Episode 068: Enthusiasm for Regenerative Education with Matt Powers

Hey everyone, we’re so excited to have you back for this week’s episode as we start rounding out the year. What a crazy journey it’s been this year in 2020, but I think it’s only appropriate towards the end of the year to find your enthusiasm for what will carry you into the next year. There’s no better person that could inspire enthusiasm than Matt Powers himself. Matt is a man on a mission to empower people everywhere to live more regeneratively, and he does so through his books, courses, and many resources. To check out more of what Matt’s got going…

You can go to his website, or check out his new book, Regenerative Soil

But What Really is Enthusiasm?

Sometimes when we’re talking about words we all know and use in conversation, it’s nice to go back to a dictionary definition. And since enthusiasm became a magic word in this week’s episode with Matt, I think it would be beneficial here too. Enthusiasm is defined as intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval. In the episode, Matt really drives home the point of finding what makes you enthusiastic and running with it. So essentially, find what lights you up and go after that. Is that what you’re currently doing? Is there something else that lights you up more? How in line are you living with what makes you enthusiastic? 

This doesn’t come easy to everyone, many people even shy away from true enthusiasm.

Fully Embracing Enthusiasm

Many people in the regenerative world have seen videos that Matt has put out there, and one undeniable fact is that Matt has an incredible enthusiasm for what he’s teaching. Enthusiasm is an interesting thing because to fully embody it, there is a level of vulnerability that goes along with it. You have to fully embrace something, regardless of what others may think, and regardless of contrary stories, you’re telling yourself. Some people have to really spend some time meditating on what makes them enthusiastic before they can start aligning themselves with that. Chances are if you’re reading this, you’ve got enthusiasm for living a regenerative life and creating a positive impact. Fully embracing our enthusiasm is especially important for us in this work, because we need that inner power enthusiasm brings in order to grow this edge culture, and really inspire others to join the cause. This single thing can make all the difference. 

The Difference that Enthusiasm Makes

Remember how in the podcast episode, Matt shared his story as a substitute teacher, and how he would bring his guitar and try to get his students excited? Why would he do that? Because enthusiasm makes all the difference. Think back to college or high school, remember the difference it made in your success in the classes if you had enthusiastic teachers? I embrace this every day in our homeschool, as I know Matt and his wife do, enthusiasm will make all the difference in other people’s involvement, excitement, learning, and engagement. And that’s what we want, right? We want more people excited about and engaged in this work so that we can create the greatest change possible. 

Not only does enthusiasm make a difference in exciting people, but it can also lift people out of dark places. 

Enthusiasm in Regenerative Education

Much of the educational materials on sustainability out there hits on the fear factors like soil depletion, climate change, and species extinction. These things are all very informative, but without an enthusiastic demeanor for regenerative change, most of the fear-based education leaves us throwing our hands in the air unable to determine what actions we should take. If we build an enthusiastic understanding of not only where we’re at, and rather focus on enthusiastically teaching solutions to those challenges. Then we turn fear-based learning into solution-based education that people can act on.

Education for Problem Solvers

Matt’s enthusiasm to teach permaculture principles and how to apply them is a great example of this shift from fear-based teaching to enthusiastic learning. We really love how he focuses not only on the adults but creates a curriculum for children as well. As homeschoolers also, we really see the importance of getting this type of education into our children and hope that more child-accessible permaculture programs will be available in the future. We’ve got to start early enthusiastically showing them how they can solve the problems that our species and our world are facing, for it will be theirs to inherit. 

At the same time, it’s still really important to access and educate the adults and youth involved. They are also looking for solutions to the problems they are facing that permaculture can solve. But we must be enthusiastic teachers if we want to ignite their passion for the work as well.

Thank you again for joining us this week. Keep growing that enthusiasm!

Keep Growing!

Previous Episode: The Importance of a Life-Coach in Regeneration with Caroline Cohen