Being Open Brings Health

I started this year with the intention of posting here twice a week. So far, I haven’t been very good about that. Life here is busy. But, when is it not?

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that one of my intentions for 2019 is to allow myself to be open to surprises. Another intention that I’m focusing on is to give myself permission to pursue things I ENJOY, rather than always focusing on what I see as my “obligations.” For example, I’ve mostly dropped business copywriting from my list of potential writing projects for the year. I’ll take any business copywriting project that comes my way, and I’ll always write for businesses and organizations I believe in. I do pro bono writing for a couple of small community based organizations. They depend on my services and I would never walk away because their purpose is dear to my heart. However, I am no longer intentionally looking for copywriting gigs for myself. Instead, I’m focusing on writing, and other activities that make me happy and fulfilled.

I’m working on a book and workshop to teach teens the mindset of prosperity. My intention is to offer this book and workshop package to schools in under privileged areas.

I’m also working on a cookbook that focuses on easy, tasty, and kid approved recipes that are both low oxalate and Primal.

My kids and I are working to start a small musical instrument repair shop. There is a need in my community for reasonably priced, easily accessed instrument repair, and reasonably priced working instruments for beginning band students. I’ve decided to fill that need. It was a surprise from Spirit that I didn’t expect. A band student’s family bought a clarinet in a local pawn shop at the beginning of the school year. It turned out that the clarinet was completely unplayable. The repairs needed were minor, but to for someone not familiar with clarinet, it was a band ending deal breaker.

My daughter told me this kid was going to drop band because her “new” clarinet didn’t work. I went to the band director (a brass guy), and offered to try to do the repairs. No charge, because I hadn’t replaced pads and springs since high school. Not only did I mostly remember how to do the work, enjoyed it immensely. After a couple conversations with the high school band director, I learned that this is a common problem. The school doesn’t have much of a budget to band instruments, so he has sadly few loaners, and many of the kids’ parents can’t or won’t buy or rent an instrument. As a result he loses a large number of potential band kids every year. Since I believe that everybody needs music, I’ve decided to help fill the gap. My kids and I are buying inexpensive instruments from thrift stores and pawn shops and refurbishing them. Some we sell, some we keep as loaners, and others we donate to the school music program. This past weekend I picked up two clarinets for 50$ total — Including shipping. The kids and I will repair them. We’ll resell one, and donate the second.

Getting this started has been a lot of fun. And, it’s reminded me that I like working with my hands. Since starting the instrument repairs, I’ve also resumed designing knitted clothing items. I use a combination of new and reclaimed materials to create practical, every day clothing items; socks, hats, ties, tank tops, short sleeved shirts and skirts.

Along with all this renewed creativity, I’m looking for creative ways to bring natural health information into the hands of people who need it. I’ve mentioned before that I live in a state that makes it difficult, no, near impossible, to offer services as a naturopath. There are TWO working naturopaths in the entire STATE. People here are afraid of giving (or accepting) real wellness advice because the laws regarding who can say what are prohibitively strict – and they are enforced. Until very recently it was illegal to use or work as a midwife here. Women who went into neighboring states to give birth at a birthing center were at risk of losing their newborns to DHS when they came home. Propaganda against natural health is a very real thing here. That in turn makes it very difficult for me to do what I’m called to do — help people learn to get and stay healthy without medications and surgery. It’s frustrating. Sure, we could move. My husband is open to the idea of moving to a state where I can practice freely. And, there are things the whole family misses that are not easily available here. SCA and Amtgard are among the top of that list. But, I like our house, and more importantly the land that it’s on. I have no desire to give that up. So, we stay.

But, staying means finding ways to get my message to the people around me who need it, while still remaining in the bounds of the law. I think I’ve decided to use books, podcasts, and videos to do that. While I can’t legally a diabetic client that they should avoid sugar, I CAN point that same person in the direction of a book or podcast I’ve created that educates them on diabetes and the importance of not eating sugar to help manage blood sugars. I can’t sit in front of that same client and recommend they take an A1C test, but I can give them educational materials that teach them the importance of doing so. I can’t go into the local schools and teach kids and teens about truly healthful eating; only the government sanctioned “My Plate” is permitted in schools here. But I can write a fictional book that teaches the health benefits of avoiding sugar, grains, and man-made food additives, and I can distribute that book to local teachers and libraries.

There is always a creative solution to every problem. It trick is to allow yourself to be open enough to find it. I’m (re)learning that intentionally being open to surprises brings clarity, peace and renewed health.