Recession

This is not my sunniest post. But I believe in facing fear, not avoiding it (remember that, dear self?). For the past few months I’ve been so obsessed with my own little pitiful narrative, that I’ve missed out on some fundamental changes to the world I live in.

These are things I’ve known in the abstract, but never taken the time to process fully, because to do so is terrifying. We are growing up in a recession. Which is a sugar-coated way of saying that the way the past generation lived, the quick consumer oil-driven culture, our high levels of employment and mobility- that’s trickling down.

And then accept that. Not, “oh, I won’t be able to buy as much stuff”. That’s not such a big deal. It’s that our entire economy is funded on the principle of being able to buy that much stuff. So the jobs cut down, the malls crumble, industries fall. I'm experiencing an almost "be-careful-what-you-wish-for" moment. Many a time have I hoped our society would become less materialistic. I hoped such a sentiment would evolve out of organic choices to have fewer, more creative and sustainable goods. I hoped such choices would not be forced. Now, they may be.

Consider this: Your parents were able to afford a house, you, maybe not so much. Or an apartment, or car. Won’t be able to travel so often. Will spend the bulk of your money on food, shelter and heat. Won’t have job mobility, job choice, hell, even a job- your career on hold, your business goes under, high unemployment rates, more restaurants start closing, no money for big productions, no student loans, tiny quantities of credit, far less champagne. All hard work, little reward. And that’s a recession. A little dip. I’m not taking about a depression. I'm not talking about what happens when our country becomes less competitive and more incapable of paying its debts, when we our oil goes down and the infrastructure we've sent abroad because it was cheaper.....

I don't want to talk about it because I'm scared to, also because I have a deep-seated prejudice against worrying so much. But every so-called 'step-back' is an opportunity for innovation, creativity and glory.

Do I think it will get real bad? I hope not, and I would even go so far as to say, probably not. But much of it is true. A friend of mine says, “I fear that I won’t be able to provide my children the kind of life I want. We are squandering our natural resources. ” Another says, “Our generation just won’t have the same quality of life as the past generation. They took it all on credit, we are paying the bills”.

If one has hopes for a jolly life, one should focus their energy on clean-tech, sustainability and the social psychology of a generation that will have to rebuild many of the things we have taken for granted.

Here’s just some things I’m thinking about:

1. Get off the grid, or get out of the climate. Expenses are going to rise exponentially over the years, and, for low-income earners, heat may become a luxury. That’s a risk I would never want to take (cold temperatures are my weak spot). Alternative energy investments for one’s home, if one intends to live there for a while, are critical.

2. Support small, American farms that are local. Once energy gets expensive, they will be critical. Join a CSA. If you own land, consider using it. Grow plants; grow trees.

3. Invest in people and projects. Money used to buy one an easy life, no matter how uninvolved he or she was in the local community. It still will. But that will be a privilege for fewer and fewer people, people whose lives are tinged with anxiety should they loose their foothold. Get involved in community. Live somewhere that means something to you. It will make a significant difference in your quality of life. It will also keep the miserable mindset of one’s “own poor little state at bay.

4. Look out for your health and your body. Do not ignore your body now and leave the health care costs for tomorrow. For your sake, and for the sake of everyone you care about. This will be really difficult, as there will be much pressure to overwork oneself and intoxicate the body. I’m just saying.

5. Green collar. Our country needs individuals to step up to the plate and create sustainable companies that are local, so that when energy runs low our quality of life does not. Lobbying for green collar jobs, asking corporations to go green, making more and more individuals conscious of the choices we need to make.

In today’s climate, I really think I’ve made a good choice. I cannot think of anything a society living in a recession needs more than yoga. (Of course, I could make that argument for anything....our buy-it-break-it-fast-upgrade-it lifestyle wasn’t exactly healthy either). All the insecurities I’ve had about choosing such a profession (and I admit that was many, many, many) are gone, I am dedicating myself fully to yoga and everything I believe is a part of it- philosophy, bodywork, psychotherapy, healing, responsible, sustainable ways of life.