The Smiths used to live in the fast lane. Ray would leave the sleeping household early in the morning and return home late when the kids were tucked up in bed. Although they had a outwardly pleasant life, a nice house in the suburbs and two cars, Tracey and Ray felt unfulfilled and frustrated. Tracey tells their story and describes how downshifting worked for them.
We certainly didn’t have children for Ray to be a weekend dad and life just wasn’t ringing our bell. I was starting to sow the seeds of greater self-sufficiency. At the weekend, I worked in the Home Farm Trust charity shop. I would go in with a bag full of donations and come home with different bags full of inexpensive goodies! I figured the less financial pressure there was on Ray’s shoulders to earn the money to keep us all, the less he would have to work and the more time he could spend with me and the children; simple but effective equation. Sourcing secondhand clothing to ease the financial pressure wasn’t enough though and after friends with three kids made a successful migration to France we too decided to take the plunge. We focussed on learning the language for a year and with our keen selfsufficientish skills, we thought it would be a wonderful place to immerse ourselves in the culture and community and spend more time together as a family.
The good life
Those first few months of freedom were surreal to be honest. Free from the restraints of the 9-5 (or should I say, 7-8), it was incredible. We cracked on almost immediately, sorted out our veggie garden and compost heap, then strengthened the poulalier (chicken house) ready for a flock. We started off with about 10 chickens, then added 10 ducks over a period of time and topped it off with a couple of guinea fowl. Then we liberated 10 ex-battery hens. We nursed them back to full health and their arrival was a definate turning point for never eating factory-farmed chicken again. These birds were never killed – they had full-on liberty; they’d earned it. It was so wonderful to eat a complete meal that we had cultivated/reared entirely by ourselves. We never had itchy feet, to tell you the truth, we were too busy! The house we bought was dilapidated and in need of love, care and hard work, so when Ray wasn’t keeping us topped-up with firewood, fruit and veg, he was restoring the house to its former glory. Our time in France was life changing, we learnt so much and it put our kids on the right, green track for the rest of their lives.
Back to basics
But, after four years we needed a change and now we’re in a little tumbledown cottage in a tiny Dorset village. No central heating or mod cons – just like France! It’s tiny in comparison but success isn’t measured in square footage, by the cut of your cloth or the car you drive – downshifting opens your eyes to what really matters. When we arrived back in the UK we had very limited funds and we positively embraced living with less. It puts everything into perspective when you realise your problems cannot be fixed by throwing money at them. You have to be resourceful, inventive, creative – it is incredible what you can achieve when you apply a willing mind. The thing about this lifestyle is that it is something we do as a family. It’s not a one-womanbattle. The kids know that the less we spend collectively, the more time we get to spend together. Consequently, they are inspirational little-greenies, shutting the doors, turning off the lights, being conservative with the water. They love charity shops and help out with the cooking and the chores too. If you embrace sustainable living and start to feel good about it, it soon becomes infectious and you will affect the other members of the family and your friends. I think downshifting is something to be quite proud of.
“I started writing on downshifting and sustainable living and received contact from people all over the world.”
Spreading the word
The extra hours in the day whilst living in France gave me the perfect opportunity to truly explore simple, green living and I soon realised, you do not need to move house or countries to enjoy financial freedom and liberation from the consumer-led way. If you downshift in your own four walls, your whole world can change colour. I started writing on downshifting and sustainable living and received contact from people all over the world who wanted to start their journey towards a simpler, happier existence. I set up National Downshifting Week (NDW) to give these folks a hook to hang their ‘crazy’ ideas on. NDW allowed them to indulge the idea of pulling back from the full-pelt, spend-up culture, in favour of a bit of ‘back to basics’ living. All my media commitments are manageable and being back in the UK is great – I can nip into my local BBC station and broadcast anywhere in the world. Video conferencing and the internet are a godsend and TV crews film when it’s convenient for me and the family. It is surprising how much you can do without leaving the house. Companies who send their executives on short-hop air journeys for 5 minute meetings, would do well to give it a go! I have also learned to say ‘no’ to some gigs. You can’t do it all, no matter how important some events might be. Having a proper life and work balance is the key to being happy.
The best benefit of downshifting is that you get some serious perspective in your life all of a sudden. You realise that money is not the be all and end all. That time spent with the ones you love is precious and should be enjoyed. Living with less not only helps your pocket, but benefits your local and global environments too – what a fabulous side-effect! There’s much more to be had, depending upon what level you take your downshift to and uncovering it all is part of the excitement. Everyone has a ‘comfort level’ and it’s best found by peeling the layers away one at a time. Downshifting slowly will put you on the best road to long term success. Personally I love a glass of champagne if it ever floats my way, but I’d much rather swap it for a glass of local brew, some tasty, seasonal tucker, great company, a cuddle and an early night – give me the simple life any day.
Taking the plunge
Before you dive in and change your ways, you should make time for contemplative reflection. Try to understand the root of your problems, or you may end up only treating the symptoms, not tackling the cause of your real worries. Cutting up a credit card is not only practical, but powerfully symbolic. The very act itself offers an instant and positively liberating effect. Living within our means is something we have forgotten how to do. It is time to get back to, “If you don’t earn it, don’t spend it.” It worked well enough for our grandparents and they had rations and wars to contend with! Cut the temptation and you automatically cut the stress, but the real release of pressure will arrive as you come to terms with understanding this philosophy and your new downshifted lifestyle. Take a look at the suggestions for International Downshifting Week, dip your toes into some simple, green living today and enjoy the journey!
Find out more about Tracey’s work at the International Downshifting Week website
WHAT TO DOWNSHIFT? HERE’S WHAT TO DO
1 Plan what you want to achieve before making a change. Sort out what kind of life you want to lead. Involve the whole family in the planning stage. Work out what you want it to look and feel like before you make any big decisions or plans. If you know where you are going it will be easier to get there!
2 You don’t have to make a huge leap to improve your quality of life. Do you need to make a completely new start or do you just need to start living your life differently? Would your life improve by working smarter and improving your time management? Would living a greener lifestyle help you simplify your life?
3 Get help and advice. Talk to other people who have downshifted. Read books on life change and downshifting. Talk to an expert who will have an objective view and will help you clarify your options.
4 Sort out your finances. Try a different approach to budgeting – work out how much money you need to live on to enjoy the lifestyle you want. Once you know how much money you will need every month – then you can start to build a lifestyle around achieving that level of income.
5 Don’t turn your back on all the skills you have acquired. Try to make sure that you have some of the necessary skills to do what you plan in your new life. If you need new skills try and learn them whilst you are still earning and before you start your new life.
6 Surround yourself with friends and family who support your move. Spend time with people who are as excited about your new life as you are. You may have friends and family who will try to put you off changing your life – mostly for their own reasons. Try to avoid talking about your plans if you keep getting a negative reaction. Stepping Off are professional experts in downshifting. They have a great deal of experience in helping people change their lives or downshift.
Melissa Corkhill is the editor of The Green Parent magazine, mother of two and author of the book Green Parenting
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