GETTING STARTED WITH SELF SUFFICIENT LIVING
Being self sufficient is both a lifestyle and a philosophy. Some may simply wish to produce their own food, and not consume food that is shipped from the other side of the globe. Whilst others may simply yearn for the frontier spirit, for personal freedom, to escape the rat race, or are disheartened by the lack of community in the modern world and strive for an environment that harbours community spirit.
Whatever the reasons a person may have for wishing to become self-sufficient, it is important to recognise your mental, physical, and emotional state. People who strive for self-sufficiency require courage and determination, but they also have to move away from the grumbling and self-analysis of modern life, towards a positive and can-do attitude. In our Ecotherapy online course we delve into Nature being the most powerful healer. Learn how to include nature, whether animals, plants, gardens or natural landscapes, into professional therapies
What is Self Sufficiency?
Self sufficiency can take a variety of forms and can relate to either an individual or a group of people.
Consider the following statements that help to describe self sufficiency.
- Self sufficient is to produce the things which you need to survive without the assistance from others. You can produce some of your needs and be partly self sufficient, produce all of your needs and be completely self sufficient.
- An individual person can be self sufficient, a small group (e.g. a family) can be self sufficient, or a large group can be self sufficient (you might think in terms of a whole community, city or country).
- To become self sufficient usually involves making certain compromises or concessions in your lifestyle. It may be choosing different clothing to wear, adapt to a different mode of transport or change your diet. The degree to which you can achieve self sufficiency is often related to the degree to which you are willing to make compromises.
- Large areas of land are not necessary to become self sufficient. Depending on what you produce and how you produce it, you can become relatively self sufficient on a standard suburban house block.
- Bartering or swapping goods and/or services is a way of living often adopted by those interested in self sufficiency; although this does not strictly fall in line with a true self sufficient life-style, the barter system helps by removing (mostly) dependence on the monetary system. Many will learn to repair small equipment and trade or barter for other services or goods.
- The concept of a system that is self-perpetuating, working within the cycles of nature is often part of the self-sufficient ideal. The concepts of permaculture, companion planting and alternative medicine using medicinal herbs etc all become part of that ideal - seeking to establish a self-supporting system both economically and environmentally.
What is Needed to Make a Successful Change
Firstly in order to make the change from a reliant to a self-reliant way of living, a trade needs to be made - money for time. People who do successfully make the change often have a feeling of empowerment; they have reduced their reliance on purchased goods, finding that they really can live without the so called ‘trappings of modern society.’ Some have a sense of freedom; a narrowing of choice requires less energy. This time and energy must then be used to build, grow, sew, and cook in order to supply basic daily needs that were previously supplied by the money earned. Once people realise they can trade money for time they need to consider their approach to everyday life; evaluate their real needs as opposed to their perceived needs.
You may need to compromise to achieve a balance between the things you would like to have and the things you are able to provide yourself with. A self sufficient lifestyle might make you less dependent on society, but this might only be possible at the expense of giving up luxuries.
Where to Start?
A good place to start is to look at and answer the following questions:
- What can you live without?
- What can’t you live without?
- How far do you want to go in being self-sufficient?
- What knowledge and skills do you have i.e. practical, management, budgeting and organisational?
- What skills do you need?
- Have you considered how much life will really change?
- Do you understand the physical work involved?
- Are you fit enough both mentally and physically?
- Are you prepared to compromise?
On a practical level make up a list of all the goods and services you get from modern society such as, doctors, chemist (medicines), cleaning aids, meat, vegetables, cereals, clothing, and electric heating, etc. Then go through the list and note the goods and services that you think you could supply for yourself and also those you could not. Then have another look at the list and note all the skills that you already have and those that you will need in order to supply these goods yourself. From this you will gain a fair idea of where your skills and skills shortages are.
Gaining knowledge is also key for any new endeavour. There are many online sustainability courses and ebooks on topics such as Food self Sufficiency , self paced online courses on food sustainability available to assist you on your journey. Get in touch with our specialist self sufficiency course advisors today.