploring, since I always prefer to refill whenever possible.