Marian Van Eyk McCain - Downshifting Made Easy: How to Plan for Your Planet-Friendly Future

We need to begin with a look at what downshifting isnt. Lets get that out of the way first.

For one thing, it does not mean you have to move from the city to the country, buy green rubber boots and slosh around in the mud chasing chickens. (Though if that is what you have always yearned to do, then by all means go for it.)

In fact it doesnt mean you have to move anywhere. Unless the bailiffs are right now knocking on your door, you can start the downshifting process exactly where you are and stay there.

It doesnt necessarily mean that you have to manage on a lower income, though for the majority of downshifters that is part of it, at least at first. And for the involuntary downshifters, it is usually a given.

It probably wont mean that you are less busy. Of course if you have become one of those 80-hours a week corporate types who is a slave to your company, your boss and your BlackBerry, it may well result in less busyness. But for many people, downshifting simply means that you exchange one kind of busynessthe kind that leaves you stressed, tired and anxiousfor the kind that sees you falling happily into bed each night with the satisfying feeling of a days work well done.

Most people, if you ask them what downshifting is, will tell you that is it about giving up things, earning less, dropping to a lower standard of living, getting rid of clutter and going without some of the things that have made your life comfortable in the past.

That is not an accurate description. Sure, the process of downshifting may well involve getting rid of clutter. But apart from the most dedicated packrats among us, most of us dont really like clutter anyway. And we enjoy the freedom that decluttering brings.1 It is just that we usually dont get around to doing it. So once we decide to downshift, then clearing out our drawers and closets, the attic, the basement, the garage etc can be a good place to begin. The benefit is as much psychological as anything else. It makes us feel good. It underlines our determination to make a new start and by lightening our load of stuff we are making a symbolic statement about the overall need to lighten our load and lighten our impact on the planet that is our home. Decluttering doesnt, in itself, make much difference to the world around us, except inasmuch as it provides new resources for other people in the form of inexpensive, second-hand goods. And that is an important contribution. But the value of decluttering as a starting-place and as a symbolic statement of our intention is huge. And the surprisingly good feeling that comes after a good decluttering session acts like a sort of yeast in the dough of our lives. By making us realize that possessions weigh us down and how little stuff we actually need to live a full and contented and productive life, it starts the slow, subtle process of attitude change that is the key to successful downshifting.

As for the other thingsthe giving-up, the lowering of standards, loss of income and going withoutthose are not what downshifting is really all about.

OK, so what is it, then?

Downshifting means shifting down into a closer, more satisfying, more meaningful relationship with the Earth, with the ground beneath your feet, and with Nature, which also includes your own biology and your own true nature. Downshifting means moving into a closer relationship with the really important and meaningful things in lifethings that give you true and permanent satisfaction instead of temporary and illusory satisfaction.

It means becoming more aware of your surroundings, more aware of the weather, the movements of sun and moon and stars, the cycle of the seasons and the basic needs of your life: clean air, pure water, food and what is needed for cooking and eating it, shelter, clothes, energy for cooking and heating, and transport from place to place.

It also means learning as much as you can about your own impact on the Earth and whether you are taking more than your share of what the Earth provides. Thats because the central point of downshifting is to balance your own needs (and unless youre single, your familys needs) with the needs of other life forms and the needs of the planet as a whole and to make sure that the balance is a fair one all around.

I find it useful to think of it in terms of the gears in a car. When you are driving a car, you shift down to a lower gear in order to get more power and more traction. One result is that you go more slowly. Which in many cases is necessary, for example when going round corners or going downhill. And in some cases is inevitable, like for instance when you are climbing uphill.

Downshifting your lifestyle is remarkably similar. Right now, there is a lot of power in the hands of gray people and organizations. But as things changeand they are already starting to change, as we can see from the way the weather is becoming more turbulent and unpredictable and from the fact that more and more types of animals and plants are joining the endangered species listthe power those people have, a lot of which is based on ample supplies of oil, is going to wane. And the people who are downshifting to green will find their power steadily rising. For when you have the power to feed and clothe yourself and your local shops and farms and artisans are thriving so well that you can obtain whatever you need locally, you have an enormous amount of power.