Aptitude

Looking back over the past 8 weeks of Recessionistas, I’m finding it difficult to sum it all up. Difficult, at least, without sounding repetitive. Because certain things you already know. Like my thoughts on the gift of creativity during hard times, and my passion for managing our household resources well, and my conviction about being prepared for the unexpected. And then there’s the point about our relationships being an unexpected source of currency, and all of the informal entrepreneurial opportunities around us.

Aptitude
And since we’re coming back to the topic in the fall, I don’t want to get too sentimental. But what I will say, as a bookend to this season, is that we, as women, have a special aptitude for times like these. A “natural ability,” as the Oxford Dictionary says, to thrive. Thrive in any era, but particularly during this one, when shrinking and cutting back seems to be the trend. We, however, will be growing and expanding (perhaps, ironically, by cutting back...), flourishing in a drought. Why? Because we are gifted at the things I mentioned above. Like relating to others. And thinking outside of the box.

Share with Me
Therefore, over the summer, in the midst of time at the pool and nights at the local drive-in, I’ll also be interviewing the women I know, asking them to share about their “aptitude” for thriving. And come fall, we’ll pick up Recesionistas again, starting with their stories (and maybe yours as well!). So while you, too, are sunbathing and taking vacations and gardening, be thinking about your aptitude for thriving. And keep your eyes open here for ways to share your thoughts, and to be a part of the fall’s Real Recessionistas series. I’d love to hear from you, and to learn from you!

Until then--
--steph

Previous Recessionista Posts:
Servin' Up Solutions
Creative Salvation!
Homegrown Resilience
A Wallet Full of Friends
Your Inner Entrepreneur
Now is Our Time

On Finishing

I had a dream last night recalling my former days as a track athlete in high school. There I was again, dressed in my ridiculously short running shorts, warming up my legs for my favorite race: the 300m hurdles. It was a race I both hated and loved. The beginning was full of strength and rhythm and adrenaline. Naturally I loved that part. The end, however--the last stretch--was a challenge. Burning legs and lungs--still trying to mount obstacles and get to the finish. Feeling just the slightest twinge of concern that I might not make it across the line, but determined to try. Of course I always made it.

The Final Stretch
I bring up this dream because I feel like the last few weeks before summer are very similar to the 300m hurdle race. I can see the finish line (I call it June) right around the corner, with its warm days and pool openings and long bike rides. I’m already buzzing with ideas for my new summer series, and they include lots of fun field trips and gardening and nights at the drive-in. And I can hardly wait to get started.

A Few Hurdles Still to Clear
But to get to summer I have to finish what I started, which is to say that as a Recessionista, there are still a few hurdles left to clear. Still a few things on my list (the one I made in March when all these talks began) to check off. Things like:

* budgeting. One of my Recessionista goals was to revisit my budget and get it into order before the summer sets in. As I wrote earlier this spring, I could use a financial check-up, and don’t want to be scheduling major “appointments” during the leisurely days of summer. And since I can’t afford to wait ‘til fall, I better get serious about clearing that hurdle!

* entrepreneurial progress. I’ve been nurturing my conviction that small, creative enterprise is vital in these times, and there are a still few more ways I want to encourage us to express ourselves in this area before this series ends.

* creativity. I have earnestly tried to make creativity a habit in my life over the past 6 weeks, and want just a little more practice at it before lazy afternoons at the pool vie for my time. Plus, I have a certain red dress to finish....

Finishing Well
Finishing is not, I confess, always my strong suit. With the end in sight, I often get impatient and ramble through the final details. I do not, however, want to follow that pattern for the end of Recessionistas. We still have a few weeks left, and I want to end them well.

So let’s get started on getting finished--

Previous Recessionista Posts:
Can I Get a Pulse?
In the Land of Small
Recessionista Recap

Thinking Outside the Box

The Teva sandal made its debut right around the time I entered junior high. Of course everyone who was cool had a pair. And naturally my parents weren’t the type to buy a sandal just for the sake of my popularity. So I was out of luck. Of course there were some available knock-offs at the stores, mainly in solid black. Which was okay, I guess, but they lacked the tell-tale colorful stitching of the originals.

So what did I do? I bought a pair, and using some embroidery thread, I hand-stitched my own pattern onto my generic sandals. True, they weren’t exactly the real thing, and I doubt I was fooling anyone. But I wore them to school every day in the spring with a certain pride that is very difficult to find in junior high.

A Habit is Born
Why do I share this story? Because thinking outside of the box is a Recessionista habit I’ve come to love. A habit that I started practicing back in junior high just to fit in with the cool kids.

Thinking outside of the box (aka creative resourcefulness) is the ability to look at something old or generic in a new and fresh way. And it can be applied in almost infinite situations. Like turning a handful of leftover ingredients lingering in the fridge into a new entree that is surprisingly good. Or covering old cereal boxes in decorative paper to use for storage. Or re-imagining a pile of scrap wood as canvases for art.

Practice Makes Perfect
Probably the best opportunities for out-of-the-box brilliance come from repurposing what you already have, but seeing old things in a new light can be difficult at times. It is easier to glimpse the potential in something when it is packaged and labeled. Practice can go a long way to unveil hidden potential, though. For instance:

* taking an inventory of what you already own may reveal some pleasant surprises. I wrote about this recently during my spring cleaning bout. It is very easy for me to forget about the stuff I already own, but uncovering it from the backs of my closets or under the bed can give me a jolt of inspiration.

* getting into the habit of asking “what else can I use this for?” can go a long way. Can the decorative cup holding your toothbrush be used as a small vase? Would your old sweater make a nice pillow? Can you grow strawberries out of that rusted watering can? Even if you would never turn your CD’s into a shiny hanging mobile (please, please don’t!), it still helps get the creative juices flowing to think about it.

Why the Trouble?
Why go to all this trouble? Well, the benefits seem fairly obvious to me. You can continue to adorn your home and wardrobe without spending a ton of money. You are practicing one of the three R's of conservation: re-using. You are practicing innovative thinking, which leads to invention and breakthrough. And--last but certainly not least--you are giving yourself a chance to be friends with the cool kids.

What is your best thinking-outside-of-the-box story? Share by posting your comment below!

Previous Related Posts:
Vintage Green
Swap Meet Style
Creative Salvation
Modern Benefits from a Vintage Chore

Creative Salvation!

Perhaps after reading yesterday's introductory post about the new Recessionista series, some of you are a little skeptical. You might be thinking that several weeks spent on the topic of the economy sounds like going to the dentist. Perhaps you are worried that images of charts and graphs are going to replace those of creative room makeovers and DIY projects. And that shortly I will begin to sound very much like your high school Home-Ec teacher who droned on and on about the finer points of a budget spreadsheet.

Get Serious?:

I understand your fears. The truth is that during tumultuous times, society does tend to veer toward the comforts of utilitarianism. We suddenly feel like we need to "get serious" about the p's and q's of daily responsibility, and shelve anything that seems frivolous or unproductive. In other words, we feel compelled to take up our Quicken account registers and lay down our scrapbooks and sewing projects.

This, truthfully, is one of the things I hate most about this recession so far. This idea that utility--as in paying bills, working, eating food, etc.--suddenly trumps everything else, including creativity, upsets me. That is why the first thing I want to emphasize at the start of this Recessionista series is that creativity will be front and center. I will not abandon my projects for pie charts, and I don't want you to either!

Creativity is a Helper:

Why am I so fervent on this point? Because I firmly believe that creativity is a refuge and helper in times like this, not a hindrance. I resist the tyranny of utilitarianism because frankly, utility just isn't all it's cracked up to be. Paying bills is important, yes, and so is job security. But thriving--not just surviving--through times like these requires more.

One of the hallmarks of being a Recessionista, then, will be intentional creative expression. In fact, I want to dedicate a portion of time in my day specifically for creative pursuits. Sewing, knitting, decorating...whatever. And I will be inviting you to join me. And you can bet that we'll be talking a lot more about the virtues of creativity in hard times in the months to come!

Coming Later Today:

In fact, I'm picking up the conversation later today in a Smarty Pants post I've prepared in response to a Time magazine article I recently read, and to highlight a free art program I stumbled upon. Stay tuned to read more! And tomorrow I'll be sharing some pics from my latest DIY creative venture. Don't miss it!

One more thing--I posted yesterday about a new, exclusive feature that I'll be launching shortly, which is a subscriber newsletter. And you can be sure that one of the first things we'll be exploring is this idea of the "creative hour." I can't wait to hear your thoughts and see your projects! So sign up today to take part in the fun!

Previous Related posts:

Nesting is Creating

The Pursuit of Beauty

My Latest Handmade Project

Ta Dah! a room makeover

Creativity and Community

Part of what was so dissatisfying to me as a busy worker-bee in the corporate world was that my job provided no outlet for creativity or community.  Yes, the company I was with had many "corporate stewardship" programs that were admirable for sure--opportunities to volunteer, etc.  But I was looking for something a little more grassroots.

So, when I decided to take the plunge and launch out on my own, creativity and community were definitely a focus.  Of course, as with most big transitions, it's taken me awhile to figure out just what that looks like for my new domestic lifestyle.  Six months later, I feel like I'm finally getting some ideas.  And they're ideas that I'd like to spend the next month or so talking about.

You see, I've always been on the lookout for people and lifestyles that have the potential to lead a community in a positive direction.  My ears perk up when I hear testimonies of women who have started their own non-profit organizations, or when businesses make an effort to invest in their market base.  I've always seen lots of potential in civil society--otherwise known as churches, volunteer organizations, and associations.  And just recently I've been excited to consider how women can influence a town (and beyond), and more specifically, how women can plant seeds of change from their homes.  

So, I'm in the process of writing down some of my thoughts, and creating downloadable resources to share with others.  Certainly I'm not inventing anything new.  Women are already doing what I'm preaching, and doing it very naturally and successfully.  All I want to do is affirm what's already being done.  

Please join me next week as I start talking about the attributes of women with a mission to lead.  For a preview of what's to come, visit my new website at stephaniehillberry.com and click under "check it out!"

Testimony

Some of you might have noticed a new feature on my blogs today: the etsy pics on the sidebar.  After months of procrastination, I finally got around to adding them.  

I bring this too your attention to 1) shamelessly plug my online store, and 2) (more importantly) highlight my personal attempts at micro-business in my own life.  

For those of you stopping in for the first time, I have been talking a bit this past week on micro-business, and how I think it just might have fantastic potential for those who would like to opt out of the traditional workforce (such as stay-at-home moms, housewives, artsy-types, entrepreneurs, and the like).  To read previous posts on what micro-business looks like, and why we need it to balance out our current economy, scroll down.  

There are a lot of reasons to be attracted to micro-business, certainly.  In this post, I thought I'd share my personal testimony of how I got to be such a fan.  It started years ago when, as a young woman (okay, "younger" being a relative term), I started to think about what kind of woman I wanted to be as an adult.  Since I was raised in an evangelical culture, there was a lot of emphasis placed on raising children and cultivating strong marriage and family relationships.  I admired that tradition, but was searching for more.  Yes, I wanted (and still want) to be a mother, but I wanted some labor outside of that as well.  Interestingly enough, I found a description of what I wanted to be like in an unlikely place: the Bible.  

Now, I won't preach to you, I promise.  But I will say that tucked somewhere in the middle of ancient proverbs and poetry, there is this woman who was praised for being a good mother, a faithful wife and a kind neighbor.  Incidentally, she's also an impressive entrepreneur.  So impressive that she has enough profits left over from her business (you guessed it--it was a micro-business) to invest it into real estate.  

As a young college graduate, I found myself wanting to emulate this woman.  I had always gravitated toward my creative skills, and figured that they could be taken to the market if I was willing.  Needless to say, it took me almost a decade to even get my feet wet with this plan.  Why?  For many of the same reasons that you might be afraid to pursue micro-business.  One, it's scary.  I'm terrified of failure, and usually have to give myself regular pep talks just to start the day.  Two, it's financially challenging.  Turning a profit takes awhile (I'll tell you when I've finally jumped that hurdle!), and until you do, it can seem like an exercise in futility.  Three, it is unconventional.  Going against the economic grain (like we discussed last Friday) can attract skepticism, and (even worse) criticism from others.  So, what got me to eventually take the plunge in spite of these obstacles?  Basically, the potent misery of daily working in a job I disliked.  

That brings me back to the new etsy sidebar.  I figure that in spite of slow beginnings and regular fear-induced pep talks, operating my own mini-business with its accompanying flexibility is better than what I was previously doing.  Better for me, and maybe even better for my community in the long run.  I hope that it is a success, because then I will be able offer even more encouragement for those of you contemplating the same.

Speaking of that, tune in this week as I talk more on this topic, specifically how micro-business can be good for your household and neighborhood.  And as always, please send me emails with feedback and/or stories of your mini-business.