Timely Lessons in Slow and Small Solutions

This week on the Seeds of Tao Podcast, Josh and I are back on the episode to talk about one of the permaculture principles that seems so pop up everywhere lately, taking slow and small solutions. As permies, we love to dream big, which is great. But sometimes we get a little antsy and impatient and start biting off more than we can chew, and it turns around and bites us. We have to be really methodical about the progress we make towards our goals and the speed we do that so that we can allow space for necessary feedback along the way and create the sustainable change we desire.

Small and Slow Is the Way to Go

In the podcast episode we talk about how we had big dreams of going up to Montana and developing our 10-acre off-grid homestead, but (mostly my) overexcitement and impatience got the best of us, and we stretched ourselves too thin, which resulted in not accomplishing what we set out to do. 

Likewise, with any project or dream you’re working on, it is terribly important to take that goal and break it down into bite-size chunks. Really work through those steps, putting first thing first, tracking your progress, and allowing space for feedback to make adjustments when necessary. I cannot overstate this. It seems logical and common sense, but we’re seeing all over the place (not just in ourselves) where people take on a lot and then it screws them over. Be methodical about your progress and don’t let impatience or overexcitement compromise your plan.

Where are you at?

One of the best ways to start any project, whether it is on your land, in your family, or with your mindset, is truly understanding where you’re at. What are the strengths? What are the weaknesses? What do you need help with? Asking questions like these, but many more of them will help you so much in the long run. We want to use the resources we’ve got to the best of our ability, and that gets a lot harder to do when we aren’t taking stock of what’s already around us. We go over this a lot more in-depth in Module 1 of the Pando Academy Course.

Zone Growth

You will save yourself so much time, energy, and money if you start with Zone 0. Don’t tackle your back orchard if your home isn’t complete. Just like you shouldn’t work on impacting the community if your mindset isn’t right. Start with 0, then branch out as inner zones are completed. We talk more about these zones in terms of influence in Module 2 of the Pando Academy Course.

Stay Present

Sometimes it can be hard to start slow. Dreams and goals are exciting things. To fight off impatience and overexcitement, take joy in the journey and stay present throughout. When we were in Montana working on our projects, I would tell myself, “I will be happy …. when the house is built… when we are collecting our own rainwater… when we are out of this trailer… when winter is over…” It really didn’t matter, I was choosing not to be happy and content where I was at, and that totally sabotaged me, and in turn, our family.

I guess this is really a post of learning from our mistakes so you don’t make the same. If there’s a time you made the same mistake, come share it with us in our Community. And if you’re ready to start working on your personal Zone 0, your mindset, our FREE Dreamcatcher Mini-Course is a great place to start.

Keep Growing!

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