Nature Tip 008: Plant Based Materials & Non Toxic Processing
Use plants instead of toxic textiles!
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
A few years ago I decided it was time to stop wearing plastic. Mainly because I had started to follow @plasticfreemermaid on Instagram and I really respected the book she wrote I Quit Plastics. I found quitting plastics in the US to be very challenging. They were everywhere. In my closet, bathroom, kitchen, car, house. I wanted to stop my exposure to so much plastics but little did I know that it was hidden too! In my salt, in my teabags, in my makeup, in my receipts (BPA filled - did you know people who have jobs that handle receipts have a reduced fertility?! WTF).
I had separately read that it was important especially for fertility for both sexes to not wear non-natural fiber clothing. Wearing plastic all day around your genitals (polyester, nylons, viscose, etc.), wearing anything processed in a toxic way, is dangerous for reproductive health and overall health. So I separated my closet into 3 piles. One of things I wanted to save because I loved their patterns, it was designer stuff I could never find again, or was something passed down to me or something I collected that I would like to pass onto my kids yet shockingly was made of poly blends and I wouldn’t wear them anymore. The few Alexander McQueen pieces from his last collection before he died broke my heart to put away! WTF, I thought. So much designer stuff in toxic textiles! Those all went into storage. I then separated everything else into a natural fiber: Cotton (ideally organic), linen, silk. The rest went to donation centers or to be sold online. If it was over 30% poly or some other non natural blend -it went into this last pile. This eliminated half of my wardrobe which was a blessing because I really needed to reduce the items in my closet. I started rebuilding the missing pieces in my closet slowly with silks and cashmere options. My online shopping dropped because it was hard to find natural items in a style that I really liked. I used sites like The Real Real to get lightly used or even just resold but never been worn items that were lux but not priced as such. I wanted to start making better choices with fashion.
After my closet felt “safe”, I faced the reality that this was going to be a life long process. The toxic materials are still surrounding me. I set an intention. No new items that are not natural fibers…but this was harder than I expected. Often the products I wanted or needed didn't exist in a normal price range. So I splurged on some things and broke my own new rule in others. It just was unavoidable. Plastics remain in my bathroom, as building materials, in my car. I had to take a deep breath. One section of my life at a time! I also noticed that we have opportunity when we look at life through a “more natural textiles” lens. We have niches we can fill when we are looking but cannot find what we want!
I bought non toxic bags to put groceries in next. Then I started looking for beauty products sold in glass with minimal plastics. I had already stopped buying products with phenoxyethanol and frangrace/perfum in it which drastically reduced my lifelong battle with eczema, but still I was surrounded by plastics. I chose better items each time I shopped. I stopped using amazon as much and went towards companies I paid for shipping from but had zero or harm reducing or actually environmental benefit actions in place.
I always thought a cool profession was to design textiles and fuse that with engineering. This profession exists and needs more women! I tried for a while to get my mom to buy organic (to avoid chemicals that are proven to cause a plethora of degeneration and disease) and to reduce her plastic and toxin exposure. This was always met with “Wow it’s a miracle I got this old.” And I always say the same thing under my breath and as I learned more with a conviction “Yes, but we live in a much more toxic environment than when you were growing up.” The truth is, we need to reduce this plastic monster - even though plastic producers are ramping up production. As consumers we have to demand better and we do that with our spending dollars. If we stop buying it, they will stop making it. Or at least we can hope.
Today I want to review processes and types of processes for textiles that come from plants. Please read the article below if plant textiles interest you and let’s start the conversation around how we can make things safer and with health and our future at the helm of this creation and consumption ship we find ourselves on in this modern culture.
Enjoy.
I am sharing a post today to give readers a great resource for all things plant materials. I found this article to be thorough and filled with knowledge. I included some of my favorite excerpts which you can see below this section. I want to get you to start thinking of plants as major sectors and how you can learn more and get involved. I would like each of us to think about plants as a resource and solution to many of our daily habits and dreams we look to build. As a Permaculturist I am draw to the sustainability and circular economy of using natural materials to build businesses, homes, and lifestyle. Now remember that many plants ARE toxic and that even if the things we build and create are made out of plants, the processing of those plants can be just as toxic as anything else. So it’s all about creating an economy once we understand the basics.
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This article can be viewed in it’s entirety onConservation Wiki.
“Plant materials are ubiquitous to the human experience; as such, they are found in a variety of forms--raw to heavily processed, utilitarian to decorative--within public and private collections around the world. In the fabrication of artifacts, plant materials have been used as architectural elements, furniture, basketry, cordage or lashings, textiles, substrate for written language, a variety of personal accessories, vehicles (i.e. boats, carts, airplanes, etc.), housing materials, musical instruments, religious icons, tools, and nearly every other aspect of human life (fig 1).
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Kingdom Plantae is one of the eukaryotic kingdoms and is comprised of some 300,000 species (Judd, et al. 2008). Within Plantae, there are three main botanical divisions, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, and Spermatophytes. Materials used to construct artifacts come from plants in all three divisions, though the majority are derived from spermatophytes.
Bryophytes, or non-vascular plants (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts) have leaves and stems, but no true roots and limited vascular tissue.
Pteridophytes (ferns and horsetails) have leaves, stems, root-like rhizomes, and well-developed vascular tissue, but no true flowers or seeds. Spermatophytes, (seed-bearing plants) have stems, leaves, and roots. They can be divided into two distinct groups: gymnosperms (non-flowering) and angiosperms (flowering). Gymnosperms include most coniferous trees and shrubs; angiosperms can be further divided into mangoliids, monocots, and dicots. Further information about plant taxonomy and anatomy can be found in most introductory biology textbooks and is abundantly available online. However, phylogenetic research has greatly changed the understanding of taxonomy both across and within domains and kingdoms in recent years; updated sources should be referenced.
The morphology (physical form and external, macroscopic structure) of plants often dictates the way that they are used to create objects (Florian 1990). For example, stems have great longitudinal strength but readily split in the radial or tangential directions; this makes them well-suited as weavers for basketry items. Both reproductive structures (e.g. seeds, flowers) and somatic structures (roots, stems, leaves) are represented in artifact production; commonly encountered examples are listed below.
• Seed/Husk: cotton, kapok, coir, milkweed, corn husk, seed pods (legume), gourds
• Stems: flax, hemp, jute, ramie, sunn, kenaf, urena, nettle, rosella, bamboo, cornstalk, sugar cane, bagasse, esparto, cereal straws (wheat, barley, etc.), willow, oak, hazelnut
• Bark: cedar bark, paper mulberry tree inner bark, breadfruit tree inner bark, birch bark
• Leaf Fibers: sisal, manila hemp, agave, henequen, cantala, maguey, Mauritius hemp, caboga, pineapple, pita, bromeliad, banana, palm, New Zealand flax, yucca
• Roots: spruce root, willow root, cedar root
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The techniques for manufacture and construction of plant-based objects are as variable as the objects themselves. The general manufacture of basketry and textiles creates a woven structure with varying degrees of structural strength and flexibility. Weave patterns of the two reflect utility as fabrics, netting, storage containers, and aesthetic objects; knotting, linking, looping, wrapping, coiling, twining, and plaiting are allmanufacturing techniques related to the construction of either textiles or basketry. Basic descriptions are included below:
• Knotting: 2 active elements (nets)
• Looping: single active element creates a loop over itself or another passive element (bind edges, button holes)
• Wrapping: active element(s) wrap around passive ones, elements are often of differing size
• Coiling: fine active element secures a foundation element (wrapped coiling, looped coiling, linked coiling)
• Twining: a pair of active elements interlock between foundation elements (countered, regular, open)
• Weaving: many variations including plain weave, twill, etc.
• Plaiting: weaving at a 45 degree angle to the selvedge or rim.
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Collections care professionals should use caution when handling plant-based materials; many materials pose a significant health risk through inherent or acquired sources of toxic compounds. For example, it was common practice throughout the 19th and into the 20th century for natural history and anthropology collections to be treated with organic and heavy metal pesticides, antifungal agents, and tissue fixatives ([[#ref13|Pool 2005). The role of such compounds used by farmers, native peoples, and craftsmen prior to the object’s museum life should also not be overlooked (fig. 6) (Hawks 2001). These chemicals are often highly persistent and some are toxic to humans. To protect both the artifact and the handler, proper personal protective equipment should be utilized when handling plant materials that may have been treated with pesticides or stored in closed cabinets with materials that may have been treated (Hawks et al. 2004). Chemical spot testing and x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy are two methods that have been used to confirm the presence of heavy metals (Odegaard,et al 2000; Shugar 2012).
Non-powdered, nitrile gloves should be worn when handling plant materials. White cotton gloves are not as effective as barriers to potential toxic substances and also carry the potential to snag on components of the artifact. Handling trays and supports should be utilized whenever possible.
As with all objects, care should be taken to lift and/or manipulate the object by its most stable point.
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Contents
Nature Tip 007: Plant Based Diet
Plant based diets rule.
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
About 4 years ago, I decided to try really committed to a plant based diet. I had tried being a vegetarian in college which lasted for 4 years, except for when I would visit my family in Michigan who refused to accept that meat was unnecessary for health. I would experience food FOMO like no other and I lost a ton of weight, replacing meat with carbs and with sugar for energy. I did “plant based” totally wrong. For 10 years while I modeled and worked in fashion and traveled, I had zero food rules. I never gained weight because I was hyper active and physically very active, but I was not healthy. I struggled with many health issues to which I had to stock up on pharmaceuticals I could get over the counter in other countries. Finally, a friend of mine suggested I take a probiotic. As soon as I did this my whole experience daily changed. I thought it was bizarre. Then I read that many cultures believe the brain is in the gut. And then I started reading. I read Genius Foods, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, The China Factor, and I ordered Sakara’s cookbook. Then I ordered Sakara. I realized, I am a great chef and with some effort and paying attention to Sakara’s 9 pillars of nutrition, that I could try again to do plant based diet, but right this time.
Sakara taught me to aim to eat the color of the rainbow. That’s because certain color foods have specific nutritional value. So the more colors, the more nutrition I was getting. I learned that carbs are not a healthy substitute because corn and wheat are laced with chemicals. I learned that not eating organic was exposing me to poison and so I committed to paying more for my food but I saved money on not buying the meats and dairy and breads. I learned to not eat the same food within a 24 hour time period, no leftovers the next day. This is because the goal is to get DIVERSE nutrition into your body. I started adding their minerals to my water. I drank water with lemon. I started to do intermittent fasting. And I didn’t beat myself up if I failed. No doubling down on my pain! I decided to not be strict with myself. If I wanted to eat something I would eat it, especially when eating in restaurants in Naples, FL, which may as well be Michigan. But I didn’t feel great when I did that so I often did this less and less. But then I stopped eating in restaurants because menus there often had 1 vegetarian dish and they were usually pretty awful. After I didn’t let the food FOMO get to me, although after 1 year of only eating off my diet in restaurants which was not often, I could let it go and enjoy my process. I started really working out my favorite recipes and my mom would say to me “If I could make food taste like this, I would be plant based too!”
When I stopped craving the meat and cheeses, I started to be somewhat grossed out by them. I was always lactose intolerant but I would suffer through cheese and dairy treats because I thought I loved them. But when I learned about how evil the dairy industry is, I couldn’t even bring myself to buying 90% of dairy anymore even if I physically paid a price for it. If I was going to eat meat, I decided it had to be sourced from a small farm. I learned that any farm with over 50 animals has to carry insurance, because it is impossible to safe guard farms over that size from disease. I watched What the Health and didn’t eat meat for a year. If I wanted meat I would eat it about once a month from a good farm. But the less I ate animals, the less I wanted to. Now I will occasionally eat wild game since I live in the mountains but I usually have the same reaction which is not liking it in my mouth at all. If I wanted fish it had to be wild and sourced sustainably. I watched Seaspiracy and cried and was depressed for 2 days and ruined a vacation with my boyfriend at the time. I had been pescatarian for years after being vegetarian and the whole time, creature still suffered. I had no idea what the fish were going though! As a mermaid it cut me deep. I rarely eat fish anymore but if I do I source, like I do everything else. I know the restaurants I eat sushi in are sourcing sustainably, or I eat wild Sardines since they are sustainable. If I need cheese, I try to find cheese that is certified humane and is goats or sheep milk since that is lactose free and doesn’t bother me. These meats and seafood and dairy that I do occasionally eat, they actually are more like a condiment on my food. I never eat them as a large portion. And I’ve found that this works for me. The point is not to be so strict, it is to be healthy and have energy and care about our planet. I won’t eat fake food because it usually has a ton of soy which is not great for women apparently. I think it helps that I grew up Italian and know how to cook. Maybe one day I will add some recipes on here or make a cookbook for how to do this lifestyle well. For now, I just want you to start reading and watching and paying attention to this process, if you are looking for a change. I had one friend watch me grocery shop and clean and prepare my food, storing it in glass containers and treating it with respect. He said “If this is what you do for your food every day and week, I see now why it is such a big part of your life. I respect that.” I struggle with this in relationships because while it may be gross to say, I can smell meat on a heavy meat eaters - someone who eats meat daily - it comes through in their scent, which to me is disgusting. I think there is something to be said about that. When I stopped eating so much meat and cheese and grains, my own scent got a lot sweeter, and I even found it more pleasant than the scent I often felt before was mine but belonged to someone else. Now I say if you’re out every once in a while and want to just indulge, your body on a plant based diet is equipped to fight toxins so go for it. But don’t make it a habit. No one will ever eat perfectly and that is okay. Perfection, let us remember, is a disease in and of itself. The reality is, keeping our diet to 95% plants, eradicates many of modern day diseases AND inflammation which leads to disease, as well as protects us from exposure to the disease that lives inside of many of modern day farmed animals who are treated inhumanely. These animals live in awful conditions, conditions we would never let humans live in, and we don't eat humans. If we can only see one millionth of the electromagnetic spectrum, it is safe to say that it is likely some of that genocide ends up in our bodies when we eat genocidal meat. I for one do not want to participate in genocide. Do you? Even more intense - do you want to be eating it??
Before covid started up, I remember being horrified to reading that the pork stock in China had been eradicated by a disease. I remember seeing it quickly spread to Australia and destroyed large amounts of their pigs. Fortune magazine reported that “Experts estimate that since 2018 as many as 300 million pigs, the equivalent of 25% of the global hog population, have died or were culled in China owing to ASF outbreaks.” The reality is that while they said humans had nothing to fear with this outbreak, that the humans handling the infected pigs were wearing hazmat suits and months later covid broke out of China and has affected global life as we all know it. The truth to me is that the animals carry the disease and spread it to us. And it is unavoidable because they are the largest genocide the world has ever seen. We are eating animals that don’t have a life and are not healthy - for profit of greedy psychopaths. We did not evolve for thousands of years eating meat with every meal, and in fact it is killing us in multiple ways now. We are now chopping down football fields of rainforest every minute to pave way for cows to be treated awfully to feed us. When will the insanity stop? If covid doesn’t get us to each look at our meat intake, what will it take??
Einstein - yes the man who gave us the Theory of Relativity which defined our laws of physics and changed the face of our planet in infinite ways - said something about a vegetarian diet and with covid running around our species, it was a huge reason for my shift 4 years ago and I hope it will help you in your own journey to be more conscious about what you put into your temple. Albert Einstein said, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”
If he knew it and figured it out, and he was the smartest human to every live, we should listen to him. Don’t listen to me. Listen to Einstein. But do it right. Listen to the leaders.
Read Sakara’s 9 pillars of nutrition and get started treating yourself and this planet better. If you would like some recipes please reach out to me I’m happy to share a few of my own creations and in time will replace this section of this blog with a few of my own. If you don’t have time to cook healthy for yourself, use Sakara or any other organic plant based food delivery program you can find. I think they are the best but I am biased because I’ve known the girls since the start. I’d follow them on social media, I have learned so much from following them and people like them in different industries, over the years. Get inspired. The time is now to treat yourself right and to let that temple shine!
Nature Tip 006: Womb Regeneration, Nature Regeneration
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
You’re saying “Uhhh Mel, what do Wombs have to do with Nature?” Well, wombs are where [most] humans are created. And humans are affecting Nature deeply. But it’s weird because we are Nature and since we forgot that we are Nature, we also have forgotten about how to preserve and protect and care for our wombs. Might the two be related? (Yes I’m capitalizing Nature now since it is my religion. ;) Wombs can be regenerated just like Nature can be regenerated. In fact, it is imperative to our lives that we take time to regenerate our energy centers. The more we connect with ourselves, our wombs which are our life makers, the more we will connect to and identify with Nature and the Universe. I want to take this blog to utilize my Yoni Mentorship Certificate and do some Womb/Nature analysis and educating for readers to understand why it is so important to learn how to work with your energy center daily and respect your Yoni. This is intended for the female reader but can be beneficial for all genders to explore. When we learn how to re-harmonize with Nature, we also learn how to re-harmonize our selves. It is time to love Her. The feminine which has been torn from our society and put on a relatively impossible pedestal to reach. But it is time we reclaim our feminine body parts, our connection to nature, and how the two are related. Regardless of your age, or if your womb is still physically there or not, our Womb center and Nature, require daily attention, starting now. It is time.
After I got back from my plant medicine experience in Costa Rica, I was sitting in my bedroom wondering how to build an altar. I needed to go back to my journey and healing ceremony daily, so that I could integrate properly. I wanted a place to honor myself and my growth. I needed a place and practice that was devoted to only that process. I knew I was not supposed to put this altar and prayer pillow where I do my yoga, but that was about all I knew. I sat there and meditated on it. All of a sudden I got a text. “Hey sis. I feel a call to invite you to join this women’s Yoni Mentorship Program I am doing. You should come tonight and see if you’re interested. We are building altars tonight with my style from my Egyptian heritage.” The hair on the back of my neck stood up. How wild is that?! This was eerily similar to what happened to me just before Costa Rica. She taught us to set up 5 images from left to right. One of a fantasy heroine or goddess, one of an ancestor, one of ourselves as an innocent, one of a person in our support system, and one of a soul pod member. We had something to symbolize earth, fire, wind, and water. And lastly, we had them in a place that we could protect from other’s energy. I use a scarf to cover these images and symbols when I am not working with them. They sit on a windowsill just in front of a tree that I prayed facing, and connected to. And behind her I consciously worked with 6 other massive trees that represented my spirit guides. When I travel, I take these items with me and try to place them in front of a window where I can connect with the trees and my symbols.
Having Sabrina reach out to me was strange because just a month earlier I sat in the exact same place wondering how on Earth I was going to “heal all this sealing” I had been doing. About ten minutes later, a different seastar goddess reached out to me and invited me to do a plant medicine retreat in Costa Rica to which I accepted. Both of these Wombyn (as Sabrina calls our soul family sisters) had felt a calling and were a part of my process to reconnect with self and Nature.
Plants have a funny way of speaking to us and through us. I’ve found since doing extreme plant medicine that there is a knowing among us who dare to let plants teach us. And I love that about this magical planet we inhabit. The universe is trying to get us to participate in the wonder of it all. We just have to show up and dive in. Whether it is the awareness that the plants bring to us, or the remnants of the plants inside our veins connecting to their own selves through us, somehow strange things seem to happen once you open up to these experiences and this expansion. The Universe or that other millionth of the experience we cannot see, starts to work with our own energy and time and space become tools, instead of adversaries. What is most ironic is that the women whom I have met, who have also done deep plant medicine and deep womb work, seem connected beyond time and space. Our connections bond us in a deep way that feels older than time itself. This bond is one that I have never experienced in any other way. One I didn’t know I craved. One I realized was a birth right and part of the female experience that I had always longed for.
I wonder, if we have ignored our womb connection in the same way we have ignored using nature to heal. When we get to the point of needing plants to reconnect us through our sacred energy, we also realize how powerful of a vessel we live inside of. That we own a temple and that being alive and healthy today makes us richer than all the money in the world. I wonder if we are missing a sacred part of life, which is a sisterhood where we explore motherly and sisterly and feminine love. A safe place we can go to explore how to give and receive nurturing and learn how to help each other to heal and feel safe in this crazy world. Women used to go around the full moons to be alone with each other. To heal and howl together deep into nature. Might we need this still?
Sabrina taught so many valuable things in her Yoni Gem mentorship program. The first thing she taught our class was that the word Vagina means “sheath for a sword.” I for one do not want to think about how growing up in a society that told me my Vagina’s whole purpose was to hold a man’s sword has deeply affected my entire existence. I would like to imagine a world where future generations of women grow up knowing that they are the sacred temple holders and that they exist to experience pleasure and peace in their bodies and lives. That those who enter the temple must be vetted and invited in. Sabrina taught us the word Yoni. This word is a way of honoring our body and reclaiming our femininity and the power in that. Using a beautiful word to describe ourselves is a way of taking back control over our sacred body parts, over our lives and a process of giving ourselves a new way to channel energy into our bodies and subtle energy bodies. From her website section “What is a yoni?” She explains “Yoni means sacred place and is the Sanskrit word for vagina. Using the word yoni instead of vagina is a way that wombyn can reclaim our femininity by honoring our sacred place; our vessel to create life and birth joy, abundance, creativity and meaning into our world.” Yoni then can mean a sacred temple. That knowledge has changed how I view and treat myself. It has changed how I look at all words. I know that I am sacred now. At 38, I learned to stop using words that don’t value my body, my gender and my life, regardless of how overused these words are in society.
Sabrina taught us next a painful yet undeniable truth. She offered us techniques for discovering on our own, the important realities of our Yoni. The truth is that women we do not need to “dry up” OR lose control of our bladders. We do not need to struggle. I almost didn’t believe these truths until I saw it work for myself. We are meant to be deeply in touch with our wombs and female sacred anatomy and our bodies. In order to experience ourselves wholly and at full power, we need to pay attention to our wombs and female anatomy on a daily basis. The same way we pay attention to our physical activity, what we eat, and what thoughts we allow to move us. The same way we change our bodies, is the way we change our minds when we pay attention to Nature more regularly. We become Supernatural. After we go into Awe inspiring Nature regularly, our emotions flow through us freely, more clearly and we don’t lose control in our expressions. When we have daily Nature connection and self care in our lives, we live so much better. You see, the womb is the holder of our Ching. Nature also holds Ching. They go together - they are the same. We are all made of the same dark and light matter. In ancient eastern medicine, Ching is the life force and in humans, the Womb is the holder of sacred Ching. As modern women, most of our wombs are not only carrying a ton of trauma we have not dealt with, but we ignore the womb for decades and wonder why she isn’t listening when we try to activate her. We haven’t paid this area much attention to heal and to feel and to own our energy. This is the practice of Tantra. To fix your own energy before you connect to another person’s. This is all on purpose. This is part of the patriarchal divide and part of what we need to learn as individuals and collectively. It is your birth right to own your body and mind and soul, and it is now in your consciousness to do the work to reclaim this right. In Sabrina’s course, over 6 months of daily healing and daily attention to my womb, a practice emerged that has changed my life. I notice very quickly whenI am not doing the work now. It becomes like yoga and eating clean, undeniable for actually feeling good.
I had been studying Tantra books for over a year trying to work with my own trauma and get my energy corrected so that I could connect with a partner on a deep spiritual and physical level when the time arrived. But working with a guide and a community of other women was a blessing that paved way for a sort of health and success that I’m not sure I ever could have worked out on my own. I realized so many pent up dreams, so many stored experiences that were holding my Ching back from flowing freely through my body that needed to be released, and so much freedom in my own experience of my temple.
Try some womb healing practices by finding a comfortable place on the floor to sit or lay down. By squeezing your yoni, buttocks, and internal core for 10 -20 seconds and then practice full release for 10 seconds. Make sure to breathe while you do this while holding tight until you consciously release. Release all the way. We need to learn how to fully release, just as much as we need to make sure our muscles are in our control. Release is the great deserving that so many women never find in life, but it is imperative to understanding your power. Repeat this practice 10-20 times per session. Do it for a 30 minutes to an hour before bed or when you wake. I like to include it in my chakra cleansing/spinning, prayer & meditation practice. As modern working women, we forget that this is an important part of our daily exercise. It does more than just pleasure a man, it shows you your path to pleasure and your deepest tantric healing. The work is to learn how to own our female anatomy, honor our own pleasure, stay healthy through all phases of our cycles and learn how to pair this practice with our dreams and regeneration. This practice returns energy and feeling and control in a ten fold. This practice is medicine. The power is still working her way through my practice and my life, and I honor this teaching regularly.
The second part of this blog is about tools Sabrina taught me to use in my process. Yoni Eggs and Yoni Steams. Many articles have come out about yoni eggs being dangerous and yoni steams being dangerous so I want to address both since I now have experience with both. I don’t think either are dangerous if you practice with intelligence, understanding and care.
Yoni eggs, with proper sterilization and proper use, can really change your experience sexually. Being able to feel like you are 17 again, is a gift we deserve to know how to give to ourselves. And the crazy part is, you can do it. As I feel about most things, we need to stop running to the pharmaceutical companies for quick fixes. While a yoni egg practice to increase your wetness for sex and decrease your chances later in life for incontinence works, it does take time and dedication. All women deserve to take this time out of their busy lives though. And if you do not want to stick a gem into your yoni, just do the exercises without one. It still works and will get the Ching flowing, the wetness back, and the frequency for needing to run to the bathroom less.
As I learned how yoni steaming changed Sabrina’s health, I asked questions. She taught me that as modern women, we do not actually bleed properly. We do not embrace our cycles and fully shed. Makes sense. I complained about my cycle my whole life up until I learned to honor it and be grateful for it after this course. This was a huge accomplishment for me and something that if you had told me I would say, 20 years ago, I would have fallen over laughing at you. But it is true. And now they hurt me less too. I realize how important it is to have a good cycle. How important it is to release what we build up in our uterus. Often, after doctors let you try to procreate for a whole year with failure, they will offer to “scrape your uterus” with a sharp blade. An ablation. I’ve seen it work for several of my friends. But ouch! Yoni steaming is a way around that naturally, to at least try first, and before you waste a year trying. The egg cannot implant into a uterus that has built up. Steaming is a way to help us complete our shedding and to get our uterus back to it’s beautiful intended way of the world. Sabrina explains yoni steaming as the following:
“What is a yoni steam?
A yoni steam is the practice of sitting over a steaming pot of water infused with medicinal herbs. Yoni steaming uses the healing power of plants and vital heat to restore balance to our feminine cycles in all life stages. The herb infused steam supports our bodies in the natural release of that which does not serve our optimal health, while connecting us to our inner wombyn. Many different herbs are used to support and heal our feminine cycles and stages of life.
What does a yoni steam feel like?
Imagine a personal sauna for your yoni. Have a seat and receive the relaxing and healing benefits of a facial with medicinal purpose.
How does a yoni steam work?
Physical body: As the herbs heat up in your covered pot of boiling water, they release volatile and aromatic oils, which infuse in the steam that builds up as you boil. The herbal steam relaxes your pelvic muscles, enters your vulva and is carried by the heat up into your womb. The steam opens and releases, increasing circulation and blood flow to our uterus, bringing life-giving heat and warmth essential to detoxing and directing the medicinal oils of the herbs where they need to go. Always remember: Heat is medicine for the feminine body. Good blood flow is essential to yoni health. Plants are our Healers and Teachers :)
Emotional body: Our womb is where we carry emotions around anger, resentment, inability to forgive and let go of past traumas. It is also where we carry our creativity, self-expression, ability to manifest abundance and most importantly, the magic of our life-giving, compassionate, feminine essence. When our womb is full of one, there is no room for the other. As science is now finding out, our emotional and physical bodies are connected - our emotional state determines our physical health. Yoni steaming supports the release of past trauma to welcome in the new seeds we wish to grow. We forgive others to set ourselves free! For more information on how to clear out the old and create loving space for the new, as well as meditation journeys to take while you steam, please visit the Sacred Lotus webpage and/or contact us directly.”
Go to her website for full details on this and all her programs and offerings. It is not always a good time to Yoni steam so learn about it before you decide to do it. I’m so grateful for this friend and teacher in my life. She really is a miracle worker and someone that I am honored to have worked with to receive my Yoni Mentorship certificate from. She did not ask me to write this article or pay for this blog. This is an expression of gratitude for all of her knowledge that she so kindly is sharing with the world. This information is intended to spread throughout the collective female energy body of our current time and help us focus on our healing so that we can improve the quality of life for everyone on this planet.
In closing, Wombs are like the Planet Earth, herself. In fact, they’re closely tied to each other and they need each other. Both need attention, regeneration, and dedication; actively, daily. The power held in our wombs is infinite and they are deserving of honoring, just like Nature. Living in a patriarchal world is scary. We need balance. This culture has done everything it can to eradicate the feminine energy, except for regarding it as some fantasy, soul projection for man and as a replacement for religion. So it is no wonder why it takes us so long to come to this knowledge and do our work. But once we have done it, we claim our birthright to it, and our power reflects the power of Nature. As we are Nature, Nature is us. Womb Regeneration, including those who no longer have their wombs, matters as much as Nature Regeneration. This center of our bodies and planet holds ancient wisdom that we can cultivate for additional power and life force to work with in this wild world we find ourselves in, if only we accept the destiny that awaits us. If you thought you were meant for more, and needed a sign, consider this it.
Plant Tip 005: Intro to Permaculture & Green Engineering
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
Last year, after I realized how important it was for me to connect deeper with nature, I decided to take a course to get certified as a Permaculture Designer. As an expert in fashion design, graphic design, finance and cooking, I decided it was time to take my knowledge deeper in how to really create things properly, with the planet in mind at all turns, to heart. Permaculture is a way of building out land sustainably. But it is so much more than that. Really it is Green Engineering. It is teaching us how to live sustainably across all sectors and in our own personal lives.
As someone who owned a consumer goods business, worked in fashion, hospitality, entertainment, real estate and finance, I saw a lot of destruction in these places. I didn't see a ton of solutions. But that's what great minds are for. This is a sector of its own now. I witnessed short life cycles for things being built and invested in, which seemed unproductive. After studying Permacutlure, I found that so many of the Permaculture Principles can apply to all of these industries. Green engineering should apply to all systems and sectors and we should work hard to impliment more green engineering in pre-existing companies and sectors. Now we know that ESG consciousness adds value for investors, but we have to push to get all our sectors to respond and adopt the way of a better future.
I want to share some valuable information today. I find the following article very clear, up to date, and beneficial for wrapping your head around green engineering and all the power it holds. The definition of Green engineering below is that it “involves the design of products, processes, and systems at manageable costs that minimize environmental impacts.” We all know by now the value of ESG, but how to actually apply it is power. If you’d like to dive deeper into permaculture, this book is worth the investment and the tool my teachers used to guide 300 of us, all on a mission to help the planet in our own small ways, using permaculture and green engineering.
This article is copied from AccessScience.com Link to website on the title.
Green engineering
Article by:
McGinnis, Sean Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia.
Last reviewed:April 2021
Key Concepts
Green engineering involves the design of products, processes, and systems at manageable costs that minimize environmental impacts.
Unlike traditional engineering, green engineering uses metrics to quantify environmental impacts—such as resource depletion and pollution—over the entire product life cycle and to make sustainable design choices that benefit the environment, society, and economics.
As a form of systems engineering, green engineering is most effectively used early in the design phase, because changes there can have cumulative benefits across all life-cycle phases, from extraction to disposal.
Life-cycle assessment is a green engineering technique that quantifies a broad and detailed set of environmental impacts.
The design of products, processes, and systems with explicit consideration of potential environmental impacts. Green engineering does not set environmental objectives as higher priorities than other design requirements, but it does require them to be considered explicitly. Like traditional engineering, green engineering solutions must meet design constraints as well as optimize objectives. Unlike traditional engineering, this new approach looks beyond performance and costs and adds the objective of minimizing environmental impacts (see illustration). This design balance is difficult, and many environmentally focused products have failed in the marketplace because of poor performance, higher safety risks, or unreasonable costs.
Green roofs, also known as vegetated roofs or living roofs, at the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC. Engineered green roofs reduce stormwater runoff, reduce energy use through cooling effects, and provide urban habitats for plants, insects, and birds. Green roofs are also aesthetically pleasing and are expected to last about twice as long as conventional roofs. (Credit: U.S. General Services Administration)
Engineering applies math and science to design products, processes, and systems. In its best forms, engineering improves the quality of life across society by providing clean water, healthy and abundant food, efficient transportation, comfortable housing, access to information, and advanced medical treatments. Engineering advances since the Industrial Revolution have led to tremendous increases in life expectancy, economic growth, and quality of life. This progress, however, has come with external costs in the form of increasing environmental damage and depletion of resources. See also: Wastewater reuse; Water supply engineering
Environmental issues
Many of the environmental issues resulting from engineering practice are not obvious to citizens and consumers because they happen behind the factory doors, often in distant lands, and they may accumulate slowly over time. These issues include depletion of resources and the degradation of ecosystems, as well as increasing concentrations of hazardous substances in the air, soil, and water. As both populations and individual incomes increase globally, engineering plays a critical role in providing the products, processes, and systems demanded by consumers to improve their lives. However, as the scale of engineering grows around the world, so do the environmental impacts. Scientists continue to research and document problems such as deforestation, bleaching of coral reefs, ozone depletion, increased atmospheric carbon dioxide, mineral and fossil-fuel depletion, soil loss and degradation, and water pollution. Given Earth’s finite supplies of fuels and materials, and the increasing consumption of resources, it is clear that we cannot continue on this path and sustain our lifestyles indefinitely. Green engineering offers one potential path to a more sustainable society. See also: Coral bleaching; Deforestation; Hazardous waste; Hazardous waste engineering; Soil degradation; Stratospheric ozone; Water pollution
Sustainability
No single definition captures all of the complexities of sustainability. At a minimum, sustainability must address the so‐called triple bottom line, which includes the environment, society, and economics. As ecosystems are damaged, human quality of life and the costs to maintain it are affected. While sustainability is an abstract concept, green engineering is more practical and tangible. It can be thought of as a set of technical concepts and skills that people can use to design products at manageable costs that are better for society and the environment.
Green engineering quantifies environmental impacts to help make more sustainable design choices. Without quantifiable metrics, it is difficult to determine which choices are best from an environmental perspective. For example, one can claim that electric vehicles have lower carbon dioxide emissions than gasoline vehicles, but a quantified comparison of gasoline vehicle emissions to the emissions from electricity‐generating power plants must be done to know which vehicle has less air emissions.
Furthermore, environmental impacts must be considered over the entire life cycle; otherwise, improvements in one part of the life cycle can lead to larger problems in another area. Nuclear fuel for electricity generation produces relatively low carbon emissions, but the trade-off is radioactive and toxic waste materials that must be managed for centuries in the disposal phase. In the past, engineers often made environmental decisions rather loosely, based on intuition rather than life-cycle assessments. This often led to poor decisions from an environmental perspective, because the complexity of the full life cycle cannot be judged accurately without detailed analysis. Green engineers minimize environmental damage by understanding the details of the different life-cycle phases and making choices that reduce environmental impacts without sacrificing other critical constraints. See also: Nuclear fuel cycle
Systems engineering
In this sense, green engineering is a form of systems engineering, because there are complex interactions among all the components in the life cycle. For example, while engineers have traditionally been trained to focus on performance when selecting a specific material for an application, it is important that they understand that this choice affects the entire system. Materials extraction and manufacturing varies by material, as do the options for their end of life. Systems engineering is inherently interdisciplinary, because expertise from different fields is required to understand and assess each phase of the life cycle. With this systems perspective in mind, it is easy to understand that green engineering is most effectively employed early in the design phase, because changes there can have cumulative benefits across all life-cycle phases. See also: Systems engineering
Extraction
Extraction is the start of the life cycle and is dictated by raw material and chemical selections. Minerals, metals, and fossil fuels are mined and then refined with various levels of environmental degradation. Supplies of these materials are finite, so society’s use depletes them. Other materials, including wood, plant fibers and chemicals, food, and other biomass, are renewable in the sense that they can be regenerated. However, these processes are sustainable only if we regenerate the resources faster than we remove them, and if we don’t damage the ecosystems that support them. Green engineers strive to select materials that are abundant and can be extracted with less energy and ecosystem damage. See also: Forest timber resources; Mining; Oil and gas well drilling; Renewable resources
Manufacturing
Manufacturing takes the extracted raw materials and transforms them into useful products with specific functions and advanced properties. Like extraction, manufacturing requires electricity, heat, and various indirect chemicals, such as solvents, which are emitted intentionally below federal limits or unintentionally by accidents. Regular events, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, oil spills, chemical leaks, manufacturing accidents, or illegal emissions, continue to affect workers, the public, and the environment locally, regionally, and globally. Green engineers strive to select less toxic chemicals, develop processes that use less energy and materials, or design more safeguards into manufacturing processes that require the use of hazardous substances. See also: Green chemistry; Sustainable materials and green chemistry
End of life
End of life or disposal is the last phase of the life cycle. All products must go somewhere at the end of their useful lives. The most common options are landfills, incineration, and recycling, and each has trade-offs. Landfills produce methane from anaerobic digestion of organic matter, but this strong greenhouse gas can be captured and used as a fuel. Incineration recovers some of the embodied energy from materials that would otherwise be landfilled, but the environmental trade-off is carbon dioxide and other atmospheric pollutants from combustion. Recycling saves large amounts of embodied energy and ecosystem disruption because the extraction phase is avoided completely, but energy is still required for the transportation and recycling processes. Green engineers strive to reduce all forms of waste and to develop closed‐loop recycling processes. See also: Air pollution; Recycling technology; Waste-to-energy
Transportation
Transportation is required to move raw materials, finished products, and waste through the entire system. Emerging electric vehicle systems are more energy efficient, but the emissions for these systems depend on the fuel sources that generate the electricity. Moreover, a transition to electric vehicles requires a major conversion of infrastructure for the electrical grid. See also: Electric vehicle; Transportation engineering
Life-cycle assessment
Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a quantitative technique to quantify the environmental impacts of products, processes, and systems. It is a key green engineering tool that allows quantitative comparison of products across the life cycle to help with sustainability decisions. There are other useful environmental assessment tools, but LCA covers the broadest set of environmental impacts and is the most detailed. Energy Star® rates products based only on energy use. Similarly, carbon and water footprints are one‐dimensional ratings based on carbon dioxide emissions and water use, respectively. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system measures a number of key environmental impacts for building design, construction, and operation. See also: Architectural engineering; Buildings; Civil engineering; Life-cycle analysis of civil structures; Resilient building design
Outlook
Engineering has the potential to either make the world more sustainable or to contribute to the growing environmental problems. Green engineering is a conscious design effort to analyze environmental impacts across the full life cycle to make products, processes, and systems that are better for all aspects of the triple bottom line. Adding environmental constraints makes the job of engineers more difficult, but also provides a path to sustainable quality of life for societies in the long run.
Sean McGinnis
Test Your Understanding
Hide
What are three environmental and economic benefits of green engineering?
What is a built environment? List three negative impacts of such an environment.
Describe the drawbacks of traditional concrete pavement. What are the benefits of using a green alternative to concreate? Provide an example.
What is greywater? How is greywater being incorporated into green engineering?
Critical Thinking: Which principle of green engineering do you think is most important? Explain your reasoning.
Related Primary Literature
P. T. Anastas and J. B. Zimmerman, Design through the 12 principles of green engineering, Environ. Sci. Technol., 37(5):94A–101A, 2003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/es032373g
F. J. Lozano et al., New perspectives for green and sustainable chemistry and engineering: Approaches from sustainable resource and energy use, management, and transformation, J. Cleaner Prod., 172:227–232, 2018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.10.145
R. Malone et al., Toward systems engineering modeling standards: Proposed system architecture core model elements and composition, INCOSE International Symposium, 27:273–286, 2017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2334-5837.2017.00359.x
Additional Reading
R. Habash, Green Engineering: Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Design, CRC Press, 2018
A. Pampanelli et al., The Green Factory: Creating Lean and Sustainable Manufacturing, CRC Press, 2016
Nature Tip 004: Daily Nature Connection is Medicine - Free 28 Day Course
Ropes to Nature, makes us happy.
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
“Ropes to Nature, makes us happy.” Jon Young
If you feel like you are disconnected, it’s probably because you haven’t been immersed in nature lately. The thing about us BEING nature is that we need to go into nature so we can reconnect with our Awe. There is a free 28 day course online here https://www.jonyoung.online/forum. Just click on the titles of each day. This is truly a gift and I urge humans to reconnect. You can see Jon Young speak for ted here. Misty, our Nature School Seastar Goddess has helped create nature school for children. Listen to her podcast and reach out to learn from her to build your own nature school.
Nature Tip 003: Plant-repreneurs
Nothing in this post is a recommendation
Plants are big business. Look at corn. Read the book The Omnivore’s Dilemma and have your mind blown. Plants are smart. Corn is a king in this world…it is in EVERYTHING. Plants are such a key part to our lives and wellness. Look at Cannabis with $120B in illicit and legal use and growing. Plants are important. But who are the people investing and inventing in cool new ways to HELP the plants and to secure the oxygen for our planet? I found this article and thought it was worth a serious share. The business of planting trees is real, and it is here to stay. Thank Goddess! I’ve always been fascinated with ecosystem regeneration which will be another blog later on in the Nature Tips. But this is all about Business AND Plants by way of regeneration of trees, two things I am very passionate about and am stoked there is now a sector devoted to this! Read on and let us know your thoughts. Maybe you can be a plant-repreneur too?! What are your plant business ideas! Sounds like you need to chat to impact investors soon if you have an idea of your own! Build it and we will highlight you on the podcast!
https://www.greenbiz.com/article/these-14-businesses-are-growing-money-trees
These 14 businesses are growing money on trees
A new report from the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Nature Conservancy (TNC) found that businesses across the technology, consumer products, project management and commercial forestry sectors are making money from planting trees, with sales growing up to 10 times per year.
"The restoration economy is at the take-off stage," wrote WRI President and CEO Andrew Steer and TNC President and CEO Mark Tercek in the report, "The Business of Planting Trees: A Growing Investment Opportunity (PDF)." The note: "New business models are emerging, technology is advancing and governments are showing political will."
Businesses such as BioCarbon Engineering, which uses specialized drone technology to reforest remote landscapes, literally are taking off, melding engineering advancements to restore age-old ecosystems; while search engine Ecosia (a B Corp) contributes its profits to plant trees.
The report profiles these and 12 other businesses successfully seeding growth opportunities in the restoration economy — including tech startups, smallholder finance and timber companies — to inspire venture capital, private equity and impact investors who know little about restoration opportunities.
The business of planting trees is going to be one of the biggest climate stories in the next 20 years.
The "restoration economy" is a network of businesses, investors and consumers that engage in economic activity related to restoring land — in this case either through reforestation (replanting a degraded area) to agroforestry (establishing tree-based agricultural systems). They may count among their end markets sustainable timber, livestock feed or consumer products on grocery shelves.
"The business of planting trees is going to be one of the biggest climate stories of the next 20 years," Justin Adams, managing director for global lands at TNC, told GreenBiz, likening it to the burgeoning renewables industry in the mid-'90s. "There is the opportunity to deliver value to society."
Besides serving the market, forest restoration improves water quality; produces sustainable timber, fuel and fiber; improves soil health; provides food and forest products; creates rural jobs; benefits biodiversity; improves air quality; helps mitigate climate change and creates recreational opportunities for communities.
This is essential for sustaining the human population, not just biodiversity. According to TNC, one-third of agricultural landscapes were degraded in 2010, and signs of degradation can be found in every ecosystem around the world.
Meanwhile, population growth and expanding consumer demands are pressuring natural ecosystems. The U.S. restoration economy alone generated $9.5 billion in annual economic output in 2015 and created an additional $15 billion in indirect and induced output, estimated the report, while the ecological restoration industry employed 126,000 Americans in 2014, exceeding jobs in coal mining by 59 percent.
Protecting society's canopy
Forests provide valuable co-benefits to communities and companies. For example, New Englanders may lose an area of forest nearly twice the size of Rhode Island over the next 50 years. But forests offset more than 20 percent of the region's carbon dioxide emissions and provide about $500 million in health benefits annually by removing 760,000 tons of air pollution. They also contribute to the economic engine through timber management, tourism and outdoor sports businesses.
In another illustration of how this activity can benefit communities, the practice of restoring North Carolina wetlands increased nearby home sale prices by $3,100 compared to properties with no wetlands nearby, according to Andrew Wu, a research analyst at WRI.
Nearly 5 billion acres of degraded and deforested land awaits restoration worldwide, and companies are cashing in.
Nearly 5 billion acres of degraded and deforested land awaits restoration worldwide, and companies are cashing in. Last year, Apple announced an expanded sustainable forestry strategy, aimed at creating enough responsibly managed forest to offset its packaging footprint. More recently, the Mondelez snack company announced a partnership to protect Ghana forests, contributing $5 million towards practices such as implementing cocoa practices that increase yields and sustainability — a win-win.
"We’re offering investors the opportunity to earn a return from urban green spaces," stated April Mendez, co-founder of Fresh Coast Capital, which finances urban revitalization in the United States. "Private investment can accelerate cutting-edge green infrastructure that improves air quality, health and community cohesion, while providing cost-effective stormwater management for cities."
Money from trees
The WRI and TNC report targets long-term investors who make direct investments between $500,000 and $10 million in private companies, such as venture capital, private equity and impact investors; national and multilateral development banks; and grant-making organizations.
They analyzed 140 businesses against five criteria: Is it profitable? Is it scalable? Is it replicable by other regions or businesses? Is it environmentally beneficial? Is it socially beneficial?
The 14 companies profiled hail from eight countries, including the United States, Brazil and Kenya, and range from pre-revenue businesses to those with more than $50 million in sales. Some are old-growth businesses that have been around since the 1970s, and some are years-old sapling startups. Their customers range from consumers to large financial institutions.
"The business of planting trees is an opportunity for investors; it's not a conservation story on its own," said Adams. For better or worse, it's essential to prove the business case to investors, because, he said, "When a forest has value, it remains a forest. When it has no value is when developers come along."
Each business showcases that there's no time like today to invest in trees that will give back decades into the future. Technology allows faster, cheaper, more efficient land restoration; while demand for environmentally beneficial products differentiates companies in the consumer market.
BioCarbon Engineering uses drones to plant trees. Sensors aboard a fixed-wing drown observe ground topography, biodiversity and obstructions to create an optimized planting pattern. A planting drone that can cover 1 hectare in 18 minutes deployes 300 biodegradable seedpods, then monitors growth.
Brinkman and Associates manages large government projects in Canada and tropical plantations in Latin America. They offer forestry management services to land manager, land licensees and government clients. The company has planted more than a billion trees across Canada since 1970.
EcoPlanet Bamboo establishes bamboo plantations as alternative timber and fiber sources. Its aim is to provide sustainable, certified bamboo timber to global markets. EcoPlanet Bamboo operates in Central America and Southern and West Africa.
Ecosia uses ad revenue to plant trees while people search the web. The free browser extension works just like any other search engine. With more than 7 million active users, it has invested more than $7 million to plant more than 20 million trees.
F3 Life enables access to credit for smallholder farmers in Kenya. It was honored by the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance and won the United Nations Development Program and Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Prize for Climate Change Finance Innovation.
Fresh Coast Capital coordinates large-scale urban revitalization in U.S. cities. Comprising a team of community organizers, engineers, environmental scientists and finance professionals, the B Corporation develops projects such as green infrastructure for stormwater management.
Guayaki sells beverages made from yerba mate grown in restored Atlantic rainforest. The company was founded in 1996 to provide an alternative to coffee while restoring and protecting the South American rainforests and the communities that depend on them.
Komaza, Kenya's largest commercial tree planter, works with smallholder farmers to plant and process trees for timber. Africa's industrial wood demand will grow 500 percent in the next two decades, leading to more imports. Komaza aims to unlock the potential of sustainable small-scale wood farming.
Land Life Company, founded by an ex-Shell engineer, patented a product that enables trees to grow in dry and degraded land. Its COCOON planting technology offers a low-cost and scalable way to plant trees even in arid areas.
Lyme Timber is a private timberland investment management organization that focuses on sustainable land management. It acquires and manages working lands under working forest easements (agreements between a landowner and land trust or government that conserves land).
New Forests, founded in 2005, is a sustainable assets investment manager for forestry, land management and conservation. Specifically, it manages sustainable timber plantations and conservation investments. It also offers market insight into the maturing forestry sector.
Symbiosis Investimentos is a Brazilian privately owned investment company that transforms degraded areas into productive forests by restoring Atlantic rainforest with native species.
Tentree is a B Corporation apparel company that designs and sells shirts, pants, hats and accessories. It plants 10 trees for every piece of apparel sold with the goal of planting 1 billion trees by 2030.
TerViva plants pongamia, a non-GMO tree crop that needs little irrigation and produces biofuel, on distressed agricultural lands. Forbes featured TerViva on a list of Top 25 Most Innovative Ag-Tech Startups in 2017.
Forestry restoration is increasingly backed by governments, which may till the soil for investment opportunities.
"The opportunity to manage lands and soils to sequester carbon has the potential to deliver more than one-third of near-term solutions to climate change," said Adams.
The Paris Climate Agreement, which counts most global governments and many influential U.S. corporations as signatories, requires action to conserve and enhance natural ecosystems. The Bonn Challenge aims to restore 350 million hectares of deforested land by 2030, while Initiative 20x20 (supports the Bonn Challenge in Latin America and Caribbean) and AFR100 (supports the Bonn Challenge by restoring forests in Africa) are powerful calls for public-private partnership and a source of long-term demand for investment.
And check this link out. Some really incredible progress here.
Nature Tip 002: Grocery Store Herbalism 101
Use plants to heal yourself before running to Big Pharma.
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
I once had a UTI and it was AWFUL.. Like terrifying and painful and I thought I was going to die, Awful. I had experienced them before and they are THE WORST. Then you add the torture of going to a doctor or the ER just to be told to wait out the medicine working for 3 days.. Bye, Felicia. I always though “There has to be more that they can do for these things! That pain is like no other.” And there was. There is more we can do, but not that they can do. THEY don’t have the tools for quick individual healing, that’s not how western medicine works. We are brainwashed from the time our mother’s give birth to us until we die - that doctors are God and that we NEED doctors. That they hold “all” the answers. But doctors are actually just PRACTICING medicine on us and they usually only know one very specific niche thing and that is still learned from with mass data studies and trials. They’re gathering data for the big Pharma companies and for their own practice. They’re not healing and caring about us. They are not plant experts. Those people are the keepers of THE secrets. Those are the people I ask for help before I pop something with unknown side effects into my body that mask instead of cure.
Plants have been on this planet for about 700 million years. I think I’d rather first get my information from someone who studies our plant counterparts - the species that have been here way longer than we have - over someone who can hardly muster up som bedside manner for a 7 figure salary while I feel like I am about to die. These people makes $300 for talking to me for 3 minutes and writing their signature on a big Pharma prescription. Something is very wrong with that system and I don’t really want to support it anymore. It is very obvious when a doctor genuinely cares about your individual problems….it is very very rare. How bizarre is that?!
So while I thought of running to a doctor at first sign of this pain, because of the brainwash I was raised on, the thing was, it was a Friday afternoon. And I didn’t want to go to the emergency room for this because all that did was rack up a huge bill for nothing but a prescription that would take days to work. I mean even if you have insurance you STILL pay up the a$$ for an ER visit. What is the point of the insurance again? So lame. Sorry, I digress. But at this point I was over trying with the “system” to get me out of this hell, quickly. I needed a wizard. So I phoned someone who I knew cared about me and has ancient wisdom, our Seastar Goddess Yoni Mentor – Sabrina Vedete.
It’s interesting how we call people who use a mass solution/data for treating individual’s pain; doctors. And how we cannot call people who actually look at our being as complex multi dimensional individuals to treat us, as qualified health practitioners. I don’t really care what we call them, and neither do they. Yet whoever they are, that is who I am going to first when I am sick. Often we call them witches, or woo woos, or healers, or homeopathic medicine partitioners. The irony is, they’ve always cured me, while doctors have masked my issues for years sometimes and just wracked up medical debt. In fact, most of my medical issues stemmed from other unresolved medical issues previous doctors didn't catch or even caused. So I wanted to use plants and when Sabrina helped me heal myself faster than I could have gotten to a doctor and gotten a prescription filled, something in me changed for good. I realized when she shared this parsley secret with me, that a true healer puts healing within your own control, they give you tools to continue your healing without them. That, to me, is a real doctor.
She told me to go to the store and buy fresh parsley. Boil it. Strain it. Drink the liquid. As much of it as I could. And I did. And I was better within hours. I was shocked. And annoyed. What is up with our healthcare system? I get it, we need surgery and doctors for acute pain, but for the rest of it, we need plants. I felt like I got Doctored. Isn’t it ironic that the verb of doctor means “to change the content or appearance of (a document or picture) in order to deceive; falsify.” The more I try to use the western healthcare system, the more I realize how much of a façade it is. A deceiving and complicated and expensive process that causes lingering suffering instead of quick healing. Warning, I also did drink the parsley water after the infection cleared and it was not healthy - I could feel that it was hurting me instead of helping me after the pain subsided. You’re welcome to DM me for more details about that. I realized that the parsley truly had a purpose to heal me. I wondered, what else can I buy at the grocery store that can heal me in half the time as Pharma with none of the side effects.
Why have we lost touch with the true healers of humans – plants? What we breathe in they breathe out and vice versa. Why wouldn’t there be a plethora of other benefits to our symbiosis?? There are. Why don’t we know them all? Well we do, but we have to search it out and find those who know. Why didn’t I know that boiling parsley could cure me that quickly until I was 37 years old? The real reason (besides living in a patriarchal system that has decimated anything feminine) is because plants take time to grow. And that takes up space and costs money. And to have medicine just waiting for people in plant form – wouldn’t be scalable, sellable, highly profitable. So we synthesize the plants, fungi, bacteria, water. We fill them with filler and then we give those out to people based on group studies that is often more heavily tested on men. That is why, as women and men, we should all learn to be our own healers, know all our options for healing, and know the basics of plants at a minimum. Let us study and learn plant medicine, starting with grocery store bought herbs. Let us read books like The China Study, which teach us that plant-based diets eradicate a plethora of modern-day diseases. Let’s have our own gardens and live with medicine that can cure most of our ailments, right next to our homes.
Today, I’m brining to you lessons in herbs and what you can use them for. Herbs you can buy at just about any grocery store to try to heal yourself before you jump to strong antibiotics and medicines that have lasting side effects. Now I am not a “doctor” I do not hold a doctorate nor am I a “qualified” practitioner of medicine, so this is NOT medical advice. This is spiritual guidance for living a cleaner and more powerful life. This is a message to people to wake up and literally use your roses and noses. If you’re sick, then yes you should call a doctor or someone trained in homeopathic medicine, as I cannot be trusted to provide perfect information for your individual healing on this blog. Always you should go to someone who will care about you personally, like Sabrina or her herbalist sister Arielle. This blog is a form of entertainment. It is also a way for you to open your mind and heart. Before you use herbs, you should take an allergy AND food sensitivity test to make sure you won’t hurt yourself in your healing journey. These are both beneficial for you to have anyways in your life. Because repeatedly consuming foods you are even just sensitive to, not necessarily allergic to, will cause inflammation and inflammation is the surefire path to disease and discomfort. This knowledge is power.
Now, for those ready to learn about plants, here is some grocery store herbalism for you. This article is from joybileefarm.com.
First I’m going to share a bit about my favorite plant – Lavender. Not only is it my favorite color but this plant is a natural anti-septic. I use it in my Dr. Bronner’s Lavender soap, my EO Natural Deodorant spray – French Lavender, and in my laundry detergent. While I use Lavender and Geranium essential oils instead of perfume (frangrance can have over 40K dangerous chemicals in it – listen to the podcast with Cassandra). I use a diluted essential oil for my own scent, I love Geranium too for smell but I think the health benefits of using Lavender are like no other. In long, I love Lavender, and Lavender loves us!
A few tips before we begin - 1. Tea bags are made of plastic. If you want to make teas with any herbs, buy them loose leaf and make sure they’re organic so you do not get pesticides on your healing plants power. 2. Do not use essential oils direct on your skin. You can use coconut or jojoba oil to cut them.
Taken from https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet/what-are-possible-benefits-lavender-must-know-facts-about-therapeutic-plant/
May Help Improve Sleep
Insomnia is a nagging problem that keeps you tossing and turning throughout the night. Cutting out caffeine and getting more exercise might help induce sleep. But sometimes these efforts and others remedies don’t work. As a result, you end up a groggy mess in the daytime.
If you’re willing to try anything for a restful night’s sleep, a study published in March 2017 in the British Association of Critical Nurses found lavender essential oil to be an effective remedy in improving the sleep quality of intensive care unit (ICU) patients who had difficulty sleeping. (2)
So if you’ve tried other sleep remedies to no avail, place a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow before going to sleep tonight. Just be sure not to ingest it, or any other essential oil, for that matter, as doing so may pose health harms.
Could Help Treat Skin Blemishes
A variety of essential oils are also excellent for dermatology use, including lavender. In fact, if you have acne, eczema, or skin inflammation, applying lavender oil to affected areas may play a role in treating blemishes and ease inflammation, according to a paper published in May 2017 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (3) For those with sensitive skin, dilute the essential oil in water or a carrier oil.
The antioxidant activity of lavender may also contribute to wound healing. (3)
Just be sure to check with your dermatologist before adding lavender to your skincare regimen, to ensure it won’t interact with any of the medication you’re currently taking.
May Offer a Natural Remedy for Pain
Some people reach for over-the-counter pain relievers when dealing with acute or chronic pain. And depending on the severity of pain, you might seek a prescription from your doctor.
Before going the traditional route to help ease pain, try aromatherapy with 2 percent lavender essential oil that is diluted in water. One study found lavender to be an effective remedy for postoperative pain. It can function as a pain reliever because the oil contains linalyl acetate and linalool — anti-inflammatory components that are found in many essential oils. (4,5)
Lavender also contains polysaccharides. Another study published in the journalPhytotherapy Research stated that plants containing these molecules are “the most potent in curing inflammatory diseases,” which includes arthritis and rheumatism. (6)
Meanwhile, other research suggests lavender aromatherapy may be used during labor to reduce the intensity, though not the duration of, pain. (7)
Reduce Blood Pressure and Heart Rate
Chronic high blood pressure puts added stress on the heart, increasing the risk of health complications like stroke and heart attack. But a small study published in 2017 in the Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research found that when 40 people inhaled lavender essential oil after open-heart surgery, they reduced their blood pressure and heart rate, suggesting the oil had a positive effect on their vital signs. (8) Yet the authors note more research is needed on this possible benefit — namely, a randomized controlled trial, the gold standard for medical research, with a larger sample size.
Could Relieve Asthma Symptoms
Because of the anti-inflammatory effects of lavender, it may also improve bronchial asthma. A study on mice published in July 2014 in the journal Life Sciences found that lavender essential oil had a positive impact on respiratory health, relieving allergic inflammation and mucus hyperplasia. Whether the same effect would be seen in humans remains unclear. (9)
Lessens Menopausal Hot Flashes
Hot flashes (or hot flushes) are a common menopause symptom that affects many women. It causes a sudden feeling of heat over the body, and it can make the face flushed and trigger perspiration.
But lavender aromatherapy for 20 minutes twice a day may help reduce menopause flashing and improve quality of life, according to a study published in September 2016 in the Journal of Chinese Medical Association. (10)
Help Combat Fungus Growth
There are also a number of studies highlighting the potential antifungal activity of lavender. Studies suggest lavender essential oil may be effective in inhibiting the growth of certain types of fungus, such as C. albicans. The oil could also act as remedy for treating athlete’s foot and ringworm, which are also caused by fungus, according to previous research. (11,12)
Potentially Promotes Hair Growth
In yet another study, lavender essential oil applied to the backs of mice once a day, five times a week, for four weeks, resulted in an increase in their number of hair follicles and a thicker dermal layer. This leads researchers to believe that lavender could potentially be used as a hair growth promoting agent, though more research is needed. After all, you aren’t a mouse. (13)
What Is Lavender’s Effect on Stress Levels?
Everyday stresses can take a toll on your mental health. The greater your anxiety level, the higher the risk for headaches, depression, and low energy.
The good news is that lavender may help lift the black cloud hanging over your head and give your mental outlook a much-needed pick-me-up. There’s plenty of research that suggests lavender has positive effects on mood, stress, anxiety, and depression.
For example, a randomized controlled trial published in February 2018 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine found that premenstrual syndrome symptoms improved in women who inhaled lavender essential oil. (14) They experienced lower anxiety, depression, and nervousness. Likewise, another randomized controlled trial, published in October 2017 in the International Journal of Nursing Practices, found that reflexology massage treatments with lavender essential oil offered psychological benefits, decreasing both anxiety and depression. (15)
What Are Some of the Different Forms of Lavender?
Lavender is available in different forms. For example:
Lavender Oil Nectar extracted from the flowering plant is used to create a fragrant oil. The oil can be massaged into the skin, placed in a diffuser, or applied to a pillow or cotton swab and inhaled for aromatherapy.
Lavender Plant This is a sweetly scented perennial plant. It adds color to a garden and gives off a sweet aroma. (1)
Lavender Capsules or Supplements You can also purchase lavender as a supplement in capsule form. Take as directed for medicinal benefits — just be sure to work with your healthcare provider to ensure the supplement won’t have negative interactions with any medication you’re taking. Also, know that supplements aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Lavender Tea This form of lavender can offer a calming beverage that helps ease anxiety and promotes sleep. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPlate guidelines lists lavender tea as a healthy additional to your meal plan. You can purchase lavender tea, or make your own by steeping fresh lavender buds in boiling water for about 15 to 20 minutes. (16,17)
https://chestnutherbs.com/lavenders-medicinal-and-aromatherapy-uses-and-lavender-truffles/Another great article for Lavender uses.
Geranium information https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/geranium.html
NOW for the Grocery Store list of herbs and what they can do for you!
1. Medicinal herbs from the grocery store – Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Ginger root is found in the produce sections of many grocery stores and Asian markets. It is a tropical plant that can be grown in a pot in temperate climates and brought indoors in winter. It needs a long growing season to multiply its roots. It is a spice used in Asian cooking and for gingerbread, predominantly for its carminative qualities. Ginger aids digestion quells nausea and relieves stomach spasms. It is an effective treatment for travel sickness and can also be used effectively for morning sickness during pregnancy.
You are probably aware that ginger is helpful for digestion, but did you know it is also useful in other complaints. It is also a stimulant for the cardiovascular system, encouraging circulation. It is also an antiseptic that can help in ailments of the respiratory system.
Ginger is a stimulant, carminative, rubefacient, diaphoretic, aromatic, emmenagogue and sialagogue.
Ginger tea is effective in relieving sore throat, sinus congestion and coughing during the flu or a cold. You can increase its effectiveness by combining ginger with lemon juice, flax jelly, and honey in the treatment of colds and flu.
Ginger is effective in increasing circulation when used externally. Make a massage oil by combining ginger oil, beeswax, olive oil, and cocoa butter to a thick paste. Keep it in a sealed jar and use it for cold muscles, cramping, or combine it with cayenne pepper, rosemary, and balm of gilead for arthritis relief.
2. Medicinal herbs from the grocery store – Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
Another medicinal herb, Turmeric can be found in the produce section of Asian markets and health food stores. It looks similar to the ginger root and can usually be found near ginger.
Turmeric has a long history in herbal medicine and has been used to fight inflammation. According to a paper from the University of Maryland, it lowers two enzymes in the body responsible for inflammation. It has also been used in the treatment of cancer for its superior antioxidant abilities. It stimulates bile secretions and improves digestion. It is used in Europe for stomach complaints. It is antibacterial and antiseptic, as well.
You can use the fresh root, by grating it and adding it to food or in tea. Turmeric powder (#ad) is also used in herbal medicine. The powder comes from the root that has been boiled and dried. If you don’t like the spicy taste of turmeric, you can put it in capsules and take it in pill form, or use the tincture.
It has a bright yellow colour and is the colouring agent in American mustard. It is used extensively as a textile dye in Asia for its bright yellow colour.
3. Medicinal herbs from the grocery store – Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
Cinnamon is well known for its spicy warmth, which combines well with tree fruits and bland grains, like oatmeal. It is a digestive aid and an appetite stimulant. Clinical studies have shown that using up to 6 grams of Cinnamon a day can help diabetics control blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol in the blood. (Khan A, Khattak K, Sadfar M, Anderson R, Khan M. Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2003;26:3215-3218.) Read more Cinnamon has also been shown to help with weight loss.
4. Medicinal herbs from the grocery store – Mint (Mentha x Piperita)
Mint has a long list of maladies that it is the recommended treatment: indigestion, colic, flatulence, nausea, vomiting, depressed appetite, menstrual cramps, abdominal and gall bladder pain, sinus congestion. Peppermint is strongly antibacterial and helps in reducing inflammation of the gums and mouth. It is cooling. Use it dried in tea, or in steam to clear sinus passages and relieve chest congestion during a cold.
While you can find mint in the herbal tea or spice section of your grocery store, it is very easy to grow in zone 3 and higher and 4 plants will give you an abundance of mint for year-round use. When looking for varieties to grow, true peppermint is stronger than spearmint. You will want to begin with root cuttings or plants, as it doesn’t grow true from seed.
Peppermint essential oil is an inexpensive essential oil to have on hand for making organic cleaning products. It fills the room with the heady, cheerful, stimulating aroma of peppermint and is antibacterial, too.
Peppermint, along with Rosemary and balm of Gilead makes a good massage oil for the relief of arthritis in the feet, and hands. Keep it away from your eyes.
5. Medicinal herbs from the grocery store – Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum
annuum)
Sold in the spice section of the grocery store, cayenne is the dried and ground fruit of the hot pepper. Several varieties are effective. Cayenne is one of the hotter specimens. Any hot pepper that you grow in your garden can be used. Cayenne is stimulant, carminative, tonic, sialagogue, rubefacient, anti-catarrhal, anti-emetic, anti-microbial, and diaphoretic. The capsaicin helps reduce pain.
Cayenne helps to ward off coughs, helps in the treatment of cancer for its antioxidant properties and helps in stomach complaints. It promotes sweating and so helps in the treatment of fevers. It regulates blood flow, equalizing and strengthening the heart, arteries, capillaries, and nerves. It is a general tonic. When added to an ointment and used externally, it helps increase circulation to hands and feet and works to reduce the inflammation of arthritis. One of the cayenne’s active ingredients is “capsaicin”.
Capsaicin has very powerful pain-relieving properties when applied to the skin. It reduces the amount of substance P, a chemical that carries pain messages to the brain, in your body. When there is less substance P, the pain messages no longer reach the brain, and you feel relief. Capsaicin is often recommended for topical application for the following conditions:
· Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as joint or muscle pain from fibromyalgia or other causes
· Nerve pain from shingles and other painful skin conditions (post-herpetic neuralgia) that happens even after the skin blisters have gone away. Research is mixed, and it may be that it works for some people and not others. Check with your doctor to see if trying this topical treatment is right for you.
· Pain after surgery, such as a mastectomy (breast removal for breast cancer) or an amputation
· Pain from nerve damage in the feet or legs from diabetes, called diabetic peripheral neuropathy. However, capsaicin doesn’ t seem to work for peripheral neuropathy from HIV.
· Low back pain. Several studies suggest capsaicin cream can reduce lower back pain. However, homeopaths may not prescribe a capsaicin gel as the first treatment, because other homeopathic remedies have fewer side effects. (University of Maryland)
Get my recipe for Cayenne-Ginger Salve for mild to moderate pain relief.
Pepper Spray Recipe
To make 100mL of pepper spray, follow the directions below. Always wear gloves when handling cayenne. Avoid contact with eyes and mucus membranes. Do this in a well-ventilated spot or even in an outdoor kitchen, as the fumes can cause breathing difficulties for pets, and small children that are in the room with the simmering spices.
1. Get 100g hot chilli powder and 200mL vodka.
2. Mix the two in a 2 cup container.
3. Run the mixture through a sieve to make sure there’s no solid chilli powder left, and then put it in a stove-burner-safe container.
4. Put your container on the burner until the ethanol boils and evaporates. You’ll have an orange solution of wax consistency left.
5. Now add 20mL of mineral oil, or enough to give you a viscous liquid.
6. Now you can put it in a bottle. You can buy spray bottles at the dollar store, or pressurized bottles online (for more on homemade pepper spray) For bear spray you will want to use a pressurized bottle. Test the bottle before you plan to rely on it in a life-threatening situation.
6. Medicinal herbs from the grocery store – Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)
Side note from me- I love this fact - 80% of people can fall asleep within 10 minutes of drinking chamomile! Skip the sleep meds (now directly linked to Alzheimers and dementia) and opt for plants and nightly rituals (kundalini breathwork) before bed!
Chamomile is found in the section of your grocery store where you find herbal teas. It is useful for its relaxing, calming properties as well as its ability to ease stomach pain and colic. It is gentle enough to be used with children.
Chamomile is good for calming the nerves, inducing sleep, and relieving an upset stomach. It is anti-spasmodic, carminative, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiseptic, vulnerary, aromatic, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, nervine, sedative, and tonic. When used externally it reduces inflammation, and swelling and speeds wound healing. Use the cold tea as a mouth wash in mouth inflammation, a gargle for sore throats, or an eye-bath for sore eyes. Use it as a hair rinse with fair hair to accentuate blond highlights.
This is another natural dye that gives a sunny yellow to textiles when used with an alum mordant.
7. Medicinal herbs from the grocery store – Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)
A powerful antiseptic, a mild anesthetic, and digestive stimulant, clove oil and clove spice have been used for centuries. It is the spice that is used by your dentist to deaden the pain in your gums before he inserts the needle. It is a useful antiseptic for toothache, both deadening the pain of toothache while dealing effectively with the bacterial infection. Clove essential oil is available in the pharmacy section of your grocery store. The dried flower buds are sold in the spice section. Cloves are stimulating to the digestive system, and reduce nausea.
8. Medicinal herbs from the grocery store – Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Thyme has strong antibacterial and antiviral properties while strengthening the immune system to fight disease. It is found in the spice section of the grocery store as dried, crushed leaves, or as a ground powder. The dried leaves retain their strength longer than the dried powder, when in storage.
Thyme helps sluggish digestion. It can be used externally to help heal wounds, and internally for respiratory and digestive infections. When used as a gargle, it soothes sore throats and irritating coughs. It is an expectorant and reduces coughing and unnecessary spasm. It is used medicinally in the treatment of whooping cough, bronchitis, and asthma.
Easy to grow in your own garden in temperate zones.
9. Medicinal herbs from the grocery store – Oregano (origanum vulgare)
Oregano — the spice that you can buy in the grocery store, is used in Italian cooking. But did you know that it is also useful for coughs and colds? It’s an immune booster and cough remedy. Put a tsp. of dried oregano, along with some thyme in a tea ball and make an infusion the next time you feel a cold coming on. I learned this from some WWOOFers from France that stayed at the farm. This is the oregano that the essential oil is steam distilled from.
Oil of Oregano, on the other hand, is mountain oregano, or wild marjoram, containing the same herbal benefits as Thyme but on a more subdued note. It is easy to grow, but also available fresh or dried at your local grocer. It is antibacterial, antiviral, and carminative. It is useful for the treatment of respiratory complaints and wound healing. Oil of oregano is also recommended for the treatment of warts, mouth ulcers, and toothache. While using it leaves the taste of pizza in your mouth, a strong tea made with the leaves can be made more palatable with honey.
10. Medicinal herbs from the grocery store – Sea Salt
While salt isn’t an herb, per se, it is an important adjunct to your home medicine chest. It is antiseptic and useful in the treatment of sore throats, sinus congestion, tonsillitis, and toothache. A mouth wash and gargle are made with 1 tsp. of sea salt in 1 cup of warm water. Sea salt contains several trace minerals, not available in table salt, and these minerals add to salts effectiveness for minor complaints. I use Celtic sea salt, but any sea salt made from the evaporation of water from natural sea flats will have adequate amounts of trace minerals including magnesium.
This just scratches the surface of the medicinal benefits that can be found in your grocery store and your kitchen cupboards. Every homesteader should become familiar with the healing benefits of herbs both from the garden and the kitchen cupboard, for those times when immediate relief from pain or discomfort is necessary. Many times herbal remedies can save you money and are more effective than prescription medicines. For serious complaints please see your doctor.
More Herbal ideas from commonwealthherbs.com
Mentioned in this episode:
The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, episode 1: I’ll Have What They’re Having + Apples & Oranges – (discussion of orange peel starts around 20:00)
The Holistic Herbalism Podcast, episode 142: 4 Medicinal Mushrooms: Shiitake, Maitake, Reishi, Lion’s Mane
Herbal Community Care Toolkit – Chock-full of grocery store herbs & common “weeds”, this course is about making herbalism accessible for everyone.
Herbs discussed include: basil, ginger, orange peel, blueberry, shiitake.
Not sure what to do with your herbs once you’ve got them home? Our Herbal Medicine-Making course has dozens of methods for you to explore! Learn to make teas, tinctures, poultices, salves, liniments, spice blends, and much more. This self-paced online video course includes access to twice-weekly live Q&A sessions so you can connect with us directly!
Below is a copy/paste from https://thehomesteadinghippy.com/herbal-medicine-chest-beginners/
Also Rosemary Gladstar offers an incredible course here. She also writes amazing books that I use regularly.
Vodka, brandy or nonalcohol menstruums. You can use food grade glycerine or apple cider vinegar. These are a must for making herbal tinctures, as they “pull” the medicinal qualities from the herb. Normally, for alcohol, you would use 5 mL of liquid for every gram of dried herb.
Since it’s medicinal, you NEED to measure by weight. For glycerine and apple cider vinegar, you would use 3mL of that liquid PLUS 2 mL of water for each gram of herb.
Garlic-most households will already have fresh garlic in their kitchen for culinary uses. Garlic also has medicinal qualities to it that make this a MUST have on hand. Garlic infused olive oil is great for ear aches, or even used on warts.
You can also assist the body in shortening the life of a cold or flu by liberally adding this to your food. Again, letting “food be your medicine” is a great choice. My mother in love used to feed my hubby raw garlic on buttered bread when he was sick. It wasn’t his favorite, but he felt it worked at getting him over being sick sooner.
Chamomile
Chamomile is considered a cure-all by many homesteaders! It is often used as a calmative and sedative, as it can ease anxiety and promote relaxation. In Europe, it is also used to heal wounds and reduce swelling. You can use chamomile in a tea or as a compress, but it may increase drowsiness in some cases.
Feverfew
Feverfew, as the name might indicate, is often used to treat fevers. In many cases, it is effective against migraines and arthritis, but you need to be careful about taking to much as it can cause digestive upset.
Ginger
Ginger is very beneficial when it is used for nausea, motion sickness, and other digestive problems. It can relieve pregnancy-related nausea, too.
Gingko
Gingko leaf extract has been used for centuries to treat bronchitis, tinnitus, and asthma. It can also improve memory. Why exactly gingko works isn’t exactly clear to scientists, but the general recommendation is that you should only use extract from the leaves> The seeds contain a toxin that can cause seizures.
Ginseng
Both a tonic and an aphrodisiac, ginseng is a common homestead treatment. You can’t use it with certain medications, though, like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines.
Goldenseal
This root is used to treat eye and skin irritations as well as diarrhea. It is a powerful antiseptic that can also be used to prevent colds. Be careful taking too much as it can cause gastric irritation.
Milk thistle
This herb is often used to treat liver problems and high cholesterol. There is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that it may reduce the growth of cancer cells, too.
Saint John’s Wort
This natural antidepressant that can be found on many homesteads. It does cause some sensitivity to light in high doses, so if you are already prone to sunburn, you might want to stay away from this one.
Valerian - Be warned for a certain amount of the population Valerian causes nightmares - myself and my mom both had this experience.
Valerian root is often used to treat sleeplessness and relieve anxiety. There is some research to back this up, so it’s a good option fi you are looking for a way to get some better sleep.
Yarrow
Yarrow is a popular medicinal herb. It is used as a tonic and an astringent. It also smells great, so it’s one of those herbs you won’t mind having on hand.
Black cohosh
This herb is often used to treat arthritis and related muscle pain, but it’s actually a good herb to have on hand if you are a woman, too. Black cohosh is said to treat some of the symptoms of menopause and even menstruation, too.
Celery
Celery seed is often used as a diuretic. You can of course consume the other parts of the plant, too, but the seeds are the most effective.
Burdock
If you’ve got burdock hanging around, you’re in luck. Often viewed as a weed, burdock is actually an awesome herb to have in your medicine cabinet. It can address low blood sugar and is also a way to lower blood sugar. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used as a treatment for symptoms of the common cold, like sore throat.
Borage
Borage is a great herb for treating a variety of issues. It can help with respiratory and cardiovascular issues but can also help heal some gastrointestinal upset.
Calendula
Who doesn’t love the beautiful calendula plant? Also known as marigold, this plant is a good one to have around to decorate your home as well as to keep in your medicine cabinet. It can help soothe your skin and even treat wounds.
Cayenne
Cayenne pepper is made out of the chili pepper. It’s a common ingredient in many foods and is also an effective medicine. It contains tons of Vitamin C, so it can help reduce cholesterol levels while at the same time combat viruses and bacteria. It can also reduce pain and swelling with its heat. The same theory applies to capsaicin, also derived from the chili pepper.
Lemon
Not technically an herb, lemon is a fantastic ingredient to have in your medicine cabinet. You can use the whole lemon or the essential oil of the lemon. It has a long history in Chinese and Indian medicines and it is commonly used to treat sore throat and coughs.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn berries have been used for centuries to fight heart disease. Some studies have suggested that they can be used to relieve kidney and digestive issues.
Turmeric
This spice probably isn’t one you’ll be able to grow at home, but it still is a good option for using in your traditional medicine cabinet. It can help heal arthritis pain and regulate menstruation and it’s a common ingredient in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines.
Horsetail
Commonly viewed as a weed, this plant has been used since ancient Greek and Roman times, when it was used to heal ulcers and stop bleeding. It can also treat tuberculosis and kidney issues.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is tough to grow at home, but if you’re able to grow eucalyptus indoors or even outside (especially if you live in a warm growing zone), take advantage of this. Its oil is a great treatment for coughs and colds – it’s actually used in a variety of over-the-counter products, like cough drops.
Licorice Root
Licorice root is extremely helpful in treating issues like sore throat, infections caused by viruses, ulcers, bronchitis, and more.
Hyssop
Hyssop has some pretty powerful gastrointestinal benefits. You can use the leaves or the seeds and it will help heal colds, sore throat, asthma, respiratory problems, and even digestive issues like gas.
Jasmine
This beautiful, sweetly-scented flower offers many benefits to herbalists. It is an excellent skin remedy, used as both an anti-inflammatory and anti-septic agent.
Bay Laurel
Bay leaves, or bay laurel, can be used as astringents or as salves for open wounds. It’s also a great ingredient to keep on hand if you like a regular massage – the essential oil can relieve rheumatism. If you inhale the essential oil, it may be helpful in treating earaches, too.
Flaxseed
Flaxseed is often used as a laxative. You can use the seeds or the oil – it will also help with arthritis pain.
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a great crop to grow if you have livestock you need to feed – like chickens or rabbits – but it’s also a great ingredient to have hanging out in your medicine cabinet, too. Alfalfa can help lower cholesterol and treat a variety of kidney and other urinary tract problems.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil has been used for centuries all over the world. It is an effective antibacterial and antifungal agent. I keep some in the house specifically for cleaning, but it can also be used topically.
Lemon Balm
This plant – not related to the citrus fruit lemon, which I mentioned above – has some pretty potent powers when used as a digestive aid or a sleep aid.
Holy Basil
I used to think that holy basil was the same thing as regular basil -not the case! This variety of basil, also known as tulsi, is used for a variety of conditions. It can be used as an ingredient in cosmetics but it can also be consumed in a tea or mixed with ghee. It has potent anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Oregano
Oregano is another good herb to have on hand. It is commonly used in folk medicine to cure respiratory and stomach problems. It’s a good cleaning agent and can also relieve a sore throat.
Rosemary
Plain rosemary, as well as rosemary essential oil, also is a powerful antibacterial and antifungal agent. This herb has been used medicinally since ancient times, and while it’s most effective when inhaled, it is also useful when used orally or topically, too.
White Willow
White willow is one of the best plant-based sources of salicylic acid. It can relieve pain just as well as aspirin – it has the same active ingredient! However, you need to exercise caution when consuming white willow. Just as salicylic acid in aspiring, it can cause some destruction of the stomach lining if consumed to excess.
Sage
Sage has been shown to improve cognitive functioning. It can also help boost your immune system.
Purslane
Commonly considered a weed, purslane actually has powerful anticandidal, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. So the next time you see it in your garden, don’t toss it out! Save it.
Comfrey
Another common garden “weed,” comfrey has some pretty powerful benefits when it comes to using it to reduce inflammation. Be careful about how much you consume – it can be toxic in high doses.
Dandelion
Dandelion root is often used to treat liver diseases, spleen problems, and kidney diseases. It tastes fantastic when served in a salad, or you can make your own wine! Although that may negate some of the medicinal benefits, I suppose.
Clove
Cloves aren’t just useful for scenting the house during the holidays, using in baking, or repelling garden pests – they also have some medicinal benefits. You can take cloves for an upset stomach or use them as an expectorant. Clove oil is also often used to treat toothache.
Thyme
Thyme is an expectorant and antispasmodic agent. It can treat heavy coughing and also bronchitis. It also is an effective cleaning agent!
Stinging Nettle
Stinging nettle can be taken internally, via tea or just consumption of the fresh leaves, to treat issues related to the urinary tract and kidneys. It can also help heal issues related to cardiovascular health and the flu.
Blueberries and Cranberries
Yes, blueberries, and cranberries too! If you have a blueberry patch on your homestead, you’re in luck. This tasty fruit is a powerful antioxidant and is also believed to relive urinary tract problems. Many people use cranberries to treat urinary tract problems, but it can also treat diarrhea, stomach ailments, and other issues.
Mullein
Mullein is effective at fighting bacteria, as it has glycyrrhizin compounds. These are concentrated in the flowers, so you should keep some of these on hand.
Continued reading and ideas fom The Root Circle.com
At our most recent Utica Herbal Study Group we discussed the ways in which herbal medicine can be low-cost and accessible. One of the primary offerings of plant-based remedies is that they provide supreme healing to common folks regardless of socio-economic status. Plants grow wild everywhere, even in cities, and many herbs are also considered foods and can be bought right in the grocery store. Many grocery store herbs are inexpensive and can even be purchased with food stamps.
Another, often overlooked, source of herbal medicine happens right in most of our spice cupboards. Cooking herbs and spices can usually be found bottle up and forgotten in our corner shelves and wall racks. There is hardly a household or, at very least, a neighbor or family members household where one can't find a few basic herbal jars of magic already waiting for us in the kitchen. Cooking with herbs is one of humanities oldest traditional methods of supporting health and immunity. These remedies can be added to soups and stews or simply made into teas, compresses, rinses.
Below is a list of herbs that can be found in the grocery store, some of the medicinal properties of common cooking herbs, and the recipes that were included in the hand-out at Herbal Study Group. Although it is ideal that we find herbs, spices, and foods that are organic or locally grown, it is just that; an ideal and not always possible. During this discussion I highly encouraged our group to consider that the potential stress and anxiety that can be caused by the need for ONLY organic or locally grown is not necessarily healing and that, in any discussion of medicine that is accessible, our capacity to adapt and innovate is also central. Working class folks may not always have the resources of privilege, time, or money to chase or seek the perfect products. Sometimes whatever is available is just perfect!
:: From the Shopping List ::
Ginger
Garlic
Burdock Root
Parsley
Basil
Apple Cider Vinegar
Lemon
Honey
Molasses-iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and selenium.
:: From the Spice Cupboard ::
Parsley (Petroselinum sativum)
- source of vitamin C, B vitamins, iron, beta-carotene, chlorophyll
- slightly bitter, crispy and salty taste that indicates the presence of minerals and sodium.
-Carminative and diuretic
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)- high in vit A and C
-is pungent, removes heat and toxins from the bloodstream, liver and intestines
-relieves melancholy, anti-spasmodic,nervine, nervous indigestion, anti-gas, alleviates nausea,antiseptic, lowers fevers
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
-most powerful, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory herb
-reduces inflammation in irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, chrons disease, sinus infection, arthritis, excema, asthma
-is a natural antibiotic, has moderate cholesterol lowering action and is antioxidant
-helps improve intestinal flora and aids in the digestion of protein
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
- pungent,warming, decongestant, warms the stomach to improve digestion, increase bile secretion, improves fat digestion and movement of food through the tract, reducing stagnation, irritation and gas
-normalizes blood sugar
-when cooked with meat it helps the body better digest and assimilate the meat, thus detoxifiying it
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.)
-antibacterial,antifungal, carminative(dispels gas), antihemorrhagic, normalizes blood sugar
-used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, vomiting and nausea
-influence over the microorgaisms associated with botulism, staph infections, alfatoxin, e. coli, and candida.
Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
--carminative(gas-expelling), moistening, nourishing, emollient(softening), warming, and anodyne(pain-relieving)
-calms and builds the nervous system
Garlic (Allium sativum)
--lowers cholesterol and blood pressure
-stimulates immune system
-antibacterial antiviral
-treats ulcers, bacterial diarrhea, sinus infection, ear infection
- effective for antibiotic-resistant pneumonia
-more than 220 studies have correlated ingestion of garlic with lower rates of stomach, intestinal and other cancers
Kelp
-10 to 20 times the minerals of land-based plants
-Eating 3-5 grams(1 gram=.035of an oz.) of most dried, unrinsed seaweeds will provide the RDA of 100-150 micrograms.of iron
-high in iodine and potassium, increases underactive thyroid function and alkalinizes blood
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) ***thymo= Greek for strength
-antibacterial, atimspasmodic, antifungal, antiviral,carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant
-currently used for spasmodic coughs associated with bronchitis, pertussis, asthma, copd, and emphysema
Cumin (Nigella sativa)
-seeds help us absorb and use nutrients
-is carminative and helps increase elimination of metabolic waste via the liver, large intestine, lungs, lymphatic system, skin and kidneys.
Cayenne (Capsicum frutescens, Capsicum annuum)
-increases circulation to the extremeties
-improves digestion and sluggish bowels
-restores health to blood vessels and normalizes bp
-shown inhibitory activity against Helicobacter pylori, and studies show that people who regularly consume hot peppers have a lower incidence of duodenal and peptic ulcers than
those who do not
**Contra-indicated for peptic ulcers, acid indigestion, esophageal reflux
Rosemary(Rosmarinus officinalis)
-antioxidant, circulatory tonic(mild), cerebral tonic and stimulatory to the brain, improves memory, enhances the cellular uptake of oxygen
--Liver/gallbladder tonic for impaired fat digestion. Rosemary enhanced the activity of two liver enzymes(GSH-transferased, NAD(P)H-quinone reductase) when included at very low levels in the diet of rats.
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
-bitter, astringent, slightly heating, pungent
-diaphoretic, expectorant, nervine, astringent, alterative, diuretic, carminative, antispasmodic
-antiseptic, clears congestion, lowers cholesterol
Oregano (origanum vulagare)
-antispasmodic, calms nervousness, irritability and insomnia
Black pepper
- warming, energizing and stimulating,
-sinus infections, colds
Cloves (Eugenia caryophyllum)
-pungent and aromatic
-stimulates circulation, raises body temperature, improves sluggish digestion and nausea
-stimulant, expectorant, carminative, analgesic, aphrodisiac
-heating and energizing
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)~cilantro seed
-bitter, pungent, cooling,carminative, aromatic, warming(leaf is cooling)
-antispasmodic, eases diarrhea and chronic indigestion
-helps eliminate toxic chemicals and wastes through kidneys
Cardamom (Elattaria cardamomum)- pungent, bitter, sweet, aromatic, warm, dry
-relieves bloating, nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, loss of appetite and flatulence, poor absorption, asthma, loss of taste
-helpful for food allergies and hypersensitivities
-expectorant
-antidotes poison, neutralizes mucus forming properties of milk and detoxifies caffeine in coffee.
Mustard Seed (Brassica Alba and Brassica Nigra)- irritant, stimulant, diuretic
-stimulates circulation and if rubbed on skin will help alleviate joint and muscle pain
-diaphoretic so used for fever, colds and influenza the same way as ginger and cayenne pepper
:: Recipes ::
Hot Ginger Compress
******For strains, sprains, and muscle and joint injuries. Do not use if there is an active infection or excessive inflammation.
-Make a tea with ½ a cup of chopped fresh ginger or 2 tbsp. of dried powder to a quart of water. If using fresh ginger simmer for 20 minutes. If using powder simmer for 5 minutes
- Use a dish towel large enough to cover the painful area, dip in tea and place hot compress on area
-Keep the tea hot, and dip a second towel as soon as you apply the first so that there is a constant source of heat on the affected area at all times
-do this until the area becomes red
Garlic Oil
*** A wonder for ear infections and pain as well as for regularly lubricating sinus passages. Do not use if there is any sign of blood or a burst ear drum. Also, do not use if the child has tubes in their ears. I highly recommend purchasing an otoscope so that you can look for yourself.
Mince or chop fresh garlic and put in appropriate sized pan or oven safe dish. If using stove top use a double boiler or heat diffuser.
Cover garlic with olive oil.
Heat gently…do not boil for up to 24 hours.
Strain through cheese cloth.
Use 4 to 5 drops per ear of warm oil. Be sure to check temperature on the inside of your wrist before putting in ear.
Herbal Tea for Colds
-1/4 juice of a lemon
-1/4 tsp. powdered Ginger
-1/4 tsp. Anise seed
-1/4 tsp. Fenugreek seed(for sinus infection)
-1/8 tsp. Thyme(especially for coughs)
-1/2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
-dash of cayenne pepper
-raw honey
*you can add 1 tsp. of White Pine Needles if you have some
*Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the herbs and steep for 10 minutes
*Drink 3 cups per day
Hot Ginger Foot Bath
***Do not use for children under 4 years old or if there is a fever.
Grate or chop fresh ginger or use dried ginger powder. Begin with 1-2 Tablespoons of ginger to a tub of hot water. Water should be as hot as you can stand but DON’T BURN YOURSELF!
Soak feet until water begins to cool. Remove your feet before it gets too cool. Have a towel ready to dry your feet and put on a pair of warm socks. I warm them by my woodstove.
Fire Cider
1 part Garlic
1 part Horseradish
1 part Onions
½ part Fresh ginger
Cayenne to taste (just a few grains will do)
Honey to taste
Apple Cider Vinegar.
Chop fresh garlic, onions, and horseradish into small pieces. Grate fresh ginger. The amounts and proportions vary according to your particular taste.. If unsure, start with equal amounts of the first three ingredients and roughly half part ginger the first time you make this; you can always adjust the flavors in future batches. Chop enough of the first four ingredients to fill a quart jar approximately half full. Put in wide mouth quart jar and cover with Apple Cider vinegar (keep vinegar about two to three inches above the herbs). Add cayenne to taste (just a small amount or will be too hot!). Let sit two to three weeks. Strain and discard spent herbs. Add honey to taste (add the honey after you strain the rest of the herbs).
Fire Cider should taste hot, spicy and sweet. Great as a winter time tonic and/or as a remedy for colds and coughs. I loved to take little shot glasses as a tonic and often people use it as salad dressing and/or on rice or steamed vegetables. It’s quite tasty!
Nature Tip 001: We are made of 70%-90% water. We ARE Nature.
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
Plants. They were here before us and they will be here after us. If we would just listen to them, we might hear them laughing at us… but then we would hear them telling us what we need to do about…everything. First of all with changing how we see ourselves. It would tell us to reconnect to nature. This disconnection from “nature” is the source of most of our problems and it is obvious why.
We are made of 70% water. We as 90% water. Humans are nature. The sooner we accept we are the solution, not just the problem, the better. The sooner we stop living by a agricultural calendar the better. We have phases, like the moon. The moon controls the tides. Which means, yep you guessed it, the moon also pulls at us. When will we start to change our ways and our consciousness around this fact that we and nature are one. Plants are our counter-parts. We breath it out, they breath it in. They let it out, we suck it in. We cannot chop down all the rainforests and damage our oceans without repercussions, because essentially, we are killing ourselves in these acts.
We are so quick to pop pharmaceuticals into our bodies when there’s a plant to heal just about any pain we humans have, often in half the time and with ZERO side effects. In fact, you realize that pharmaceuticals are just mass produced synthetic plant, bacterias and fungi compounds right? Read this. Why not go straight to the sources for our healing - so we can not have the side affects?
Can’t sleep? 80% of people can fall asleep within 10 minutes of drinking chamomile. UTI? Just boil parsley from the grocer. Drink the water. You’ll be better before the doctor can write you a prescription. Why don’t we know this stuff?! It’s our birthright to partner with plants and live in peace. If you have a pain or a problem, why not try to treat yourself with something that has grown in the sun and had a life. The plants are great healers, and great teachers.
When I did extreme plant medicine I came out of it in Awe. Mostly in Awe of Nature. Also in Awe that I had lived so long outside of daily nature interactions. Maybe that’s why I felt dead for so long. The first thing I said after my plant medicine journey was “Why isn’t nature a religion?”😳😹 But Nature WAS/IS a religion. It was stripped of natives. So much wisdom is now being lost alongside their spoken language. Yet the people who lived in Americas long before Europeans came, understood nature, because they listened. I found in my Awe, how quickly Nature could heal my suffering, in many ways. I wondered why Nature wasn’t a religion. But it was. It’s just been forgotten that we are the answer to our own problems. Nature was the original religion, before dogma served to enslave people for the benefit of a few masters and to harness people in a grip of “be good" or else instead of “be whole”. We must learn to fuse the things we have learned in our scientific revolution with the ancient truths that we have long forgotten. I side with this blatant Truth: Nature is the answer: Watch. Partner. Heal. Grow.
The wisdom & uses of plants are infinite, like us, like our universe. We chop down 1 football field of rainforest every minute… for cows. 🤯 We can each do little things every day to support Earth and Nature. Our nature. We can do things as individuals to help our environment.
Ten Simple Things You Can Do to Help Protect the Earth
Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Cut down on what you throw away. Follow the three "R's" to conserve natural resources and landfill space.
Volunteer. Volunteer for cleanups in your community. You can get involved in protecting your watershed, too.
Educate. When you further your own education, you can help others understand the importance and value of our natural resources.
Conserve water. The less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater that eventually end up in the ocean.
Choose sustainable. Learn how to make smart seafood choices at www.fishwatch.gov.
Shop wisely. Buy less plastic and bring a reusable shopping bag.
Use long-lasting light bulbs. Energy efficient light bulbs reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also flip the light switch off when you leave the room!
Plant a tree. Trees provide food and oxygen. They help save energy, clean the air, and help combat climate change.
Don't send chemicals into our waterways. Choose non-toxic chemicals in the home and office.
Bike more. Drive less.
Everyday we are losing keys to our survival as a species daily. We need to change and we need to make this important in our own lives and in our careers. Permaculture, ecosystem regeneration & envionmental preservation and education should be mass “industry” by now. What’s the ish?
Clean plants & pure living waters are our birthright. I stand for both. Immediately.
Plant plants. Eat plants. Plant Medicine. Let’s stop pouring chemicals onto the plants we eat. Use plants. Let’s plant 5 for every 1 we chop down. Let’s create systems that mimic the life cycle of plants. Let’s be allies of the plants.🖖🏼🌱 today. Let’s start now, together, healing and caring about nature…and by that I mean ourselves. Because as I will continue to say over and over. WE ARE NATURE. LISTEN.
Career Tip 010: Genuine Interest in Others, Kindness, & Vulnerability are Superpowers
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
If you’ve read any Brene Brown, you’ll understand that vulnerability is a modern day superpower. Brene Brown is the queen of Vulnerability in the modern corporate workplace. Watch her ted talk here ASAP.
Gone are the days of “Chin up” and toxic positivity. Actually, those days were never really serving us. Instead of just being nice and smiley all the time, take some time to get to know the people around you. The best book I ever read that helped me with relationships was How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. It helps us realize that it isn’t about how you treat people, but in actually genuinely being interest in them and by cultivating a passion for having an interest in others. "Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him." Dale says. I once watched a video of a monk talking about his experience as a newcomer to a monastery. He took a journal and wrote each monks name who he would live who on a page of their own. Then he would keep notes about what he admired in them. He wrote down good qualities. He kept track of the good stuff. And when he faced adversity with them, he would go to them and ask them to give him advice on how they did “the thing he admired” that he had taken note of. This helped him turn the person he may have not gotten along with, into a teacher and a friend. I love the idea of doing this for family, work family, friends, and all sorts of community. This is a great idea for us to learn how to look for the good in people.
To me, the phrase work/life balance makes no sense. We are embodied in our work, especially if we are living in our purpose, and even if we are not, it is a major part of our life. The balance should be to enjoy it. Why live in a constant state of stress or among strangers in the workplace?
Brene offers an amazing tool in her book Dare to Lead that I would like to share here today at the end of this blog and that has helped me so much in the workplace and in my personal relationships; her value’s worksheet. It really changed the way that I communicate with people. Brene teaches that it is hard to have conversations about important things unless you know where the person you are talking to is coming from. In her book she explains a few things that helped me really process this idea. The first is a story. She kept butting heads with her CFO about things she was looking to do in the business. It felt like he was trying to limit her. But once she found out that financial stability was one of his values, she felt like crying. He was just trying to stay true to one of the two things that are his most authentic values. Also this is why she hired him! This can help us change the way we see people for the better, especially when butting heads.
The way it works is that you pick 2 values from the list below. I would also include public opinion to this list, given the affects of social media and how much of our lives if this takes up. Be honest if this is one of your values…it’s a sticky one to accept if it is but helps to see it on this list as well, because sometimes I think we unnaturally value this trait more than others. You only pick 2 because if you pick more than that they become just a list of things you appreciate. You pick 2 values. Hers were Courage and Faith. She felt guilty for not picking Family but then she realized that actually her 2 values help her show up as her most authentic self to her priorities - which are Work and Family. When I did this project I realized that mine are Growth and Love. And my priorities are Freedom, Creativity and Connection. I think over time the priorities change. The values are pretty close to your core, but of course, as I experienced profound Growth, I did actually experience my values change. And I think that is an amazing thing. I took a few days to do this. I circled the first words that popped out to me. Then I highlighted with different colors the list down until I got to 2. Some people know immediately. Take as much time as you need on this. It matters to know this about ourselves. It also helps to know this about others.
In the workplace, kindness can feel rare. So can vulnerability. But these things are superpowers. And if you are really living in your value system and in your truth, they come pretty naturally. I love the following quote because I think we do more damage to ourselves and others when we “try” to be what other people want us to be and care and prioritize things that don’t feel so natural and good for us. “It may seem that living for rapture is a selfish act reserved for the elite, or that is it a fancy phrase for hedonism. But it isn’t. Rapture is not a selfish emotion. It is pure gratitude, flowing freely through the body, heart, and soul. Gratitude for what? For breath, for colors, for music, for friendship, humor, weather, sleep, awareness. It is a willing engagement with the whole messy miracle of life. The world suffers more from unhappy, stifled people trying to do good than it does from those who are simply content within themselves.” Elizabeth Lesser
The reality is, we need to take care of ourselves, first and foremost. In mind, body, spirit and soul but also in fun and in our values and our priorities. We need to be kind to ourselves and do what we want with our lives. We need to have a daily practice of self care, and do the work to love ourselves and understand what makes us tick, so that we can bring a state of well being to our careers. This will allow us to live in purpose and to bond with our work families in a way that can provide compassion and health to the workplace. If you want to get the most out of your career, you will realize that every place you work, has a family that you can carry through life with you. These are people that will support you and help you grow and to be honest, you need them from the start. You don’t want to go into work thinking “this is temporary” even though everything is temporary about work. The reality is that the people aren’t. And life is hard. They need your kindness and you need theirs. And they will care for you and it will be because you were kind. And life will be better because you took the higher road that actually felt good - and not familiar or easy. With kindness our work has a safe space to flourish and if it doesn’t work out, at least they speak highly of you. If you meet someone and you struggle with them, ask about their values and priorities. It might help your communication more than you think. If you still can’t figure out common ground, ask them about their life. Turn them into a person. Maintain boundaries, but care. Kindness is the key.
Career Tip 009: Turn that Trauma into Gold.
This is a living blog. It will grow and change over time. Come back for new articles and ideas on this topic. Please share with us how you’re doing your poop to gold work. ;)
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
This topic is going to be continuously discussed and focused on, not only on this blog but on the podcast. Also in my personal and professional work, as it is quickly becoming part of my purpose as an information provider on this website. It is so important we figure out the gold hidden in our shadows and do not let the trauma dictate our wellness and our lives.
The lows serve us if we let them. Not only do they help us identify the highs, they can give us a way to serve others or a way to reveal our authenticity once we get passed parts of ourselves that were meant to teach us, even the most audacious of crimes. The yin and yang are a great symbols of balance and how to rebalance and accept how things are and were. Over the course of life we realize dark and light balance each other out. We need both. Without their bad experiences, we wouldn’t have had some really incredible human beings on this planet, and we would have not had so much art in infinite forms.
Yes, it is hard to hear it but the adversity helps define us, even make us in some phases of life. What if we stopped trauma bonding with people and instead we spent that time healing ourselves. Could we connect after we figure out that we don’t need to constantly protect ourselves, continue on a path of personal development that results with a nice life and quality interactions with our closest relationships and community? Processing and transforming from caterpillars to butterflies is a birth right. But our culture seems confused. We damage our children and then we wonder why there are so many confused adults. We love our babies but we step over the homeless on the street…who was at one time an innocent defenseless baby. The change starts with each person, to stop passing on trauma and start healing from within.
So many people wouldn’t have done “impossible” things if their lives had been perfect. I know I wouldn’t have lived in 15 amazing places and gathered stellar friends worldwide without some of my trauma. I know I wouldn’t be able to go deep with people and empathize, if I didn’t go through what I have. You see, trauma can be a great cultivator, creator, motivator and a great eye opener - to our purpose, to our path back to our truest essence. It can be a connector but it is better used as a fine-tuner. Yes trauma can break us down and deter our lives in many ways, but there is a link to getting ourselves back to our authenticity and our wholeness. Trauma may rob us of our authentic nature for some time - decades even - but if you work at understanding and hugging the traumas you have had as a child, inherited, absorbed from the environment, culture and religion you were raised in, and expreinced, you are going to succeed at growth. Think of your shadow like a little 2 year old kid who has been pulling at your shirt for decades. You’ve ignored them this whole time. All they’re asking is that you listen to them. Once you do listen to them, there is gold down in there, because you can hug them, and take them out of the drivers seat when you unconsciously let them drive - which you have done many, many times. The gold is in reclaiming your self, from a person you were forced to become to protect yourself and to survive. You deserve a free life, one free of the vices or the pain and suffering. One filled with creation and ideas and accomplishing anything you desire to do whether it be career, exploration, discovery, relationships, creation, and so on and on. I think each person has their own alchemist’s journey to transmuting or transforming their trauma. But the journey only works if you’re willing to stop ignoring the child pulling on your shirt who is trying to talk to you about what happened. Whatever happened to you, that is causing you harm, was not your fault. And it is okay, more than okay, to let go of it.
There are so many great articles on this topic. I for one believe that the true alchemist’s in life are the people taking their own $hit and poopy experiences and turning them into gold, or lead or whatever it is they need. Shadow work can result with bursts of light and endless healing and epiphany, positive relationships, art, or purpose driven work. There is a great joy that people find in helping others to not live out the same fate they had forced upon them. I think the people who don’t get stuck in their trauma, and moved past it, simply had better tools and advice and community and awareness. That is all available to all of us, right now, here, today. Given this beautiful invention of social media and internet, it is a blessing these words have met your eyes at this moment. So let’s get on with it already!
I have had a lot of trauma in my life. I wish I hadn’t, but it’s undeniable. Because of it, I have had 3 experiences with depression. But still today, I don’t consider myself a depressed person. I like this quote about depression. I think we need to de-stigmatize situational health issues and stop downplaying what happens to us. “Some people say depression is a disease. Some people say depression is genetic. Some say it is due to a chemical imbalance. And there is something to be said about each of those. But what if depression was not a disease, but a normal response to abnormal life experiences.” Once was in high school after I was attacked by 6 peers at a party, once was after I got off of top model, and once after my dad died. I got a dog two of the times (I think Chloe reincarnated into Mucci - so I believe that I have one animal spirit guide in life ;). The middle time, after top model, I struggled for 10 years with feeling right inside. I just ignored it. Today I call the dogs my living Prozac. They are a replacement for a pharmaceutical because I am anti pharmaceuticals for my own treatment and to be honest for most people. I come from addictive parents and never wanted to be dependent on a medicine for my mental health.The years with the dogs have been stable and loving and filled with growth and more comfort than I ever knew without them. Times were not always easy, but there was a constant support there from my companion and that helped me tremendously. The years without the dogs…were tough. Very tough and often scary. That’s because I lived in constant motion, self judgment and vices. Running from my own behavior and my own fears to face what happened to me. Clearly I believe in animal therapy more than distracting myself. I believe in having something that needs you to take care of it to get you out of bed and give you purpose. But I also think animals can be a distraction. I believe most in facing the abnormal experiences that cause us to feel bad about ourselves and putting a compassionate pair of arms around the experiences so that we can transform them. However we can do that, I believe that is the answer. But wow, it was all so hard to figure out. We all live in a world full of distractions from the work we need to do on ourselves. The work to heal from adversity we experienced in life and early on in life. They say “the beginning is often our end.” How cruel. But it’s true so often more than not, yet it doesn’t have to be the way it is.
We can learn to change our circumstances and our stories. We can change how we talk about ourselves and how we treat ourselves and others. It just takes time and effort. It’s the most valuable thing you can do for yourself, your family and your career. I can’t wait to show you what I’ve been working on later in the year on this topic. I’m still in the process of life. I think knowing the balancing of my dark and light is lifelong journey makes it that much more of a lifestyle versus a burden. It makes it a choice I am able to get excited about instead of dreading anymore. I chose to work with shadow work for 3 years and then do plant medicine to do my process. Now I am working on creating and doing more shadow work to get deeper into my authenticy. I tried traveling, writing, talk therapy, vices, disappearing, you name it. The best way for me was just to face it and get rid of what I could and transform the rest. Daily. We have to feed our soul good things daily the way we feed our body. This self care is constant and it is the most important work we can do. There are lots of ways you can get started and work this all out for yourself. Feel free to reach out to me anytime for help finding the best way for you to process your ACEs in a safe and healthy way themelrosepodcast@gmail.com.
I’d love to hear your stories too. I want to hear what you are looking for to help you in your growth and what you’re all finding in words, inspirations, and ideas to help our community do this work. I’m still in the process of weaving my story into gold, so until that story is ready, please enjoy a few articles I found helpful on this topic.
I love the books How to Change Your Mind and You are a Badass. I will recommend lots of books in this blog.
This first article has some good ideas. But before you talk to someone about your ACEs score, make sure you do so with someone you trust. Oversharing is a symptom of trauma and you deserve to be held in a safe space while healing. Also, know that when you tell a story about what has happened to you, your body can believe it is going through the experiences all over again. Please make the sharing of your story ceremony and release. Use the energy around it to create and express.
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Excerpt from ACESTOOHIGH.com
8 ways to People Recover from Post Childhood Adversity Syndrome
8 ways people recover from post childhood adversity syndrome
There can be no better time than now to begin your own awakening, to proactively help yourself and those you love, embrace resilience, and move forward toward growth, even transformation.
Here are eight steps to try:
1. Take the ACE questionnaire.
The single most important step you can take toward healing and transformation is to fill out the ACE questionnaire for yourself and share your results with your health-care practitioner. For many people, taking the 10-question survey “helps to normalize the conversation about adverse childhood experiences and their impact on our lives,” says Vincent Felitti, co-founder of the CDC-Kaiser Permanente ACE Study. “When we make it okay to talk about what happened, it removes the power that secrecy so often has.”
You’re not asking your healthcare practitioner to act as your therapist, or to change your prescriptions; you’re simply acknowledging that there might be a link between your past and your present. Ideally, given the recent discoveries in the field of ACEs research, your doctor should acknowledge that this link is plausible, and add some of the following modalities to your healing protocol.
2. Begin writing to heal.
Think about writing down your story of childhood adversity, using a technique psychologists call “writing to heal.” James Pennebaker, professor of psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, developed this assignment, which demonstrates the effects of writing as a healing modality. He suggests: “Over the next four days, write down your deepest emotions and thoughts about the emotional upheaval that has been influencing your life the most. In your writing, really let go and explore the event and how it has affected you. You might tie this experience to your childhood, your relationship with your parents, people you have loved or love now…Write continuously for twenty minutes a day.”
When Pennebaker had students complete this assignment, their grades went up. When adults wrote to heal, they made fewer doctors’ visits and demonstrated changes in their immune function. The exercise of writing about your secrets, even if you destroy what you’ve written afterward, has been shown to have positive health effects.
3. Practice mindfulness meditation.
A growing body of research indicates that individuals who’ve practiced mindfulness meditation and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) show an increase in gray matter in the same parts of the brain that are damaged by adverse childhood experiences and shifts in genes that regulate their physiological stress response. According to Trish Magyari, LCPC, a mindfulness-based psychotherapist and researcher who specializes in trauma and illness, adults suffering from PTSDdue to childhood sexual abuse who took part in a “trauma-sensitive” MBSR program, had less anxiety and depression, and demonstrated fewer PTSD symptoms, even two years after taking the course.
Many meditation centers offer MBSR classes and retreats, but you can practice anytime in your own home. Choose a time and place to focus on your breath as it enters and leaves your nostrils; the rise and fall of your chest; the sensations in your hands or through the whole body; or sounds within or around you. If you get distracted, just come back to your anchor. Here are some tips from Tara Brach, psychologist and meditation teacher, to get you started on your mindfulness journey.
There are many medications you can take that dampen the sympathetic nervous system (which ramps up your stress response when you come into contact with a stressor), but there aren’t any medications that boost the parasympathetic nervous system (which helps to calm your body down after the stressor has passed). Your breath is the best natural calming treatment—and it has no side effects.
4. Yoga
When children face ACEs, they often store decades of physical tension from a fight, flight, or freeze state of mind in their bodies. PET scans show that yoga decreases blood flow to the amygdala, the brain’s alarm center, and increases blood flow to the frontal lobe and prefrontal cortex, which help us to react to stressors with a greater sense of equanimity. Yoga has also be found to increase levels of GABA—or gamma-aminobutyric acid—a chemical that improves brain function, promotes calm, and helps to protect us against depression and anxiety.
5. Therapy SIDE NOTE FROM MELROSE - I TRIED TALK THERAPY AND FOUND THAT TALKING ABOUT MY TRAUMA OVER AND OVER WAS NOT HELPFUL AT ALL FOR ME - SO I AM NOT TOTALLY SOLD BY TALK THERAPY OR BY RELIVING TRAUMA AND CONSTANTLY TELLING A DAMAGING STORY OVER AND OVER TO STRANGERS WHO ARE PAID TO “CARE” BUT DON’T AND ARE DESENSITIZED TO TRAUMA. ALSO ADVISED NOT TO TRAUMA BOND TO OTHER PEOPLE EITHER. THIS IS ALSO NOT PRODUCTIVE.
Sometimes, the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma are just too great to tackle on our own. In these cases, says Jack Kornfield, psychologist and meditation teacher, “meditation is not always enough.” We need to bring unresolved issues into a therapeutic relationship, and get back-up in unpacking the past. When we partner with a skilled therapist to address the adversity we may have faced decades ago, those negative memories become paired with the positive experience of being seen by someone who accepts us as we are—and a new window to healing opens.
Part of the power of therapy lies in allowing ourselves, finally, to form an attachment to a safe person. A therapist’s unconditional acceptance helps us to modify the circuits in our brain that tell us that we can’t trust anyone, and grow new, healthier neural connections. It can also help us to heal the underlying, cellular damage of traumatic stress, down to our DNA. In one study, patients who underwent therapy showed changes in the integrity of their genome—even a year after their regular sessions ended.
6. EEG neurofeedback
Electroencephalographic (EEG) neurofeedback is a clinical approach to healing childhood trauma in which patients learn to influence their thoughts and feelings by watching their brain’s electrical activity in real-time, on a laptop screen. Someone hooked up to the computer via electrodes on his scalp might see an image of a field; when his brain is under-activated in a key area, the field, which changes in response to neural activity, may appear to be muddy and gray, the flowers wilted; but when that area of the brain reactivates, it triggers the flowers to burst into color and birds to sing. With practice, the patient learns to initiate certain thought patterns that lead to neural activity associated with pleasant images and sounds.
You might think of a licensed EEG neurofeedback therapist as a musical conductor, who’s trying to get different parts of the orchestra to play a little more softly in some cases, and a little louder in others, in order to achieve harmony. After just one EEG neurofeedback session, patients showed greater neural connectivity and improved emotional resilience, making it a compelling option for those who’ve suffered the long-lasting effects of chronic, unpredictable stress in childhood.
7. EMDR therapy
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a potent form of psychotherapy that helps individuals to remember difficult experiences safely and relate those memories in ways that no longer cause pain in the present. Here’s how it works: EMDR-certified therapists help patients to trigger painful emotions. As these emotions lead the patients to recall specific difficult experiences, they are asked to shift their gaze back and forth rapidly, often by following a pattern of lights or a wand that moves from right to left, right to left, in a movement that simulates the healing action of REM sleep.
The repetitive directing of attention in EMDR induces a neurobiological state that helps the brain to re-integrate neural connections that have been dysregulated by chronic, unpredictable stress and past experiences. This re-integration can, in turn, lead to a reduction in the episodic, traumatic memories we store in the hippocampus, and downshift the amygdala’s activity. Other studies have shown that EMDR increases the volume of the hippocampus.
EMDR therapy has been endorsed by the World Health Organization as one of only two forms of psychotherapy for children and adults in natural disasters and war settings.
8. Rally community healing
Often, ACEs stem from bad relationships—neglectful relatives, schoolyard bullies, abusive partners—but the right kinds of relationships can help to make us whole again. When we find people who support us, when we feel “tended and befriended,” our bodies and brains have a better shot at healing. Research has found that having strong social ties improves outcomes for women with breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, and other diseases. In part, that’s because positive interactions with others boost our production of oxytocin, a “feel-good” hormone that dials down the inflammatory stress response. If you’re at a loss for ways to connect, try a mindfulness meditation community or an MBSR class, or pass along the ACE questionnaire or even my newest book, Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal, to family and friends to spark important, meaningful conversations.
You’re not alone
Whichever modalities you and your physician choose to implement, it’s important to keep in mind that you’re not alone. When you begin to understand that your feelings of loss, shame, guilt, anxiety, or grief are shared by so many others, you can lend support and swap ideas for healing.
When you embrace the process of healing despite your adverse childhood experiences, you don’t just become who you might have been if you hadn’t encountered childhood suffering in the first place. You gain something better—the hard-earned gift of life wisdom, which you bring forward into every arena of your life. The recognition that you have lived through hard times drives you to develop deeper empathy, seek more intimacy, value life’s sweeter moments, and treasure your connectedness to others and to the world at large. This is the hard-won benefit of having known suffering.
Best of all, you can find ways to start right where you are, no matter where you find yourself.
The interesting thing about the following article is that this study followed judges. Not one of them had an ace score of 0. So it makes us all feel better that no one really gets out of childhood unscathed, and that the people making the judgments might have some understanding of those with higher scores? Or at least we can hope!
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The Repressed Role of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Addiction, Disease, and Premature Death: In My Beginning Is My End
Vincent J. Felitti, MD - Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California San Diego
April 3, 2019
If you want to watch a training video on ACEs as it relates to mainly obesity please go here. If you can see why we use some of the coping mechanisms and how they feel like they are protecting us, we can realize that the sooner we shift our mindsets, the sooner we can start spinning new story and new processes for growing our lives into more wellness, and then success we desire.
The Above Training Description
Have you ever considered how we get from there to here? How do we go from a newborn with its extraordinary potential to the person lying on the street whom we overlook? The answer relates directly and in unexpected ways to difficult problems of social functioning, judicial institutionalization, addiction, medical practice, and public health. This training will look at The ACE Study and you will learn how researchers explored the origins of these problems, and how they came to see that the perceived problem is often someone’s attempted solution to problems about which they keep themselves unaware. The training focuses on the analysis and observations of several people who had experienced tremendous health and emotional challenges.
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From PACES CONNECTION
Turning Gold into Lead: Understanding the Role of ACEs to Our Work as Judges
LYNN TEPPER 11/6/18. 4:27 PM
Judge Lynn Tepper and a courtroom therapy dog.
________________________________________________
[Editor's note: Judge Lynn Tepper, 6th Judicial Circuit, Florida, wrote this for a newsletter published by the Florida Office of the State Courts Administrator, Office of Court Improvement, and kindly agreed to cross-post it to ACEs Connection. ]
"How do we go from a newborn with its extraordinary potential to the man lying on the street whom we overlook? The answer relates directly and in unexpected ways to difficult problems of medical practice, social functioning, institutionalization, addiction, and public health. The ACE Study is about what we learned exploring the ORIGINS of those problems, and how we came to see that the perceived problem is often someone’s attempted solution to problems about which we keep ourselves unaware."
So began Dr. Vincent Felitti’s plenary presentation at the Annual Education Program of the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges: “The Repressed Role of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Addiction, Disease, and Premature Death: Turning gold into lead." (Click here to see his presentation and his PowerPoint.) Those “problems” and “attempted solutions” fill the divisions of courts and inter-related systems. The original 1998 Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study, of which Dr. Felitti, was co-principal investigator with Dr. Robert Anda, of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), revealed an extraordinary, unexpected relationship between our emotional experiences as children and our physical and mental health as adults. The ACE Study revealed that humans figuratively turn the "gold” of the potential of a newborn into "lead” by converting the childhood traumatic emotional experiences into disease later in life.
During his presentation, Dr. Felitti explained, “Adverse childhood experiences are the main cause of health risk behaviors, and hence of disease, disability, premature death, and healthcare costs. People with an ACE score 6 or higher have a life expectancy almost 20 years shorter than an ACE Score 0.”
What we learned from this presentation as individuals may be revealing to us. In fact, each judge in attendance had the opportunity to complete the 10- question ACE questionnaire electronically and anonymously. As you can see in the table below, none of the responding judges had an ACE Score of 0, and in three of the categories, the judges had higher scores than the respondents from the original study.
CATEGORIES OF ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES
Abuse, by Category
Original Study
Judges
Psychological (by parents)
11%
15%
Physical (by parents)
28%
17%
Sexual (anyone)
22%
12%
Neglect, by Category
Original Study
Judges
Emotional
15%
12%
Physical
10%
6%
Household Dysfunction, by Category
Original Study
Judges
Alcoholism or drug use in home
27%
22%
Loss of biological parent
<18
23%
32%
Depression or mental illness
in home
17%
24%
Mother treated violently
13%
9%
Imprisoned household member
5%
3%
These scores and the reality that the professional lives of the judges reflect extraordinary accomplishment certainly would be “gold” and not “lead”, despite the childhood traumatic emotional experiences. Key to understanding that outcome are the responses to the two “buffering relationships” questions, which were not part of the original ACE Study, but were administered to circuit judges prior to them attending the conference. One of the insights from the ACE Study was a “primary prevention” approach. Having “buffering relationships" is one of those “primary prevention” approaches that builds resiliency so that the “extraordinary potential” of a newborn is realized, not lost. As the table below illustrates, most of the judges who responded to these questions had strong buffering relationships that mitigated the impact of their ACEs.
Question
Definitely True
Probably True
Not Sure
Probably Not True
Definitely Not True
When I was a child I had a supportive home environment.
70% or 162
18% or 41
4% or 9
4% or 10
4% or 9
When I was a child I had stable, responsive, supportive & caring relationships with adults & caregivers.
75% or 166
18% or 41
2% or 4
2% or 5
3% or 6
As judges, what we learned might lead us to an understanding of what lies beneath the behaviors we see in court by litigants, and the risky behaviors that lead parties and defendants into our courts, our jails, our detention centers, and our local mental health and substance abuse facilities. Our take-away? The health risk behaviors linked to ACEs may be viewed by the public and health field as a problem, but may be viewed by a patient, defendant, delinquent, dependent party, and litigant as a solution. That view has a lot to do with why certain problems are so difficult to treat. As Dr. Felitti pointed out, “We’re not treating the problem; we’re attempting to treat someone’s solution.” This has major relevance to treating all addictions and the vast disruptive, chronic, seemingly unresponsive behaviors that cross our thresholds every day. Summarized succinctly by my colleague in the 6thcircuit, Judge Linda Babb, “We have been treating the symptoms” and not looking at the adversity in which that individual spent their childhood.
(l to r) Judge Lynn Tepper, Dr. Vincent Felitti, Dr. Mimi Graham, director of the Florida State University Center for Prevention and Policy.
At the conference, Judge Scott Bernstein (11thcircuit), Chief Judge Jonathan Sjostrom (2ndcircuit), Judge Alicia Latimore (9thcircuit), and I briefly shared our experiences regarding individuals impacted by ACEs in virtually every division of the court and the benefits of being trauma-informed and developing a trauma-informed courthouse and community partners.
Over 75% of the judges who responded to the post-test that was administered believed they may have missed telltale signs of ACEs or trauma in the past; 75% think they might handle “disruptive” parties more effectively moving forward; and 77% think there are things they can change in their courthouse or courtroom as a result of what they learned from Dr. Felitti’s presentation. Ideally, our judicial response will include:
how we handle and respond to litigants, defendants, and all who appear before us;
what sentences and dispositions we may impose;
what types of assessments we may order;
which bench guides and tools we may utilize to determine “What happened to this person?” instead of “What did this person do wrong?”; and
embracing the “Big Ten” found within the Family Court Tool Kit: Trauma and Child Development and the constantly updated array of resources and interactive materials on the Florida Courts website.
Dr. Felitti studied the connection between ACEs and health. Unexpectedly, he uncovered for the courts and our community partners a path past our litigants’ “past.” By applying science to what we do every day and responding appropriately to ACEs, we have a chance to change the trajectory of each life we touch. We have an opportunity to change the world if we see it through a trauma lens.
https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/userfiles/file/HealthCare/reserve_alchemy.pdf
CDC violence prevention article
http://centervideo.forest.usf.edu/video/center/acestudy/start.html
Start with this book.
Buy Used Books or use Overdrive to read for free with a library card - YOU ARE A BADASS
Career Tip 008: Know Your ACEs Score & Gain Control.
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
“You are not a victim of your past, but the sooner you acknowledge it, the sooner you can be in control of your future.”
Have you heard about ACEs? If not, you need to know about them. ACEs are important. This is an acronym that stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences. The science is in. We now know that highly adverse childhoods result with a slew of physical manifestations in adult life. It is time to acknowledge just how badly are our childhood experiences affecting us. They affect every part of our adult life, most certainly our willpower and our ability to have stable relationships and quality careers.
There are 10 categories of Adverse Childhood Experiences. These are not the only categories but they are the most prevalent. We also need to remember that the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for will power, is developing until we are 25 years old. So Adverse Childhood Experiences might actually extend past we are 18 and likely do. We have made up the number 18 to rid ourselves as responsible parties for our children, but the truth is, we are damaging children by letting them think they are all grown up at 18 when it could not be further from the truth - 6 years too soon. Abused people tend to perpetuate abuse into our middle life. This is because if we leave home at 16,17,18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, without knowing that what happened to us is not right and knowing what homeostasis feels like, we then often perpetuate the abuse we had at home or in our immediate environments. We are drawn toward that which feel familiar, not good. Good actually feels awkward and we reject it in all forms. All of this happens while our brains are still forming. It’s a recipe for disaster both personally and professionally.
The three categories of these 10 types of experiences are Abuse, Neglect, and Household Dysfunction. Categories of Abuse include Physical, Emotional, and Sexual. Categories of Neglect includes Physical and Emotional. Category of Household Dysfunction includes Mental Illness, Incarcerated Relative, Mother treated Violently, Substance Abuse, and Divorce. I’m not sure why a father being abused isn’t included, as that surely can be something that affects us negatively as well and should be included. I have found out that these are only the most common perpetuations of the psyche and not the only ones. But there are many more, so if you have on that is not included, you should add it to your score. These experiences don’t necessarily have to happen in your own home either, they could happen in your peer groups, places of worship, at school, at camp, in foster care, at non-immediate family homes, in college, etc.
I think the repetitiveness of it being in a household might make the physical expression in adulthood “worse”, but even one traumatic experience can have lasting effects on how we treat ourselves moving forward. These experiences become trapped energy stored inside of us, and since we don’t know what to do with that energy, it comes out in physical manifestations and behavior. Some people call this our shadow. There is gold in all of our shadow, but first we must realize and acknowledge what happened to us so we can work past it.
ACEs do not only apply to lower income homes. For example, often in higher income homes, neglect is rewarded and seen often as a badge of honor, and substance abuse is normalized and seen as “part of the job/community/etc.” ACEs happen everywhere, in every part of our society, which is why it is imperative this information circulates quickly so we can affect some change, not only in our careers and productivity, but in our overall wellness.
The following chart is how these kinds of behaviors can express themselves in us as adults.
I think the worst data I found out about ACEs was that people with a 6 or higher ACE score, live on average 20 years less than people with a 2 or less. The reality is very few people have zero- next to none. But it’s still a huge advantage that any part of the population lives longer than others based on circumstances that were crucial and yet out of their control. *2. A person with 4 ACEs is 5 time as likely to suffer from depression, 2.42 times as likely to have a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 2.93 times as likely to smoke and 3.23 times as likely to binge drink, 12.2 times as likely to attempt suicide, 10.3 times as likely to use injection drugs, 7.4 times as likely to be an actual alcoholic, 2.4 times as likely to have a stroke, 1.9 times as likely to have cancer and 1.6 times as likely to have diabetes. *2-2. BUT, the most important information is that this is not a death sentence. THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL.
This information should be considered a public health crisis. It is exactly that. With these numbers, we should be shouting this out from our rooftops and demanding change to nuclear family and reform to our protective child services. I know the day I realized how high my ACE score was, was the day I started to change my life around. I hope this information will help you.
ACEs matters, A LOT, because the things that happened to you as a child, all of which you had little or no control over, will actually shorten your life and increase all sorts of behavioral and physical conditions that will impair your existence in this life if you do not pay attention and make conscious changes to extend your life expectancy and personal health.
How insane is this?! It makes a lot of sense to me though. For me, my ACEs score needed to be addressed. It took me until 30 to face reality around my childhood. I needed to process, write it all out, forget about it, come back to it, process it some more, transmute it, and transform it into extreme self care, knowledge and compassion to help others. Once I accepted it, it stopped having control of me. It took a lot of work for me to get to where I am at now, but today I can see myself as an old woman. Something I am sad to say that I struggled with in my adolescence, 20s and early 30s. It is easy to understand now why that was so difficult for me.
In the next blog, we will talk about how you can address, correct, transmute, and transform your ACEs score into wellness, life purpose, and/or liberation from shackles that it is time you take off.
Do not be a victim of your childhood or past. It doesn’t and shouldn’t own you. Only you can own you. But we need to get back to who you really are, and the innocence you deserved to have and keep in life.
Resources
https://www.acesconnection.com
https://www.thescienceofpsychotherapy.com/prefrontal-cortex/
Career Tip 007: Women Working in Male-Dominated Fields are The Trail Blazers for Future Generations.
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
When I was a little girl, I wondered why legos were not pink and purple. It bothered me. I also wondered why the special edition were always camouflage or the theme of some kind of male superhero. I loved to play with them and build, but my loyalty to the pastel rainbow and girlie things over primary colors and weapons did not serve me. I outgrew the more STEM directed toys of my childhood, which was a shame. If those legos were pink and purple, I never would have let them go. Today, female directed STEM toys are the focus for a few brands like GoldieBlox, STEM Girls Books, and The Pinxies. I’m happy to report that Lego now has a set devoted to Women of Nasa. Wow! We have come a long way. But have we reeeeally? These brands are nice but you still have to really search hard for them and they are still few and far between. Kind of like roles within male dominated fields..for women. Maybe that’s because instead of trying to focus on selling ideas to girls, we should focus on the opportunities growing for young women to partake in the world as we know it. Maybe as women we need to be exploring all the things in the world, no matter how they are packaged, including professions.
When we look at data reported on women in the workplace, and there sure is a lot of that data to sort though, it is clear that we are divided into a patriarchal system and we are still at the beginning of trying to bend that matrix. Even the very word we use to describe our female anatomy is designed around a man. Vagina means a sheath to which you put your sword into. What the literal F*ck. Stop using that word. Right now. We are not here to hold a man’s sword. We are here to flourish and create. Here in the goddess culture, seeking to balance the patriarchal systems with some feminine energy infused in common language, we choose to call our sacred anatomy a: Yoni. Yoni means sacred temple. Wewh. Much better, I already like myself so much more after just changing this word in my vocabulary… to empower myself. Sorry, I digressed. But this matters. Words and data matter! When we work in male dominated fields like banking, technology, mathematics, and sciences, we are starting out on an up male dominated fields, I wonder, how far have we actually come since women won the right to vote in the US (1920). Well we are now 2 years past the 100 years of liberation to be a voting part of this culture and yet women have slowed down on investing and creating and taking a stride in the patriarchy… I wonder why.
If you don’t think your ideas matter, just think about the fact that we are the majority of the economy and over half of the college degrees. Women do most of the spending, caretaking, cooking, consuming of brands, and raising the next generation.
Women matter. We should act like it and build what we need to thrive.
Women drive 83% of all U.S. consumption, through both buying power and influence, African Americans spend $1.2 trillion annually in the U.S. , Latinx consumers’ buying power is expected to reach , $1.7 trillion by 2020
For women, we lag in inventing in general. This PDF is incredible and will make you want to go back to the drawing boards for your ideas like ASAP.
We need to know what we don’t know. It’s in our own belief system that we aren’t good enough or educated enough to create. The real issue besides our belief in ourselves is that we just don’t do it. In this incredible survey - Progress and Potential; A profile of women inventors on US Patents, surveys show that “between 1978 and 1997, the share of patents with at least one female inventor nearly tripled from 5% to 14%. Such a rapid increase is reasonable considering the share was quite low in the mid-1970s, making it easier to achieve high growth rates. Likewise, women’s opportunities to invent expanded rapidly as more women entered the labor force over the period. Since 1998, however, the share of patents with at least one female inventor has only increased from 15% to 21%, suggesting the pace of entry into patenting by women has slowed.”
“Second, even though more patent inventor teams include women, the gender composition among all inventors has
not changed significantly. As shown by the women inventor rate (middle line in Figure 1), through the mid-1980s women comprised less than 5% of all patent inventors. The women inventor rate only reached 10% in 2000. And in 2016, more than a decade and a half later, only 12% of patent inventors were women.” It is widely recognized that many factors shape the opportunities for women to become patent inventors. Educational and occupational choices are two important influences. Historically, science and engineering fields produce the most patentable inventions (Marco et al., 2015). Naturally, when fewer women pursue careers in science and engineering fields, they will make up a smaller share of patent inventors.”
“ In 2015, women made up about 28% of the total science and engineering work-force but only 12% of inventors on granted patents. Across nearly all science occupations, women participate at a much higher rate than they invent patented technology. It is only in engineering that women’s workforce participation rate resembles the overall women inventor rate.”
“Observed gender differences among patent inventors reflect a wide variety of influences that ultimately shape the opportunities for men and women to become inventors. One such factor is educational background. Women make up 31% of science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM) college graduates, even though they account for 60% of graduates across all degree fields (Munoz-Boudet, 2017). Within STEM fields, women comprise 18% of graduates in computer science and engineering versus 40% in life science.”
This matters because women are smart enough to be inventors, scientists, engineers, supply chain officers, CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CMOs, etc. But we aren’t penetrating these industries for some reason. Could it be that the demand of being a mother and career person is too much for us. Or could it be that these jobs are not branded right to us in our adolescences. Regardless of the reason, we need to work harder at helping women get into STEM field and C-Suites and boards sooner in their life path.
In an excerpt from Forbes 2021 article Women’s Status And Pay in the C-Suite; New Study, they quote
“In the highest ranks of corporate America, there are seven times as many male executive officers as female executive officers; and, at the CEO level, men outnumber women by almost 17 to one, according to a new report from Morningstar authored by Jackie Cook. More than half of companies studied did not have even a single female named executive officer, according to Morningstar, which drew on its Executive Insight Database*. Cook noted that, as of 2020, Amazon did not have any women on its list of top-paid executives. (In Amazon’s 2020 proxy statement, its five named executive officers are men.)
The report suggests there may be two reasons for the gap in pay and the gap in representation. First, women are less likely to be promoted than men. Indeed, reports from McKinsey/Lean In document how the management pipeline is broken: for every 100 men who are promoted to the position of manager, only 85 women are promoted, and the gap is even more pronounced for African-American women and Latinas. So, women held 38% of entry-level management positions in 2020, while men held the remaining 62%.
Cathy Hwang, a law professor who teaches corporate law at the University of Virginia, explained that the “report just underscores how under-represented women (and people of color) continue to be in corporate America. Many companies have focused on hiring a diverse workforce, but there’s still a ton of work to be in retention and promotion.” Second, the Morningstar report notes that “women and men advance upward through different channels,” with women more likely to “occupy support roles like human resources and administration compared with the higher-paid roles that engender a fast track to the top, with higher pay—typically operations, profit and loss, and R&D roles.” This is the “glass wall” phenomenon, in which women are boxed into certain roles. According to another study (reported in the Wall Street Journal), women were one-third as likely as men “to have been encouraged to consider a P&L role,” and men were “twice as likely to have been promoted or selected for leadership training in the past two years. Nearly half the men reported getting detailed advice at work on how to chart their path to a P&L job, compared with 15% of women surveyed.”
So when we read these articles and understand that the way we work, the fields we work in, how we are promoted, and how we are brainwashed all plays a part in how we get paid, then we have to ask the question: At what age do we have to start the dialog. I would say at the very beginning. The issue is that when women enter into “male-dominated industry and occupations” to try to affect change, it sometimes really does feel pointless. But it’s not. As I always say, we must just be more knowledgable than the rest to effect change.
In an global study reported in an article on Catalyst.org, they discuss this sector of Male Dominated Industry and the issues we still face because of keeping the sexes segregated with professions.
“Male-Dominated Occupations Are Those Comprised of 25% or Fewer Women1
Male-dominated industries and occupations are particularly vulnerable to reinforcing harmful stereotypes and creating unfavorable environments that make it even more difficult for women to excel.2
In the United States, only 6.5% of women worked full-time in male-dominated occupations in 2020.3
Between 2016 and 2018, women’s employment increased by 5.0% in industries consisting of two-thirds men.5
Despite growth in information and communications technology, since 2010 women’s share of jobs in the sector in the European Union dropped to only 18% in 2019.7”
The reasons women maybe don’t want to be in those industries is also explained:
“Women Face Challenges Working in Male-Dominated Workplace Cultures9
Women working in male-dominated industries face a variety of challenges, including:
Societal expectations and beliefs about women’s leadership abilities.10
Pervasive stereotypes, such as that of the “caring mother”11 or office housekeeper.12
Higher stress and anxiety compared to women working in other fields.13
Lack of mentoring and career development opportunities.14
Sexual harassment.15”
One interesting graph was the following:
When we look at these numbers, to be honest, it’s depressing. Not because we want and need those jobs. But because those jobs need us. These industries need us and our ideas.
In the article called Research-Based Advice for Women Working in Male-Dominated Fields by Harvard, we are given some advice from all the science around this topic.
“ Highly skilled women succumb to stereotype-driven expectations. It begins early when girls as young as six stop believing that girls are the smart ones, while boys continue to believe their gender is gifted. As women get older, these stereotypes discourage them from pursuing careers thought to be typically reserved for men. And, with fewer women in a field, subsequent generations of women are deterred from pursuing them.
It’s a vicious cycle, but it can be broken.
Certainly, employers can take steps to encourage women to overcome anxiety and self-doubt in the workplace. For example, research shows that when women are exposed to powerful female role models, they are more likely to endorse the notion that women are well suited for leadership roles. So regular meetings — say monthly check-ins or weekly lunches — between less experienced and more senior women give younger women the opportunity to not only develop professionally but also understand that women have what it takes to succeed in an organization’s most prestigious roles. And when mentorship programs are de rigueur, those who face feelings of otherness will not feel deficient for having to proactively seek out career guidance.”
She goes on to suggest journaling, resetting, and reframing. I think when we are lost in our jobs because of a lack of female energy around us, it’s important to know that we are the Trail Blazers for the next generation as well.
We not only can do this, but we are doing it. And slowly, but surely, we will win a centuries long race to balance out the male and female energy in the workplace, and this alone can make this world a better place with way less problems than we see today. I’m hopeful. Are you?
We have to see and use our feminine energy as a super power in the workplace. I urge you to build up allies, and to stay strong in this path. The work we are doing in these fields, matters. And I for one know that if it isn’t working where you are at, there are other companies that you can go to in the same field that have more supportive female energy to align with. If you’re at a company that abuses you for being female, you can be sure that those companies, no matter what their size, are not sustainable in the long run. Diversity is proven to increase value, and women in an equal amount of roles, is part of that. Don’t give up on your dreams, but don't be afraid to search for safer spaces to grow. You got this! Stay true to your female traits and know that all male dominated industries needs your nature, your heart and your mind, to become the best versions of themselves possible.
https://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Progress-and-Potential.pdf
https://www.forbes.com/sites/naomicahn/2021/02/19/womens-status-and-pay-in-the-c-suite--new-study/?sh=c1953ae37621
https://www.catalyst.org/research/women-in-male-dominated-industries-and-occupations/
https://hbr.org/2019/02/research-based-advice-for-women-working-in-male-dominated-fields
Career Tip 006: What to do if college isn’t right for you; ever or right now.
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
So you read the last blog and were like “I’m gonna pass on taking out tons of loans right this moment for a degree I’m not totally sure about.” Or you maybe just want some time to explore the world before deciding how to serve it. Maybe you’ve realized the sector you’re interested in doesn’t have a ton of well paid roles, but it’s your calling. Well, luckily for you, this is not 2001 when I graduated and the only word on the street was - Go to college or become a loser. Thank goodness enough college drop outs have created inventions that affect our daily lifestyle so we can no longer be brainwashed. There is is a lot of data to support your decision either way. There’s a lot of action plans as well. I will give you a few of my ideas. Things I wished I knew were an option for me.
To be totally honest, unless you’re SUPER into college, it can and will wait. You could maybe live with your parents or someone who needs childcare in your life, for 2 -3 years and work and save up as much money as you can. Then you can invest it into a diversified portfolio and then go about your life, and forget about it for 20 years. If you do that, you’ll probably be richer than all your friends when you hit 35/40. It’s annoying to say that out loud but it’s just so obvious. That to me sounds like the smartest thing a person can do before they start their “adult” life. Especially because if you do this, you can take time to explore what you’re really into and not have to be so tied to it if you change your mind. Also, when and if you later decide that you do want to go to college, you can use some of the money you made from wise investing, to pay for it. If you do a good enough job investing and saving, you can go to school on the interest you earn. Maybe you take a few years to learn about money and investing before you engage with the world. Maybe take an accounting class. I love the book Shoe Dog for a story of an accountant who started a little brand called Nike. Chances are, if you give yourself some space to grow and live before you pay to learn, you’ll be even more into what you are looking at studying. You’ll have taken time to really decide what you’re neverending-ly curious about and be sure about the choice to pay for an education in it. You will be excited to learn. You will thrive and find opportunity in that space because you won’t doubt it.
Or you could travel and volunteer in industries that you’re interested in. That way you can build a network in a sector that peaks your interest, you can earn income or rent by learning to do something you find interesting, and you can leave home. There are some cool websites out there for people interested in permaculture (one of my favorite industries that has lots of room for entrepreneurial spirits and workers/helpers.) This is one of them https://www.worldpackers.com/search/type_permaculture.
You could take time to process all of your ACEs or childhood trauma and turn it into some kind of gold. You could write a book or write music. Express yourself and release all the stuff the world tried to layer onto you, before you go and build a life. I often wish I had done that. I’m working on it now in my late 30s. It would have been easier to process each phase of my life at the time I felt it most, versus years and decades later. Look at people like Taylor Swift? She was laughed at and called crazy for expressing her childhood heartaches. Now she is worth $360M. I don’t know if she went to college. But what I do know is that she wasn’t afraid to work on turning her crap/poop/heartache into gold. Being a teen is hard. Use it. Turn it into something else. This IS an option too.
You could also go online and visit articles like the one below and enter into a cyber vortex of information to help you decide on what to do. Find mentors you look up to. Ask them how to become like them. Work for them. I am copy pasting an article from Praxis because they offer an alternative to going to college. I don’t know what their deal is but it could be another scam. Who knows. Just be smart. Don’t shell out thousands of dollars for “help deciding”. Only you can figure that out. Maybe help others for a while. Companies like Praxis are being formed because they, like I know, that being successful is possible in addition to or besides taking on a ton of debt, socializing for 4 years, and making a whole bunch of social and financial decisions that you easily could live your entire adult life without needing therapy for.
Maybe money is the real issue for you but you know that you want a traditional education. That’s good work. You need to know what you want. If you want to get started on undergrad degree but money freaks you out, just stop feeling time pressure. Know that you can reenroll when you have it figured out and feel comfortable. I applaud parents for keeping you alive for 18 years, but if you are 18, you are an adult. These choices are your own. I wish I knew that I could have said no to loans and just left home and gotten a job. I really honestly never thought that was an option. But what I learned the hardest was this: Never spend money under pressure. Or if it doesn’t feel right. College loans follow you your whole adult life in some cases, so be sure about taking them on. Especially tens of or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Maybe you decide to only go if you get scholarships and you apply until you get them while working. Maybe you go to a state school to keep undergrad costs down and then work for a few years before a masters to relieve some of the debt you will incur for the masters. The point is; This is YOUR life. There is no time limit for knowledge or for you to make your decisions, no matter what “adults” say to you. You can always start next semester if you’re stumped. Time is the great healer of all things. If you’re really smart, you’ll enter your adult life knowing that you are going to be a life long student and that life is school, and that school is a choice. You will know that there are some really smart ways about going after degrees that won’t affect you financially for the rest of your life. Be smart. Learn on your own time and your own dime! And do not let anyone convince you to do anything that you don’t feel in your gut is right. You own your life, that is your birthright. If you stay true to yourself and have a good work ethic, you will be successful in your own time. Time is a tool, just like money. They both serve a purpose, and that is to aid you in discovering your purpose. Don’t let other people tell you how to sharpen and use your tools in life unless they have earned your respect, you value them and how they care for you and feel that the advice they are giving to you strikes a cord and is worth your attention. If you can’t decide, sleep on it. There is not rush or race here, the race is with yourself, to make educated and wise decisions about who and how you’re going to become your best self.
THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE & IMAGE IS TAKEN FROM PRAXIS. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND NOR HAVE WE TRIED THEIR SERVICE; WE ENJOYED THIS ARTICLE AND THE 21 ALTERNATIVES TO COLLEGE IN THIS ARTICLE. IF YOU HAVE TRIED THEIR SERVICE, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US SO WE CAN REPORT BACK ON THEIR COMPANY TO OUR READERS.
THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE IS TAKEN FROM PRAXIS. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND NOT HAVE WE TRIED THEIR SERVICE, WE ENJOYED THIS ARTICLE AND THE 21 ALTERNATIVES TO COLLEGE IN THIS ARTICLE.
https://discoverpraxis.com/12902/dont-go-to-college/
You’re at a crossroads, trying to decide the path life’s great journey will take from here on.
Maybe high school is coming to an end for you. Maybe you’ve just dropped out of college. Or maybe you’ve recently been furloughed.
Do you go to college? Get a job? Take some time off? Reinvent yourself?
The odds are, you’re probably leaning towards option one – go to college.
That’s okay. From a young age, we’re conditioned to work hard through school and then continue education at the college level. A lot of us meekly follow this path, believing it’s the best option for our future success.
We don’t stop to consider that there might be another way, a way that doesn’t saddle us with a mountain of debt and leave us half-jokingly telling our friends that we didn’t really learn anything all that useful for the thousands of dollars we spent.
When smart people make an investment in something – be it time or money, or both – they carefully consider all their options and the possible outcomes before taking the plunge. Why should education be any different?
While nothing is certain, having a decent grasp of all the options before you make a decision definitely helps.
In this guide, we’ll help you to decide whether college is really worth it and show you some of the best alternatives to college available.
Is College Really the Best Option for You?
There are, of course, valid reasons that people choose to go to college. And granted, some do graduate within four years and go straight into the job of their dreams – or at least, what they think their dream is at the time.
But, for a lot of people, the transition from higher education into full-time work isn’t quite that straightforward.
Many find themselves coming out the other end with a very expensive piece of paper but no idea what they want to do, or without any practical workplace skills. So they fall into the first jobs they can find. And all too often, the jobs they find could have been had without a degree.
Case in point, recent figures by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that 39 percent of recent college graduates – and 32.7 percent of all college graduates – are working in jobs that don’t require a college degree. Recent data analysis of job postings and resumes conducted by Burning Glass puts that number even higher, estimating that 43% of all college grads are underemployed in their first jobs out of college.
It’s clear there’s a major disconnect between what’s being taught in colleges and what the job market requires.
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently pointed out that there’s a “mismatch between the skills that are coming out of colleges and what the skills are that we believe we need in the future,” and about half of the company doesn’t hold four-year degrees. Apple is just one example of a prestigious company that doesn’t require a college diploma for certain jobs.
This is unsurprising when you consider the fact that many employers feel that college graduates are unprepared for the workplace and lack skills critical to business.
What’s more, the costs of obtaining degrees – of dubious usefulness – continue to rise.
Over the last ten years, the costs of attending both public and private colleges have increased by more than 25%. Not to mention, the total US student debt has climbed nearly 120% in the same period, topping over $1.6 trillion in 2020.
But what about the mythical “college experience” – building social skills, networking, and having a good time, Asher Roth-style? By all accounts, college certainly has its moments. But those can be had without spending fortunes for the privilege.
At any rate, with many schools now operating remotely or semi-remotely in response to COVID-19, you’re unlikely to experience this aspect of campus life any time soon.
Ultimately, it’s your choice to make. If you are seriously considering college, you owe it to yourself to consider the cost and ask yourself some important questions about what you want from your college experience. If you’re still convinced it’s the right path, then at least you can go forward confident in the knowledge that you made a calculated decision.
However, if you’re still on the fence, and you’re just going because you think it’s what’s required of you, take a deep breath and think about why that is.
Are you using college as a stop-gap while you figure out what you really want? Are you hoping you’ll find yourself in a campus coffee shop? It’s an expensive experiment, and frankly, there are better ways to find out what you like and what you’re good at.
So buckle up. Because we’re about to take a whirlwind tour of some of the top college alternatives available to you in 2021.
Further reading: The Benefits of NOT Going to College
How Do You Know a College Alternative is the Right For You?
You might be thinking “Well, skipping college sounds great, but how do I know it’s the right move for me?”
Honestly, nobody can tell you whether a college alternative is the right path for you – except you. Which route is best for you depends on where you’re at in life and where you want to be. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees or silver bullets.
Sure, college might be the right path for you if you’re dead-set on a specific career and you’re certain that there’s no better way of getting qualified for that career, for instance, if a degree is legally required to work in that field.
However, even if this is you, you may later come to regret your decision if you didn’t take the time to validate whether this career – and the lifestyle that comes with it – really aligns with what you want from life.
If you’re hungry, willing to work hard, and a little bit clever about it, you can soon be much closer to where you want to be (or at least figuring out where you want to be) without spending $160K or more in the process.
What’s the worst that could happen if you took a year off to experiment and give yourself time to decide? Gaining some experience and trying different things might change your perspective – and your priorities.
Further reading: College Isn’t for Everyone (and That’s Okay)
Choosing a College Alternative
At Praxis, we believe that you should do everything in your power to inform yourself and test your assumptions before making decisions that require a significant time or financial commitment.
For each path you’re considering, weigh the downsides against the potential payoffs, and select the path with the lowest downside-to-payoff ratio (i.e. the path that requires the lowest investment and has the highest potential return on investment).
For instance, if you’re weighing whether you should go to law school or give starting that web design business you’ve been daydreaming about for months a shot, compare the up-front costs and time commitment of both options. Which hypothesis would be the least expensive to test?
The web design business has low up-front costs, and you could give yourself a deadline (say, a year) by which you need to hit a specific goal. Compare that to the per-year cost of college and the multiple-year commitment, and suddenly college seems like the bigger risk.
As you go through the alternatives to college below, keep this equation in mind: ask yourself which options require the highest up-front investment and risk, and which offer the highest potential reward – and, of course, weigh these factors against what interests you and aligns with your personality, skills, and goals.
So without further ado, here are our 21 top college alternatives for 2021.
21 Top Alternatives to College for 2021
There are a lot of different entry points into the world of work and ways of gaining the skills required to get to where you want to be. If you’re not so sure about that last part, that’s okay too. Some options will help you decide what you want to do as you go along. Others even give you the option to pay only once you’ve landed a job.
1. Join Praxis: The Ultimate College Alternative
We may be slightly biased, but we believe that Praxis is one of the best options available for college opt-outs, dropouts, and career changers, which is why we’re excited to include our program in this list, along with 20 more fantastic alternatives to college.
Praxis is a practical alternative to college designed to give individuals who aren’t afraid of choosing their own path a way to enhance their skills and set themselves up for the world of work.
At Praxis, you’ll undergo hands-on remote training followed by real, paid work experience. We’ll help you figure out what you’re good at and hone the skills you’ll need to enter the workplace and kick ass.
Praxis is an intensive 12-month program for driven young professionals who want real-world skills and a self-directed education experience that puts you in the driver’s seat of your career. Plus, if you complete the bootcamp successfully, we guarantee that you’ll land a full-time job offer at a growing company.
And because we believe that our success should be tied to yours, we’ve put skin in the game and back this guarantee with this promise: if you’re not hired full-time within 6 months of graduating the bootcamp, you won’t pay a dime.
Praxis focuses on non-technical business roles. In other words, you don’t need to know how to code to succeed. Through our program, participants land exciting roles in sales, marketing, customer success, and operations.
You’ll be busy, but the time commitment is 10-15 hours per week, so it’s entirely possible to do the Bootcamp part of Praxis while holding down a job.
Praxis tuition costs $12,000, and 93% of Praxis participants graduate with a full-time job offer – with an average first-year income of $50K. Even better? You can expect to earn more than the cost of tuition within your first six months on the job. Plus, you also have the option to defer payment until after you land your job.
2. Do an Apprenticeship
An apprenticeship is a period of on-the-job training, so you’re actually paid to learn (although keep in mind that apprentice wages generally aren’t as high). Employers offer apprenticeships because they let them nurture talent to meet the needs of their organization.
Traditionally, apprenticeships are associated with trades such as construction, manufacturing, plumbing, woodworking, and sorcery (we regret that the latter is fictional). However, this is changing as companies across all sectors seek young career builders who are hungry for knowledge and experience.
Even well-known companies now offer formal apprenticeships, including Google, IBM, Toyota, and Bosch, although keep in mind, these tend to be highly competitive.
In Europe, over 9.4 million individuals in 27 countries are currently enrolled in apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships aren’t quite as common in America, but they’re steadily gaining traction as a growing number of industries face skills shortages and employers invest in their own training programs.
3. Go to Community College
Community college, or “two-year college,” is a shorter, lower-cost alternative to a regular college. Although you still pay, the fees are much lower, with tuition fees around $3,000–$4,000 per year on average. They typically offer a mix of associate degrees and ready-to-work technical qualifications.
If you’re unsure about committing to 4 years of college, community college can at least be a less costly way to test the waters of college. Plus, you can always switch to a four-year institution later on (although it’s worth noting that there are sometimes difficulties transferring).
While community college is a cheaper option, they still suffer from similar problems to regular colleges. You’re still unlikely to be truly prepared for the real world upon graduating.
4. Enroll in a Coding Bootcamp
Software development, data science, and associated skills such as UX design are in high demand worldwide. As a result, a number of privately-run bootcamps have sprung up to help with supply.
Many of these, such as the Lambda School, can be attended remotely and give the option to only pay once you land a job paying over a certain salary threshold.
However, not everyone is cut out for a career in coding, and the fees can be on par with those of college tuition.
5. Take Online Courses
If there’s a specific skill you want to learn or improve, online courses can be a great way to do so. There’s a huge number of courses and resources available online, ranging from introductory to advanced levels.
Of course, these courses vary wildly in terms of quality and price, with some charging fees bordering on those of college courses while others are completely free.
For example, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are free online courses open to anyone and cover a broad range of topics from architecture to computer science to Mandarin. EdX is a popular resource, featuring courses designed in partnership with top organizations like Harvard and Microsoft. If software development is your thing then CodeAcademy has taught millions to code.
While readily accessible education at any level is a beautiful thing, you need to have serious drive and self-discipline to teach yourself something from scratch and take it to a professional level. MOOCs, in particular, require a lot of time investment as users need to personally curate information and assess the quality and relevance of individual modules.
Read more: The Beginner’s Guide: Online Learning & Self-Directed Education
6. Start a Business
A lot of successful people dropped out of college to start their businesses. While starting a business from scratch may seem intimidating if you don’t know what you’re doing, all it takes is a good idea, a lot of guts, and a plan.
If you’re considering skipping college, you’ve got the first two in spades. As for the plan? There are plenty of resources available to help you find your feet, whether you need help creating a business plan; creating an investor pitch deck to convince investors to fund your idea; registering your business; finding suppliers; hiring employees or freelancers; building a website, handling bookkeeping, payroll, and taxes; setting up an eCommerce site, creating and executing a marketing strategy, and much, much more.
There are currently more than 22 million self-employed individuals in America – not counting those with employees of their own. That’s about 14 percent of the entire workforce!
7. Become a Realtor
Real estate is a self-starter career with a low barrier to entry, which makes it easy to get started. Each state has its own requirements, but the core requirements generally look like this:
Be older than 18 or 19 (varies by state)
Be a legal US resident
Complete your required pre-license education (find your state’s requirements)
Pass your state real estate examination to obtain a realtor’s license
It’s that easy. The rest is up to you. The more you invest in your personal development and hone your sales and marketing skills, the more likely you are to succeed.
8. Join an Accelerator
If you have a great idea for a startup but need some cash and mentorship to get it off the ground, you could apply for a fellowship, incubator, or accelerator like Y Combinator, the Thiel Fellowship, or Echoing Green.
Accelerators are fixed-term programs that nurture and mentor startups and provide all sorts of resources, financing, education, and networking opportunities to help them succeed.
Participating in an accelerator is an intense, immersive, competitive process that typically culminates in pitching your startup to venture capitalists (investors).
9. Get a Job
If you’re not ready to start your own business, you could gain some experience (and earn money) first working for someone else, even if it’s a temporary stepping stone while you save up some money and figure out what you want to do.
It also doesn’t have to be a stepping stone. You may think that getting a job straight out of school is impossible, or that the only jobs available are in fast food or retail, but that’s far from the truth.
Whatever you’ve been told, you don’t need a college degree to get a job. While a lot of jobs might list degree requirements to filter applicants, most of the time, these requirements aren’t set in stone.
If you have the skills your prospective employers are looking for and you can convince them of your ability to create value for them, your (lack of) formal qualifications are unlikely to matter to them.
If you’re new to the world of work and don’t have much experience yet, there’s no better time to start getting some by taking an entry-level job.
Read more: Getting Your Foot in the Door: 3 Essential Habits That Matter More than Your Resume
10. Hone Your Skills
One of the big limitations of college is that it tends to deliver a very general education, which limits how well you learn any specific skill. And what you do learn is taught in such a high-level, theoretical way that you don’t get to do much hands-on, learn-by-doing, practice-based learning.
This means that after four years, you may have a lot of surface-level knowledge of skills, but very little practical mastery.
Have you heard of the 10,000-hour rule? In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell suggests that it takes at least 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery at any given skill.
But what do 10,000 hours look like in reality?
If you worked at something for 8 hours, 5 days a week, for 50 weeks a year, that would amount to 2,000 hours. That means that it would take you about 5 years to become a master of your craft.
In other words, going to college for four years (or more) robs you of some 8,000 hours you could have spent honing a skill.
On the other hand, if you worked at a chosen skill like it’s a job – or made it your job – for those four years, you’d be nearing 10,000 hours by the time your peers are graduating.
11. Do an Internship
Internships are an excellent way to get work experience or get your foot in the door at a company you want to work for. They’re also a great way to get a glimpse of a career path and evaluate whether it’s a good fit for you. Internships can also lead to important connections and help you build professional relationships that may open doors for you in the future.
While interning may not pay very well, it’s fairly common for internships to convert into full-time jobs.
12. Monetize Your Hobby
Thanks to the internet, it’s entirely possible to make money from your hobby or passion these days. If you enjoy writing, photography, making music, dancing, filming videos of yourself playing video games, or any number of other hobbies, you can probably make more money online than you think possible, whether it’s as a side-gig or a full-time job.
With the help of a YouTube video or two, you can quickly learn how to make yourself a basic website (even if you don’t know the first thing about coding, promise). Once you know how to build your own website, your imagination is the limit.
You could also go the route of selling products online, for example by selling handcrafted products on Etsy or cupcakes through Instagram – the possibilities are endless.
13. Build a Digital Footprint – and an Audience
Today, being a content creator is an increasingly viable way to earn a living. Whether you blog on Medium or WordPress, curate a newsletter on Substack, launch your own YouTube channel, build a TikTok empire, host an original podcast, become a Twitch streamer, or create educational online courses – or whatever avenue you choose – creating content online and building an audience can be a full-time (and well-paying) job.
Sure, not everyone is cut out to be a TikTok or Youtube influencer, but there are endless ways to monetize your content, for example through advertising and affiliate marketing.
In addition to being an avenue for expressing yourself and earning an income, building a digital footprint – a “brand,” if you will – allows you to build a signal that’s stronger than any college degree.
14. Learn a Trade
If you think a desk job will bore you senseless and the idea of doing practical, hands-on work, you might consider going into a trade.
Trades careers include jobs like electricians, carpenters, welders, plumbers, pipefitters, mechanics, gas-fitters, HVAC technicians, landscapers, foresters, masons – the list goes on. Many of these jobs don’t require formal education and offer on-the-job training and apprenticeships, and many of them pay more than $50K per year.
There is a huge – and growing – demand for skilled tradespeople, especially as more and more aging tradespeople retire and young people flock to colleges.
15. Move Away from Your Hometown
Starting over in a new place and reinventing yourself without the social pressures and expectations of your family and childhood friends is probably one of the most appealing things about college. But the truth is, you don’t need college for any of that.
Moving away and trying things on your own can be a doorway to all kinds of new adventures.
Get out into the world, explore, and figure out who you are when the people who know you aren’t around.
Getting out of your comfort zone is the fastest way to gain some perspective, get to know yourself, and figure out what you want from life. The best part is you can combine this with any of the other college alternatives on this list. You could even move to a college town, get a job, attend a few classes, and go to parties – and enjoy all the benefits of college without any of the downsides.
16. Travel
Travel is a very effective way to force yourself to grow up, fast. Being in unfamiliar places and having to adapt to strange situations, live outside of your comfort zone, overcome language barriers, and interact with strangers will teach you flexibility and problem-solving skills. Perhaps even more importantly, travel will teach you resilience and self-confidence.
You may think that you can’t afford to travel, but you’re mistaken. There are many ways to travel on a budget, especially if you choose destinations where the exchange rate is favorable and the dollar stretches further. Consider options like Couchsurfing, backpacking, homestays, au pairing, workaways, house sitting, teaching English abroad, or crewing on a yacht to make your travels more affordable or help fund them.
Let’s face it, travel is far cheaper than attending college, and there’s really no better time to travel than now, while you’re young and the stakes are low.
17. Work for Free or Volunteer
Here’s a little secret. You can work your way into a career you love by doing something that feels counterintuitive: working for free.
Think about it. If you’d gone to college, you’d have been paying an institution for your time. Now you might be giving it away for free, but you’ll receive something much more valuable in return – buckets of real, on-the-job experience, new skills, portfolio projects, professional contacts, referrals, and even a paying job if you play your cards right.
18. Get Into Marketing
Did you know that you don’t need a degree to be a successful marketer? Whether you simply want to be able to sell your own product or brand more effectively or make marketing your career, it’s never been easier to get into marketing than right now.
There are tons of resources available to help you learn the ropes, and plenty of opportunities to gain experience and build your portfolio, whether you want to work for an agency or company or launch a career as a freelancer. Marketing can be a very lucrative career and the demand for skilled digital marketers is sky-high as more companies realize the importance of having an online presence.
For more information, resources, and tips on how to get started, check out Marketing Career Path: Here’s How to Get into Marketing and How to Get Started in Digital Marketing.
19. Write a Book
Have you always dreamed of writing a book? What’s stopping you? You don’t need a degree or even a writing course to become a writer. The barrier to entry to becoming an author basically boils down to self-discipline. If you sat down and wrote for a couple of hours every day, you could have a first draft ready in a matter of months. The internet is full of tips to help you get published or even self-publish.
Everyone has a story to tell, and putting your thoughts on a blank page is a great way to get to know yourself.
If you don’t know where to start, why not spend some time watching YouTube videos or reading something like Stephen King’s On Writing to get inspired?
20. Build a Career in Fitness
Did you know that you can make a career out of being physically fit? Okay, it’s not quite that easy, but there are a ton of different career options within this space. If you have a passion for fitness and helping other people to achieve their fitness goals, you could become a fitness coach, personal trainer, or create fitness-related content and combine it with some savvy social marketing to become a fitness influencer.
Consider the success of fitness influencers like Kayla Itsines. Kayle Itsines built her “fitspiration” empire starting as a personal trainer at the age of 18. She’s worked for herself since then and at the age of 29, her net worth is estimated at around $486 million.
Chloe Ting was an actuarial scientist when her workout videos made her a viral YouTube and TikTok sensation. Her Get Abs in 2 WEEKS | Abs Workout Challenge has more than 280 million views on YouTube.
College dropout Mari Llewellyn built her brand using her Instagram account. What was once a personal project to document her own weightloss journey has become a successful business selling supplements, workout guides, and merch.
The global fitness industry is currently valued at over $100 billion and is expected to keep growing. Why not get your slice of the pie?
21. Earn Money Playing Video Games with Esports
Have you ever absolutely kicked ass at a video game and thought “Man, I wish I could get paid to do this”? Well the good news is, these days, you can. With the massive popularity of Esports, competitive gaming can now be a career in itself, with top gamers earning close to a $1 million.
According to esportsearnings, the top 500 gamers in the industry have all made more than $200,000 by playing games competitive. For more information on eSports and to access news, forums, live matches, and resources, check out esports.com.
Ready to Build Your Dream Career and Embrace Self-directed Learning?
We know, it’s a lot to process. With so many great options out there, how do you even decide where to begin?
It’s okay to feel a little lost, and there’s nothing wrong with needing a little help to figure out the world of possibilities that just opened up.
If you want to take charge of your own life and education and feel like you could use some guidance as you embark on your self-directed learning adventure, consider applying for a program like Praxis, which will help you to build the toolset and habits you need to become a successful lifelong learner.
To get started, hit the Apply button below, or if you’d like to know more, read our Program Guide.
For more information about self-directed learning, read Self-Directed Learning: A Primer for Ambitious Young Adults.
Career 005: Is College a Scam? Depends on the industry! Buyer Be Warned!!
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
Before you get upset with the title of this blog, let me thoroughly explain to you my own college experience and then when you see the numbers below in the attached article based on opportunity and wages in certain sectors, you can thank me for saving you, and/or your child, hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you are a child who has someone paying for your education, you can consider yourself in the elite of the world and this is also not for you. If you figured out a scholarship, this ALSO is not for you. This post is for young people about to take out hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans for an education and for you to know your options before you make that decision.
We are in a total savings crisis in the United States. This is because of the choices my generation made in taking out college loans for college degrees that did nothing for us besides suspend our ability to save and earn. College Tuition Buyers BE WARNED. It might be scam depending on what industry you pursue. Certain sectors do not have space for more people, and some professions do not require large college tuition bills/debt. It is important for you to have this information and to hear the stories of people who were scammed in our education system.
I am not working in the fashion industry today. Even though that is what my degree was in. Very few artists that I know who went to college are. Why is that? Numbers and opportunity. I only used my degree for 2 of the 15 years that I was in the fashion industry. That was because I preferred to spend my 20s traveling while there was a chance that I could make 10 x what I was making as a designer stuck behind a desk under florescent lights. As a designer my salary was capped around 40-50K a year. And the worst part about my college was not that I got a sub par education in fashion where they actually explained that this degree wasn’t going to pay off. That would be counter-productive to the scam, but it was a hard lesson I had to learn later. The toughest part about my undergraduate degree was that the college I attended, got sued for predatory lending. It all made sense to my mom and I when the news broke. But when I reached out to fellow students after I saw the class action lawsuit, none of them had been notified of this, including myself. I only found out because I read the Wall Street Journal and Barrons every weekend front to back.
Instead of having an extra $1,000,000 today from wisely investing $150,000 when I was 20 (almost half my life ago now), I had to work my butt off, in a different industry than the one I was educated in, and swallow the truth that I got scammed. I am disgusted by the college system in the United States. Like many other sectors that are long overdue for reform and regulation; healthcare, foster care, politics, the FDA, insurance, agriculture, big Pharma, big banks, this list goes on and on. I’ve deferred my loans so many times, in hopes that the remaining balance owed will be forgiven. Just wait till you read my actual story below. But besides the amount I still owe which I’d really also love to be granted by this broken college loan system, I kind of want back the $970,000 that was stolen from me by the system. This is the number that I should have earned from either investing the money I spent on college instead of getting a useless degree OR from actually earning a correct wage that came from working in the field in which I was educated. Instead, I work in finance and part of that decision was to try to understand this system from the inside.
My actual experiences while attending The Art Institute equated to utterly devastating. My fellow students and I were constantly disappointed in the education we were receiving and the quality of our courses and pedigree of our teachers. We were financially in too deep to turn back. When I realized that we were not getting a quality education, we started talking about it openly, and we decided we would have to teach each other. We all only advanced because we committed to open competition among us to help fuel our talents regardless of how awful our teachers were. It worked, but sadly in my 3.5 years at 2 different Art Institutes, I had teachers terrorize me. They physically stole my art, they often did not show up for class, they weren’t prepared for our classes and I had two steal my designs for their own collections. This was the other thing they don’t tell you in fashion school. Your designs are not considered your own intellectual property. This is a problem in the fashion industry. The right to your own designs has gone to Supreme Court several times, but never passes. So even if you’re talented, crazy talented, you can’t own your work. The professors were mostly a joke, only there for a fat paycheck from a private college. They were not for helping youth in their career growth whatsoever. The school was sold to us as an art trade school. A place you would learn the business of your art sector. No one got out of that school unscathed. The final straw for me to speak any kind words of this education was when I got kicked out of my senior college fashion show, as a fashion design major, by a spiteful teacher who led the show production. This happened after receiving 2 of 4 awards from my first fashion show the year before. I had won Most Creative and Best of Show awards and then I wasn’t allowed to show for my final senior year. All for not turning in my music on time, which I actually had turned in. It was all just sheer insanity. This psychopath told me when I was kicked out the show that the real reason was because she didn’t believe I could finish my work on time. Her words were: “Your designs are “too much” and “unrealistic’ ". I was devastated. This teacher not only told me to be less, but she cut off the very display that I had worked for years to create. Years later, and millions of dollars paid to the SEC, it all makes sense. They were a scam. One big huge SCAM. I am still sickened by the way I was treated by this school. That teacher should have been a prison guard, not a well paid educator at a private college hired to fuel creativity and help young adults master talent.
Today I realize that The Art Institute was a giant scam but even with the media coverage of this scam, I’m still the one paying the price. Everyone I went to college with still owes money for a college that robbed us of the education we paid heavily for. It is embarrassing to talk about this publicly, but it has affected my entire life and at this point, with a ton of grit and determination, I’ve fixed my career to become hyper educated in intellectual pursuits, now working in an industry that values my intelligence and skillset. The reality is that I didn’t need a college degree to go into finance, or to be a successful artist. I feel smart enough and educated enough by my own volition to talk about it, but I’m mad and I’m here to tell you to be warned about college.
I have basically gone to college now three times. Once I paid to get tortured at a private college that didn't care about me and was a predator for money in the name of education. The other was the school of hard knocks as an entrepreneur and consumer goods business owner. A person who had to navigate a path forward through a college education that failed me and stole much of my future investing ability over the next 20 years. The other was when I studied on my own to gain a real estate license, a series 7, 63, 65 and next up, my series 79. The one good thing I’ve realized in going to this much “school” is that I love to learn. And THAT is what makes people successful. But I don't need to pay to do so. And if I do, it will be at renowned schools like MIT or Ivy League where you are paying for a network and hyper intellectual professors who actually care about their doctoral research. Colleges are not all created equally and if you’re going to do college, go big and do Ivy league or just do a state college where you can go for pennies on the dollars. Listen to Dr. Chelsea Shield’s podcast to hear how she got 2 PHDs for free! We do not need to pay for education the way my generation was brainwashed to do. If you want to be a lawyer or scientist, then you should go to undergrad right away, knowing this is your aim. So those career paths, college is fair and wise. But you can still go in state for cheaper than out of state and you really should aim for your post undergrad to be when you are taking out loans, if ever. I say go for scholarships when you get to that level.
If you really want to be an all American success story, I would realize that actually being an employee is also a scam. This is not the way we create wealth and get into the top 5% of earners. You have to create and build something to do this. The real way to be successful in this country is to own your own company doing something that gives you purpose and to write off all of your business expenses. That’s how this capitalistic society we live in is set up. You might fail 5-10 times to build a scalable or sellable company, but it will probably cost you the same as a college degree. So choose wisely. Let me be a voice of reason for you and your parents.
My father was a really smart engineer, genius many called him, but he left my family when I was 15. Horrifically, I found out decades later, there is research now that documents that young girls lose interest in STEM fields at this age (15) if one of their parents are not in one of these industries. Today, if I could have a life do over for college and the last 20 years since then, I would have become a scientist. It’s because i’m forever curious about plants and animals and biology and physics. I would follow my curiosity, not my passion. See the blog on FOLLOWING YOUR CURIOSITY. When I finish work these days, I read as much as I can about plants, botany, ecosystem regeneration and permaculture. I also read about physics and the human mind. I know if my dad hadn’t left right when it matters, my life may have been easier. I might have done some kind of environmental engineering. Maybe one day I still will, but I was heavily influenced by the She in my parenthood, I pursued fashion and art. My mom and I were fashionistas. And since my mom didn’t go to college, she didn’t know how to advise me. Even the advisers were like - sure do fashion. Not - Hey do any of these industries with actual job openings appeal to you.
At 17, I wanted to move to Paris to model and study fashion. I begged my mom to let me go. She wouldn’t because she was also brainwashed that college is the end all must do. She didn’t want me go to another country, and who can blame her? But maybe we should listen to our children when they express their dreams to us now. Because it turns out, maybe I was right. I had a desire to pursue fine art. To be a painter. But that also scared my mom. She wanted me to have a skill that I could sell and not starve to death if no one wanted to buy my paintings. We settled on me becoming a fashion designer. We never talked about my best subjects in school; science and math. We had to figure out my educational path without much help. And we got maliciously deceived. is not a word but i’m making it up because we should create in life). It was in my high school photoshop class. The recruiter for The Art Institute came in and I was hooked. He said they would teach us a trade and we could live all over the country. I applied and got in right away…maybe too quickly. So I went to school to do my associates but when I went to transfer to FIT, they wouldn’t accept my Associates degree. Stumped, and still too uneducated to what non-accredited associates meant, I finished my degree in San Francisco at another Art Institute. How convenient they wouldn’t let me transfer. Luckily the Bachelor’s Degree was accredited. I might have been suicidal had it not been. I got a college degree because I was told by my parent I had to, because not having one affected her earning power throughout her own career. But was the best choice for me to go to college to become a fashion designer or artist? Absolutely not. Especially not at a school that was not initially for the first half of my degree accredited. I still don’t understand how this all worked. To me, it was a complete waste of tens of thousands of dollars and years of my life. And a very tough and scary lesson for me. The biggest lesson came once I graduated because I was now in an industry where there were no jobs. Not a single company came to my college job fair. Not one.
Now, if that isn’t the worst undergrad college experience you’ve ever heard, please tell me of something worse. I’d love to hear it. I am so grateful that I finished my degree and that the degree was accredited. But many times over I thought about quitting and my gut told me something wasn’t right. Always listen to yourself, for she is always right. If you want to avoid college scams use these resources before you think about attending to make sure you’re going to be able to go for higher education once you have your undergraduate degree. Use https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/avoid-fake-degree-burns-researching-academic-credentials and https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home .
If I had not finished my degree at The Art Institute of California who was accredited by Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, I might not have even been able to use my degree to apply for jobs outside of my field, or to go for higher education now that I am considering mastering in a science related field. Now that is a very scary thought. Why is this industry not regulated? At what point is the capitalism completely out of control? Europeans laugh at us and our education system, and now I get why.
If I had wanted to become a lawyer, scientist, doctor, pursue academia, or something in STEM, then yes, college was necessary and worth the expense early on because they require masters degrees. But it was also very inexpensive to do undergrad in my home state. Not that I would have stayed in Michigan after high school, but if I’d known what I know now, I would have at least researched that option. College is not a regulated industry at all. In an article this year (2021/22) by northwesternmutual.com they quote “If you currently have an 8-year-old son or daughter, his or her college costs will be even higher: $155,720 at a state school or $356,443 at a private college. And if you have a toddler who won’t be attending school for another 15 years? Be ready to pay $198,743 for a state school or a whopping $454,992 for a private college.” $500,000 for college in 15 years? How can you have something that outperforms inflation by this metric. What is this industry? And is this fair? Is it even worth it? We are in the days of internet now. Why is education and information to learn not free?? Wouldn’t the world be better if we enabled people to learn what they want, affordably or for free? How would this change out society? Our very broken system of just about every industry, must find some reform, and the consumers are the ones who have to affect that shift.
As an artist, college was a waste of time and I know that now. I could have easily apprenticed for a designer and learned more than I learned in college, in a quarter of the time. Having a college degree helped me work in corporate jobs of course later on down the line. But I could have attended a state college for pennies on the dollar from what I actually spent. The college I went to knew that they could prey on people like me and my mother and so they did - shamelessly. And when they settled with the SEC for $150M, no one I know who went to these schools (The Art Institute) got any of their debt relieved or compensated. We all spent decades trying to find work that wouldn’t even actually give us salaries to pay back college and to build companies in an industry that didn’t need more designers. Shame on you Art Institute. Shame. On. You. Where did the $150M settlement go?? Who benefited from that? Lawyers. Now that would have been a good use of my time if I could pay back my entire college debt on one lawsuit I won. No one tells us these things. And also, I did not and still don’t want to be a lawyer. Maybe when I’m 80 I will get a law degree and fight for human rights. But until then what is a young person to do? Learn. Quickly. Learn where the jobs you might enjoy and thrive at, actually are within our society.
More than the shame of the act of colleges robbing people is the offering education in sectors that cannot support the workforce. That was the problem with going into fashion. There weren’t enough jobs to go around. As a designer my salary would always be capped around $40-50,000. We all know that isn’t enough to survive in the big cities you have to live in to have those jobs. There are 1M new designers a year. It’s almost impossible to make it in that industry and yet I didn’t realize this all until 5 years out working and slaving in industry. It is a sector where all the cards are stacked against you. It was rigged. And my mom and I, and millions of other Americans, have now paid the price. For 20 years many of us have paid the bare minimum on our private and government loans and deferred for additional education, mainly because we are disgusted with the system and want out of this scam. I’ve warned my family, my cousins and their kids about the dangers of pursuing arts without an intellectual equal - especially at an out of state college. I urge them to get an undergraduate degree in something STEM related or in something that is an applicable intellectual field, so that they can grow their lives properly and safely after college. I’m proud that we have an engineer, lawyer, nurse, a rocket scientist, compliance officer and many other highly intelligent women in my family doing jobs that are stable and offer opportunity. I just wish we had all been able to talk more about the dangers of career and college back then, like we can now. This is why I am sharing this story, to help some of you decide next steps around how you choose to learn and to guide your daughters better than a system that we blindly trusted had guided me. It has taken me years to accept this story about my life and to be willing to share it. The reality is, you need an education that has a return on investment. And the worst return on investment jobs are clear for many of us who pursued them, decades later, we are making up for it now for the rest of our lives. This article below helps explain it all very well and in clear numbers. Apparently the 8 worst jobs for return on investment are as follows. I’d actually put Fashion as number 1 if I wrote this article. Fashion is an art. And you do not need college to be an artist. What you need is time and money, two things the wrong college will steal from you. Buyer be warned.
The following is an article copied and pasted from Salary.com. There are many more articles like this though. Just look up worst careers for salary and employment rates. Heres a few more if you’d like to dive deeper.
https://blog.prepscholar.com/worst-college-majors
These “Worthless College Degrees” Might Make You Happy, But Fail the Tuition ROI Test
College: Is it Worth It?
What’s more expensive than going to college? Until recently, the answer was easy: not going to college. Numerous studies over the years have shown that individuals with college degrees significantly out-earn those with high school degrees by $1 million or more over the course of a lifetime.
But as the cost of education increases faster than inflation, people are beginning to question how they spend their education dollars. As student loans hit the $1.5 trillion mark and more and more graduates are faced with years of paying staggering monthly payments, many are starting to ask themselves, “Are there worthless college degrees?”
While there’s no doubt that a college degree increases earning power and broadens opportunities, today’s high cost of education means it makes sense to more carefully consider which degree you earn. When it comes to return on investment (ROI), not all degrees are considered equal. This article exposes eight college degrees with poor ROI.
Methodology
To calculate ROI for a specific degree, we first determined the overall cost of the degree. We allowed the degree holder four years to graduate. Using data from a recent College Board study, we assigned a figure of $37,343 as an average cost of a four-year public liberal arts degree, and a figure of $121,930 for degrees earned at four-year private colleges. The total cost included tuition, room and board, and books, and did not factor in scholarships or grants. We then determined the median cash compensation over the course of 30 years of typical jobs requiring that degree using Salary.com data. We used current Salary.com figures, but added 4.3% per year to account for inflation and cost of living increases. To determine ROI, we subtracted the cost of the degree from the gains over 30 years, then divided that figure by cost.
8. Sociology
People who enter the field of sociology generally are interested in helping their fellow man. Unfortunately, that kind of benevolence doesn’t usually translate to wealth. Here are three jobs commonly held by sociology majors (click on job title and/or salary for more info):
SOCIAL WORKER
Median Salary: $47,121
30-Year Earnings: $2,779,195
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 73%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 21%
CORRECTIONS OFFICER
Median Salary: $39,630
30-Year Earnings: $2,337,376
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 61%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 18%
CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY COUNSELOR
Median Salary: $47,210
30-Year Earnings: $2,784,444
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 73%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 21%
7. Fine Arts
Artists are respected, revered and celebrated. The trick is achieving that status while they’re still alive. After all, the term “starving artist” didn’t come from nowhere. Here are three jobs commonly held by workers with a fine arts degree:
MUSEUM RESEARCH WORKER
Median Salary: $48,401
30-Year Earnings: $2,854,689
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 75%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 22%
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Median Salary: $47,753
30-Year Earnings: $2,816,470
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 74%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 22%
PAINTER/ILLUSTRATOR
Median Salary: $37,819
30-Year Earnings: $2,230,563
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 58%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 17%
6. Education
Ah teaching. One of the noblest professions. And while it stands to reason we’d pay great sums to the chosen few who shape the minds of future generations, it doesn’t quite work out that way. Here are three commonly held jobs in education:
DAYCARE CENTER TEACHER
Median Salary: $27,910
30-Year Earnings: $1,646,131
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 43%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 13%
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER
Median Salary: $52,241
30-Year Earnings: $3,081,172
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 82%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 24%
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER
Median Salary: $54,473
30-Year Earnings: $3,212,815
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 85%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 25%
5. Religious Studies/Theology
Talk about finding your calling. While devoting your life to the church and dedicating your life to the service of others is laudable, it’s not going to leave you with a lot of profit after you earn your degree. Here are three commonly held jobs theological jobs:
RELIGIOUS EDUCATOR
Median Salary: $47,957
30-Year Earnings: $2,828,502
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 75%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 22%
CHAPLAIN — HEALTHCARE
Median Salary: $51,127
30-Year Earnings: $3,015,174
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 80%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 24%
ASSOCIATE PASTOR
Median Salary: $61,811
30-Year Earnings: $3,645,610
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 96%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 29%
4. Hospitality/Tourism
You’re the wizard behind the curtain. The one who’s working like a dog to make it all happen while everyone else is enjoying the fruits of your labor. Unfortunately, there isn’t always a lot of financial benefit after earning your degree. Here are three commonly held hospitality jobs:
MEETING/EVENT PLANNER
Median Salary: $55,476
30-Year Earnings: $3,271,972
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 87%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 26%
HOTEL RESIDENT MANAGER
Median Salary: $65,076
30-Year Earnings: $3,838,180
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 102%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 30%
CATERING MANAGER
Median Salary: $42,533
30-Year Earnings: $2,508,595
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 66%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 20%
3. Nutrition
It’s hard work making sure everyone else eats right, preparing nutritious meals and/or checking to make sure the nation’s food supply is up to snuff. But all that hard work and education necessary to land this job might not turn a huge profit.
DIETICIAN
Median Salary: $53,679
30-Year Earnings: $3,165,985
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 84%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 25%
FOOD SERVICES MANAGER
Median Salary: $56,711
30-Year Earnings: $3,344,813
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 89%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 27%
FOOD SCIENTIST
Median Salary: $64,019
30-Year Earnings: $3,775,838
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 100%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 30%
2. Psychology
We’re starting to notice an unfortunate trend regarding doing work for others with minimal pay. Maybe you can get inside the head of someone influential and find out why workers in this field don’t get paid more for these jobs:
HUMAN SERVICES WORKER
Median Salary: $22,738
30-Year Earnings: $1,341,086
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 35%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 10%
CAREER COUNSELOR – HIGHER EDUCATION
Median Salary: $43,384
30-Year Earnings: $2,558,787
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 68%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 20%
BEREAVEMENT COORDINATOR
Median Salary: $52,200
30-Year Earnings: $3,078,754
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 81%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 24%
1. Communications
You’d think the ink-stained newsrooms and TV studios are full of wealthy and famous journalists. Not quite. Although these skills require lots of education and training, they buried the lead regarding the lack of payoff. Check these communications jobs out:
COPYWRITER
Median Salary: $52,549
30-Year Earnings: $3,099,338
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 82%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 24%
NEWS REPORTER
Median Salary: $37,393
30-Year Earnings: $2,205,438
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 58%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 17%
MARKETING COORDINATOR
Median Salary: $50,455
30-Year Earnings: $2,975,834
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Public College: 79%
ROI of Degree Earner Attending Private College: 23%
Be Prepared
We know money isn’t everything. A lot of people do these jobs and have great and fulfilling careers. But as the cost of education increases, it’s important to know if you’ll get your money’s worth and see a positive ROI. Good luck “
Career Tip 004: Market Size Matters. Know your Numbers.
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
Global Cannabis sector now at $90B+ market and growing. Global Botanical Supplements is $24B+ market and growing. Global Yoga market is at 37.B+ and growing.
When people say your dreams are silly…just tell them the size of the market you’re going after, laugh in the face of such ridiculousness, and do not look back!
Market size will help you understand the reality around your dreams and more importantly, to defend them while peaking curiosity in your adversaries. While sometimes markets grow, other times they splinter into different sectors of the same industry. As women we are naturally drawn towards certain industries. Healthcare, hospitality, textiles, beauty, and many others, are all constantly on our radar. We’ve been infiltrating and supporting them as long as we have been allowed to work. It is time we take a larger piece of the pie in the sectors we are interested in and devoting our lives towards growing.
Look at healthcare and the wellness industry. Look at how disruptive preventative medicine and lifestyle is. I hope lifestyle change will totally disrupt the disease oriented healthcare industry. Now think about wellness from a plant perspective. How many sectors can be touched by the botanical wellness world?
With the Cannabis industry at $90B+ and growing, it is important that we pay attention to sectors like this and to how and why they are growing. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics lists most of the industries in the US by size here. How much room is there in our society to stop treating people in our culture with opioids, literally murdering people by the hundreds of thousands a year. How much longer will we allow doctors to prescribe us medicine intended for acute pain treatment intended to just keep us alive for short term time periods, not long term treatment. How long until we take a good hard look at the data that supports moving people onto plants? They are our perfect counterpart to existence in this oxygen/carbon based world we live in! Plant power makes sense to millions of people at this point. This is one industry that I want to see win in business. This is why I got certified in Permaculture Design. It matters what we do with our time, and we can change the world, if we use our time right and know the numbers.
If we analyze the sectors that are close to our hearts, we can figure out how to participate, disrupt, and grow these industries. Women now make up more than half of the workforce in the US. This is a huge opportunity to affect the future positively. It’s time we take more than half of the C-suite and more than half of the profits as well, so that we can help rebuild this broken system we find ourself in at every turn. It is important as innovators and as women that we understand the metrics around industry sizes in the countries we live in. For Americans, we have a land of opportunity and crony capitalism to work with. While niche markets can quickly become saturated, there is always a curve to being involved, which is why we must pay attention and be brave. If you can get in early enough, you can not only participate as a creator but as an investor in future ideas once you create and successfully exit whatever you build, if that is your goal. Whatever your goals, the sky is the limit. Just make sure you know the size of the limit…and then break through to the other side of the wall or up through the ceiling - with all your glory and might and intelligence to work in a sector that matters, size wise.
The following is an article from this link about the Cannabis industry. If you’re interested in a sector, just look it up. But also, women, Cannabis. Pay attention to the plant world. It is calling to us for more market share. I found the information wonderful and inspiring and I hope you will too.
21 Astounding Cannabis Industry Statistics for 2020
By: Darco Jacimovic, for Cannabis Offers
The cannabis industry is growing in both market size and value. It’s currently booming all across the world, and the latest cannabis industry statistics we’ve collected for you provide ample proof.
However, it’s incredibly hard to measure how much investment goes into this market or the size of the advertising and marketing budgets.
What’s more, the fact that cannabis is illegal in so many states indicates that most of the sales revenue comes from the illicit market.
Let’s take a look at where this industry’s been and where it’s headed.
Cannabis Industry Overview Statistics (Editor’s Choice)
67% of Americans believe marijuana should be legalized.
87% of the total sales revenue came from the black market.
As of 2020, there are 243,700 legal, full-time cannabis industry jobs.
US cannabis workers report a 10.7% higher median salary than the national one.
33 states have approved marijuana for medical uses.
Legal marijuana sales are projected to reach $22 billion by 2022.
Cannabis sales are expected to top medical sales within the next two years.
The cannabis market will be worth $73.6 billion by 2027.
Marijuana Legalization Statistics
1. 67% of Americans believe marijuana should be made legal.
Two-thirds of Americans publically state they think marijuana should be legalized. This is a huge increase in the number of people who offer cannabis legalization support, as the figure stood at a measly 12% in 1969. (Pew Research)
2. 33 states have approved marijuana for medical uses.
Marijuana is still illegal by federal law. However, medical marijuana legalization statistics show that 33 states have approved its use for medicinal purposes. Oklahoma is the latest and one of the most conservative states to legalize its use. (ABC News)
3. The cannabis market in the state of California amounted to $5.6 billion.
Taking into account these statistics on recreational marijuana sales by state, we can see that California recorded the highest earnings.
The market size for both legal and illicit cannabis varies for different states, as these stats show.
A different study on marijuana market research puts California in first place as the top-selling marijuana state with $3.1 billion in sales generated in 2019 in a legal manner.
Colorado occupies second spot with $1.6 billion earnings from sales, almost half of what California generated in 2019.
There aren’t conclusive reports for medical marijuana sales by state, although Colorado is reported to have generated about $0.3 billion in medical sales. (Statista)
4. Legal marijuana sales are projected to reach $22 billion by 2022.
The increase in legal sales will make the economic impact of marijuana legalization tenfold.
As tax revenues are projected to increase, there will be lots of investment opportunities as well as job growth. (Fool)
5. 11 states have made marijuana legal for people over the age of 21.
As of January 1, 2020, the sale of marijuana is now legal in 11 states, with Illinois currently the latest state to pass appropriate legislation. The other ten states where marijuana is legal are Michigan, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, Colorado, and Alaska. (Business Insider)
6. The cannabis market is estimated to be worth $73.6 billion by 2027.
The global legal cannabis market is projected to be worth a whopping $73.6 billion within the next seven years.
Its expected legalization is expected to promote growth, especially for medical and recreational uses in adults. (Grand View Research)
Which brings us to…
Cannabis Industry Growth
7. The cannabis industry worth was estimated to be around $14.9 billion in 2019.
In 2019, sales grew by an astonishing 45.7% compared to the year before. And if estimates are correct, we can see further incredible growth of 38.8% in 2020. (BDS Analytics)
And if that wasn’t enough…
8. The marijuana industry worth is expected to reach $82.9 billion by 2025.
With a revenue share of 62.9%, the marijuana industry isn’t going to stop increasing its value anytime soon.
Quite the contrary, in fact. Marijuana market value in 2019 based on product type and market share revenue was estimated at around $9.1 billion. (Grand View Research)
9. Cannabis sales are expected to top medical sales within the next two years.
According to the latest medical marijuana industry statistics, cannabis is expected to overtake medicine in terms of sales.
Recreational cannabis is expected to reach $14.8 billion in sales by that time. (Fool)
10. The United States marijuana market is estimated to be worth approximately $52 billion.
If you’re wondering exactly how much is the marijuana industry worth, the answer will depend on the market.
With that in mind, the US market remains the largest marijuana market, with reported figures of $52 billion worth. (INC)
Which brings us to address the next stat:
11. 87% of total sales revenue came from the black market.
The same medical marijuana revenue statistics indicate that only $6.2 billion came from legal sales.
This leaves an astonishing $46 billion in illicit sales. (INC)
Cannabis Market Size
12. As of 2020, there are 243,700 legal and full-time cannabis industry jobs.
The expanding industry has created over 33,700 additional jobs across the nation. According to these cannabis industry employment statistics, that’s a 15% increase from 2019. (Leafly)
13. Colorado is the state with the highest number of open dispensaries (515).
The US cannabis market size is looking to increase, as more and more states project an increase in legal dispensaries to meet the demand for medical marijuana.
Colorado and Ohio have the largest number of dispensaries, while California and Michigan record the highest number of marijuana patients. (Statista)
14. The average dispensary income is reported to be $3 million per year.
These are outstanding figures, especially since only 9% of all small-business across the United States report more than $1 million in annual revenue.(Statista)
And now, let’s see what it takes to run a dispensary:
15. The annual operating costs for a dispensary amount to $1,92 million.
According to these marijuana dispensary statistics, in order to successfully operate a dispensary, you need just shy of $2 million every year or about two-thirds of your projected annual revenue. (Statista)
16. The cannabis market growth is expected to be about 21% per year.
Despite all the obstacles and challenges the cannabis industry is facing, projections estimate a steady growth rate in the years to come.
One in five Americans is using cannabis, and this number is only going to increase, further emphasizing the need for more operating dispensaries. (American Cannabis Consulting)
17. Cannabis workers report a 10.7% higher median salary compared to the US median salary.
According to these reports, the median salary in the cannabis industry amounts to $58,511. In comparison, the median salary in the US is $52,863 per year.
It’s safe to say that marijuana has a significant economic impact, as we can see a considerable difference in income. (Marijuana Business Daily)
Cannabis Sales Statistics
18. The average price for an ounce of marijuana is $319.
(Statista)
According to these cannabis industry statistics, the price for an ounce of marijuana is going to triple by 2021. The average price for an ounce in the US in October 2019 was $319.
The District of Columbia recorded the highest price at $595 per ounce, followed by Illinois ($353.15) and Connecticut ($332.83). (Statista)
19. On average, people spend $25 to $30 per trip to a cannabis retailer.
Marijuana usage statistics indicate that only 8.2% would spend more than $100 when visiting a marijuana retailer.
The average amount most people spend stands at $25 to $30 per trip, and an identical number spend even less than $10 on a singular item. (Forbes)
20. Sales of legal cannabis are expected to exceed $17 billion through 2020.
The US cannabis market in the US is increasing with each day, and the latest reports indicate a staggering $17 billion sales are expected for 2020.
However, it’s still a long way from the projected growth for illicit sales. Namely, cannabis industry statistics indicate about $62 billion will be generated from illicit sales in 2020. (New Frontier Data)
21. In 2019, a reported sum of $370.2 million was spent on internet display advertising.
According to these cannabis advertising statistics, that’s a whopping amount of money spent on advertising over the internet.
However, it’s good to note that the target audience for these ads is adults over the age of 21. Internet channels, especially social media, prohibit ad utilization for audiences below this age. (Dash Two)
FAQ
Q: What are the cannabis market trends?
Intense globalization and legalization of cannabis are already in effect, and there are different types of trends that will change the consumer’s experience.
With that in mind, here are some of the trends that will continue to evolve and shape the cannabis industry:
Social Consumption – reports indicate up to 41% consume before, during, or after social interactions.
Cannabis Beverage – there’s a precise rise in cannabis-based beverages, and sales are looking to skyrocket in the coming years.
Growth of CBD – cannabidiol has been widely praised for its health benefits, and it’s often used in the form of an oil.
Ageing Consumers – people in their 20s are considered prime candidates for cannabis consumption. However, older folks are also purchasing cannabis and are not targeted for advertisements.
Q: How do marijuana taxes work?
Marijuana sales are legal in eleven states. However, only seven states are legal and taxable, while four are only legal with no tax system in place.
What this means is that seven of these states tax the consumer for the purchase of marijuana, while four tax the transaction that occurs between distributors and cultivators.
The seven legal and taxable states are Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, California, Washington, Massachusetts, and Nevada.
The four legal states with no tax system are: Maine, Vermont, Michigan, and Illinois.
Bottom Line
What these mind-blowing cannabis industry statistics indicate is that the industry has been gaining momentum, especially in the last few years.
However, with the substance still illegal on a federal level, all those who want to start a business should do so with caution.
We can’t deny the fact that this industry has yet to reach its full potential.
So, if you’re looking for a career opportunity, this may not be the worst idea. As long as you stick with the legal part of it, of course.
Sources:
What are some of your favorite stats? Let us know at support@atheneumcollective.com.
Career Tip 003: If it Doesn’t Exist, Create it. Consciousness is Queen.
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
Each of these blogs coincides with a topic inspired by each podcast guest. This blog goes together with Anahita Moghaddam’s episode. If you haven’t listened to her episode yet here, it’s really a must. And even if you have listened to it, it’s actually one you should re-listen to..regularly. She is onto some major keys that tune us into life.
Success is often created by thinking outside of the box. Wellbeing is often a matter of gaining control of your thoughts and harnessing them. As a person who has also spent much of my life not fitting in boxes and working on my mentality, I loved learning Anahita’s story. Part of her story involved Anahita working in NYC working as a Chief Mindfulness Officer. I had never heard of this term before. I wondered once I heard it, why every single company I was spending money on didn’t have one at their helm and in their C-suite owning their failures and mistakes and reminding the team of the duty we have to be mindful in all that we create.
In the book People Over Profit, Dale Partridge, founders of Sevenly, explains the cycles we find ourselves in the business scaling world. That how we build businesses is broken. It often results with companies having to earn back their customers trust after starting off with a good mission but losing MINDFULNESS along the way. Why can’t we stay conscious while we scale and grow business? We can. We just need people in the c-suite who remind the builders that this is the most important part of our process. What if we create companies from now on that don’t have to scale themselves out of trust?
The idea of Conscious Officers instead of Communications Officers is not new. But what if Mindfulness, Sustainability, and Ethics/Fair Trade were all part of the c-suite as well? What kind of world would we be building then? As women, it is our right to come up with new roles, when we see a gap in the systems we are a part of.
In the article The New CCO on PR Week.com, written in 2018, the conversation of transformation from Chief Communications Officer to Chief Conscience Officer is real and something that is now undeniable even to all male c-suites. This excerpt explains the mindset being adopted into even patriarchal systems now. “Drops in trust in every global institution result from people’s belief that the officials they elect, the companies they work for and buy from, and the media that inform them are putting their own interests above those of their stakeholders and, in essence, betraying their core mission and values.
Against this backdrop, it's no surprise to see the rise of social and media echo chambers and more basic tribal instincts. When the truth is up for grabs, everyone will claim it as their own or retreat to the version with which they are most comfortable.
This is a pivotal moment for the communications profession. We have come a long way from the days of press stunts and endless pitching. In an environment where facts are malleable and "controlling the narrative" is paramount, we can either risk being relegated to our prior spin-doctor status, or use this moment to elevate our roles and the organizations we serve.”
I believe that we have a duty to be Mindful when we create, especially when creating new companies and especially when we decide how to devote our lives in career. I wonder what other roles we can come up with out here in highly patriarchal systems that we are already a part of. What can we come up with when we decide it’s time to grow within the firms we work for. If we already have a company we are entwined with and want to be a part of these organisms growing up and into more conscious businesses, how can we place ourselves in better positions to serve where we already sit. If they won't listen, how do we dare to leave and really create roles made for our awareness levels? I dare you to think outside the box. I double dare you to go one step further and be an inventor. See our blog on Women and Funding in Lesson 4 for the statistics on female inventors. We matter when it comes to creating new ideas and systems and professions and sectors. The world needs female minds to go to work now. We are liberated, now let’s use it to the world’s advantage. Think, and think some more, think hard. We don’t always have to say yes to the systems we see in place. We can create, it is our nature.
If you are working your way up the corporate ladder or jungle gym and you feel like the company you work for needs a Chief Mindfulness Officer, maybe you should make that suggestion and throw your hat in the ring when you do. If you think there should be a different Chief that hasn’t been named yet, speak up. Can you offer a skillset that no one else has provided to the firm you are at yet, with data to support you. Use the data in People over Profit. Use the internet to support your missions within your firms or the companies you build. What is the worst that could happen? They say no? You then feel the urge to start your own company that will think about having a Mindfulness Officer or Sustainability or Fair Trade executive? Who will build companies that have these needs as a priority if not us? The craziest part is that these are the companies that then take part of that market share from the firms you left - because you’re willing to do business with a spine and use it as not just greenwashing but an ethos? Look at Zappos, Patagonia, all the other B Corps out there who believe in being good humans first and foremost in business. There is proof that doing good is good for business. Look at the B Corps blog. Look all around you for opportunity. If you see a whole, fill it. That’s how people “win the business lottery”. Not because they are smarter than everyone else but because they pay attention and aren’t afraid to commit to ideas. Niches are there for the taking, and a business hole is shining in your direction for a reason. Pay attention. Remember that an entrepreneur fails on average of 7 times before getting to a company that they sell. You will need grit if you step outside of the institutions and corporations to build, but there is more support out here than ever before for ideas coming from women. If we don’t do it, who will? Our daughters, nieces, god daughters? Let’s be the change, for them and pave the way and enjoy living in our purpose along the way.
I believe we can do better and are doing better. We are in a great shift. This shift needs more women, and minorities, willing to step up and make these moves. I think Chief Mindfulness Officer is a role that all companies need. I think there are enough qualified people to take those roles and make major impacts in each sector by having them involved, both profit wise but also spiritually. At what point does spiritual equity matter for companies we build and jobs we do? I think there’s room for more Chief roles centered on female principles and qualities. Pay attention to how much spiritual equity you have in your life and career. It matters more than anything, because this is what gets you up and excited to work each day.
Career Tip 002: Use LinkedIn properly. Not the way other Social Media Apps use you.
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
Let’s be honest, the world is full of zombies right now. Social media is to blame and there is enough evidence to know it was done intentionally. But with that being said, we can use it for good. We can pick to not use apps on our main phones that use us. And we can choose to use apps intended to generate wealth and networks, properly. We need to get control over our social media use and what it gives back to us. I for one use two phones. All my social media apps are on the second phone so they don't have a chance of using me during the work week. This works for me, but it is up to each of us to find ways to not be controlled by social media. The one social media app that is work focused and has brought many women into my life, including this podcast, is LinkedIn. I am grateful for this app and website and I realize how valuable it is, unlike the many other platforms that steal our time and rob us of our authenticity by way of like-directing who we become and grow into.
If you aren’t on LinkedIn, it is time. You should get used to promoting yourself and your work on this platform, if your industry allows it. Use it to connect to people who inspire you and read their content and career paths. Use social media better. Use it wisely. Don’t let it use you.
This following is an excerpt from LinkedIn. Tips for how to make your LinkedIn page a success:
1. Choose the right profile picture for LinkedIn.
Your profile picture is your calling card on LinkedIn – it’s how people are introduced to you and (visual beings that we are) it governs their impressions from the start. There are some great posts explaining how to pick the right profile picture on LinkedIn – but here are some quick tips to start with: make sure the picture is recent and looks like you, make up your face takes up around 60% of it (long-distance shots don’t stand out), wear what you would like to wear to work, and smile with your eyes!
2. Add a background photo.
Your background photo is the second visual element at the top of your profile page. It grabs people’s attention, sets the context and shows a little more about what matters to you. More than anything, the right background photo helps your page stand out, engage attention and stay memorable.
3. Make your headline more than just a job title.
There’s no rule that says the description at the top of your profile page has to be just a job title. Use the headline field to say a bit more about how you see your role, why you do what you do, and what makes you tick. If you’ve got sales reps at your company who are on the ball with social selling, then take a quick look at their profile page headlines for inspiration. They will almost certainly have more than their job titles in there.
4. Turn your summary into your story.
The first thing to say about your LinkedIn summary is – make sure you have one! It’s amazing how many people still leave this field blank when creating their LinkedIn profile. Your summary is your chance to tell your own story – so don’t just use it to list your skills or the job titles you’ve had. Try to bring to life why those skills matter – and the difference they can make to the people you work with. Don’t be afraid to invest some time, try a few drafts, and run your summary past people you know. This is your most personal piece of content marketing – and it’s worth the effort.
5. Declare war on buzzwords.
Buzzwords are adjectives that are used so often in LinkedIn headlines and summaries that they become almost completely meaningless. Our regular rankings of the most over-used buzzwords include terms like ‘specialised’, ‘leadership’, ‘focused’, ‘strategic’, ‘experienced’, ‘passionate’, ‘expert’, ‘creative’, ‘innovative’ and ‘certified’. Now I’m not saying you can’t describe yourself as these things – or that they don’t matter. However, just using these words won’t convince people that you have these qualities. You need to demonstrate them as well – both in the way you describe yourself, and in the way you use LinkedIn profile features to show what you’re about.
6. Grow your network.
One of the easiest and yet most relevant ways to grow your LinkedIn network is to synch your profile with your email address book. This enables LinkedIn to suggest people you could connect with. It’s amazing how effective this can be at surfacing relevant people for you to reach out to – and no connection requests are sent without your permission, so you can vet all of the potential connections. Beyond this, get into the habit of following up meetings and conversations with LinkedIn connection requests – it’s a great way of keeping your network vibrant and up to date.
7. List your relevant skills.
It’s one of the quickest of quick wins on LinkedIn – scroll through the list of skills and identify those that are relevant to you. Doing so helps to substantiate the description in your Headline and Summary, and provides a platform for others to endorse you. However, the key here is staying relevant. A long list of skills that aren’t really core to who you are and what you do, can start to feel unwieldy. Take time for a spring clean of your skills list every now and then.
8. Spotlight the services you offer.
Services is a new LinkedIn feature that helps consultants, freelancers and those working for smaller businesses to showcase the range of services that they offer. Filling out the Services section of your profile can boost your visibility in search results.
9. Spread the endorsement love.
Endorsements from other members substantiate your skills and increase your credibility. How do you get endorsed on LinkedIn? For starters, go through your network and identify connections who you feel genuinely deserve an endorsement from you – that’s often the trigger for people to return the favour. Don’t be afraid to reach out with a polite message asking for endorsement for a few key skills as well. Remember though – relevance matters. Reach out to people whose endorsement you’d really value.
10. Manage your endorsements more proactively.
Once endorsements start to come in, you might find that they skew the emphasis of your LinkedIn profile in ways that don’t reflect who you are. It could be that your core area of expertise is content marketing for example, but the people who’ve worked with you on events are more enthusiastic endorsers. Be proactive in managing your endorsements list using the edit features in the Skills section of your profile – you can choose which to show, and which to hide.
11. Take a skills assessment.
A skills assessment is an online test that enables you to demonstrate the level of your skills, and display a Verified Skills badge on your profile. Data shows that candidates with verified skills are around 30% more likely to be hired for the roles they apply for – and displaying proof your abilities strengthens your personal brand more generally as well. Displaying the results of your skills assessments is entirely voluntary, and you can retake the tests as often as you like before showing that you’ve passed.
12. Request recommendations.
Endorsements give people viewing your profile a quick, visual sense of what you’re valued for. Recommendations take things a step further. They are personal testimonials written to illustrate the experience of working with you. There’s a handy drop-down menu in the Recommendations section of your profile that makes it easy to reach out to specific contacts and request recommendations. Take the time to think about who you would most value a recommendation from – and personalise your request. It’s worth the extra effort.
13. Showcase your passion for learning.
When you complete a course on LinkedIn Learning, you’ll have the opportunity to add a course certificate to your LinkedIn profile. You do this from within the Learning History section of your LinkedIn Learning account – where you can also send updates about your learning to your network if choose.
14. Share media and marketing collateral.
The marketing collateral that you produce for your business can add an extra dimension to your own profile as well. Sharing case studies, white papers and other brand content helps to show what the business you work for is all about – and helps people understand what makes you tick. It demonstrates passion and commitment as well.
15. Get credit for your thought-leadership with Publications.
The Publications section is one of the most under-used elements in LinkedIn profiles – and that means that you can really stand out from the crowd when you use this feature to draw attention to existing thought-leadership content. Have you helped to write an eBook or a White Paper? Or written a post on your company’s blog? The Publications section links your profile to these assets.
16. Share relevant content from your LinkedIn feed.
It’s one thing to have a network of connections on LinkedIn – it’s far better to have an active role in that network, appearing in your connections’ LinkedIn feeds in a way that adds value for them. Sharing relevant content with your network is one of the most accessible ways of doing this. You can make a start by keeping a close eye on your LinkedIn feed, and sharing content that you find genuinely interesting – and that aligns with your point of view.
17. Add comments.
Sharing is great – but it’s just the starting point. When you add comments to your shares, you give yourself greater prominence within the feed and start to express why you think a particular piece of content matters. Well-expressed comments also enable you to share a broader range of content. It might be that you don’t agree with a point of view but still find it interesting, for example. A comment that can express that viewpoint starts to establish your opinion and thought-leadership. It’s also more likely to draw additional comments, which then raise your profile across LinkedIn. Bear this mind when you’re writing your comment – and make sure you’re saying something you’re happy for people to associate with you.
18. Follow relevant influencers for your industry.
Following relevant influencers on LinkedIn helps to put a range of interesting content in your feed, which you can then share with others when you think it adds value. It also helps to give context to your LinkedIn profile, demonstrating your passion for what you do.
19. Become an employee advocate.
LinkedIn Elevate is our platform for helping businesses to launch and manage employee advocacy programs – and it generates some fascinating insights on the impact that employee sharing has for those doing the sharing. In fact, 86% of employee advocates say that sharing content for their business has had a positive effect on their own careers. If your business is using Elevate, then it’s a great way to take a more active role in getting your brand content out there. If it’s not, then it’s still worth reaching out to colleagues and asking who’s producing content that would be worth sharing on LinkedIn.
20. Publish long-form content – and use it to start conversations.
The more you share and comment on content, the more you establish your expertise and thought-leadership credentials on LinkedIn. Publishing long-form posts is the natural next step to take. A great starting point is to monitor the response that you get to your comments and shares. Are there particular subjects and points of view that seem to resonate with your network? Are there comments that you have shared which you feel you could expand on in a post? Evolving your thought-leadership in this way keeps it real – and keeps you plugged into the issues your connections are talking about. Be ready for your long-form posts to start new conversations too. Keep an eye on the comments and be ready to respond.
Getting your LinkedIn profile working harder for you doesn’t have to take up hours of your time. Try working through these ideas, building from one to the other – and you’ll find that you can make progress quickly, even if you’re just able to set aside a few minutes over a lunch break or in the evenings. Once your flexing the full advantages of your LinkedIn profile you’ll be amazed what a difference it can make to both you and your business.
Career Tip 001: Develop a Winning Mentality.
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
Sometimes when we hear the term “Winning Mentality”, especially as women or as highly sensitive people, it can be off-putting. We think someone has to lose for us to win. But when it comes to your career and yourself, you need to shift that mindset to one of inclusivity, creation and success. That is what defines a winning mentality and helps you breed true success. You don’t have to be cutthroat to win at life or at your career. This is not you against anyone. There doesn't have to be a loser if you aim to win at the game of life. In fact, what you’ll discover when you operate out of winning mentality principals, is that you’re surrounded by winners.The more of us coming together, living in a space of quality mental and physical habits, the more wealth and happiness can be created. There will be failures and lessons learned the hard way for each of us, but the only person you need to keep track of and be in competition with is yourself. Athletes know this. Olympians don’t focus on other people, they focus on themselves, religiously.
“Losing” in front of millions of people is hard. I know because I have done it. But my title when I did compete in front of millions was not Loser. It was First Runner Up. I thank Goddess that I see it that way and that they did at least that one thing right. Being in the race at all towards your goals, is a win in and of itself. The real losers in the world aren’t even trying…they’re trapped in toxic mentalities. Winners don’t win all the time. That would be impossilbe. You didn’t give up on walking every time you fell when you’re learning to walk. We know this because if we did, we’d all still be crawling. What makes you think getting good at life is any different than that? This life thing is a process and you need to cultivate a winning mentality to enjoy it. Winners learn from losing well and rising up to the challenge of personal growth after each failure. They do not wallow, they learn, they grow, they get up and they move on.
Someone once said to me “What do you win more from, winning or losing?” I realized in that instant that the truth was very clear - losing wins! Painful as this realization was, losing propelled me more in life to grow and be more than what I was being before I lost. We need to see the losses we have as wins. That is what they are and when we can realize what winning actually looks like authentically for each of us, we get closer to our destiny and our most successful selves. When we can quickly adjust to the world around us and the way we interact and correct ourselves, we can reach any level of success we desire. Each of us is a unique power force, able to gather some really big wins at life. But as Americans we often double down on our pain. Beat ourselves up for how long it takes us to get over things, on top of taking a long time to get over things. We must stop.
Today, I consider myself a winner, even though I had one of the most public “losses” ever witnessed on television by over 200 million views now and honestly it took me out pretty hard for a very hot minute. But as soon as I put aside the lacking and losing mindset and adopted a winning mentality, my life shifted. I could have stayed down and out, but I chose to live an amazing life after I realized my loss was a gain and a tool. I traveled all around the world, I’ve tried all sorts of careers. My life is rich in experience and in friendship and the future looks good even if at times it doesn’t feel right. For all of my experiences in life, I choose to consider myself as a great success and know I am actually deep down, winning. At my core, as I walked and continue to walk the process of growing into who I am meant to be, I know now that this metamorphosis I am experiencing exponentially, is because of the mentality I choose to keep.
It is a dangerous and consequential misconception that people, especially women and minorities, have to compete in the workplace or in life. I did it for years and it only brought me pain, not true wealth, health and community, which I am growing into now at a rapid pace. As a woman who was forced into thinking that I need to live inside of fierce competition, first in modeling, then in fashion as a business owner, and later in finance, I just won’t do it. It is a lie. It’s a waste of time and it’s a trick to keep you in a mental loop instead of progressing in life. You need community. We are social creatures and we are not supposed to be doing life alone. You need to fuel your curiosity in a group setting to figure out your life. This is truth. In fact, companies like Ellevate and WBENC exist simply to help women in business place join forces and we should use these resources. When you come across a catty devil who tries to sabotage, steal, or take life force from you - send them love and move on. Cross that person off your “will ever be close friends list” and move on. They got what they came for and bless that’s the only way they know how. The great thing about friends is you can always make more. The great thing about money is that you can always make more. The resources to build success are infinite. Seriously, move on, right now. Women who act like this are un-evolved men trapped in women’s flesh and DO NOT MATTER to your end game AT ALL. Focus on yourself, and if you do focus on others, focus on people who come to the table to collaborate and create with you openly, not compete with you.
There are many more success stories, books, programs and articles out to help you learn how to grow a winning and successful mentality. We have to change what winning means if we are going to use that word. Winning means not only that you win, but so do the people around you, and so does the planet. That is true success. You do not need to “step on people” to be successful. But you do need people, and for that I suggest the following skillsets and a few books. The best thing about being a woman is being able to think with feminine principles, naturally. And we are creators at heart, not competitors. In the book The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles, he points towards overcoming mental barriers and how creation over competition is the actual key to wealth generation. This book was published in 1910. How are we still so competitive? I think women building businesses know this better than anybody. We must use our female-ness as a superpower to get what we want out of our time in the working world. Another great book is How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. That book helps you learn and cultivate care for others in a genuine way. I read that book every 6 months for over a decade now. It works. Those two books help you fix the reasons and the how you facilitate interactions with others. Now let’s look at your qualities and you interact with yourself, work tools, and your environment.
Let’s talk about what qualities makes people have winning mindsets and then I am going to give you some practical steps towards gaining a winning mentality.
Qualities of a winner are the following:
Optimism
Having plans and a vision (even if it goes only 1% of the plan, you still have one)
Developed IQ and EQ
Discipline (Limiting Distractions & Being able to say no to anything not serving you or your mission)
Vulnerability (See anything by Brene Brown)
Willingness to participate and take risks
High Self Esteem
Ability to set, track, progress towards and achieve goals
Care for others and the planet
Now that we see what some of the traits of people who seem to win a lot looks like, how do we get there too?
We must embrace our pasts - Look at what has happened to you from a lens of self benefit. Even the darkest things have half light. Find a lesson in the hard times and learn to balance your shadow.
Practice Gratitude - A lacking mindset breeds lacking. An abundant mindset breeds more abundance. This is a muscle you must learn to flex regularly.
Get some wins - You need to start getting some momentum to snowball the big wins. Celebrate your wins. Don't just achieve and dismiss what you’ve created. Honor the work you’ve done and even the smallest of wins with healthy ceremony & habits.
Set yourself up for winning - Get a good mentor or two, have a LinkedIn for yourself and your company if you own your business, Use social media to generate awareness for your mission if you are in an unregulated industry, align with people you admire
Self-Care - You cannot work 18 hour days and be healthy and it is not cool to say you work 18 hour days, much less do this. No one quality wants to do business with someone who is all business all the time - because chances are they will freak you out at some point and become an energy vampire. Sleep the amount of sleep you need regularly. Drink clean and filtered water (read hidden messages in water and get a water filter for your drinking water and shower). Do the things that make you feel female. Have orgasms. Eat clean. Work out regularly. This will show in your work. Your day should be a balance of self care and work. Do not be the martyr.
Take Notes - Keep your emails, bills and desk organized. Don’t work in your bedroom. Write down, in a place you will be able to easily access for years, all the things you are learning and who you are meeting. Keep your business looking as good on the inside as it does on the outside. File the right paperwork. Be responsible. You are an adult, be on top of you paperwork and take notes for all your interactions in a CRM or on a spreadsheet. Ideally both if you work for a company you do not own.
Hire people to do things you don’t want to do - You work hard for your money. Stop doing things you don’t enjoy. Let other people do what you don’t want to do once you can afford it.
Hire people that are smarter than you - the most successful people surround themselves with people who are smarter than them, not less.
Like Learning - If you enjoy learning, you will always be expanding. Reading is important. Set a goal and power through a minimum of 20 books a year. The most interesting people read a lot. Warren Buffet is someone who claims he spends most of his time reading. Reading and learning will make you not just more interesting but also a lot smarter.
Monitor your progress - If you are setting goals, you need to see how and when you’re meeting them and what helps you or doesn’t help you do so. You need to keep track of what you’re doing in life and with work. Find a system that works for you and commit to tracking yourself. The most valuable companies have a ton of data. That equates to people as well.
Do not let failure take you down for long periods of time. - Okay, you failed. If you had stopped trying to walk every time you fell down, you’d still be crawling. Have a 2 minute cry, journal, or do the thing that you do when you get down if you must, but don't stay there for a long time. The most successful people rebound fast from any of life’s failures. Being able to see lessons quickly can help with this process.
Like yourself and be your best friend - Self care and self love are different. One is physical and the other is emotional and mental. It is up to you to be liked, by yourself first and then by other people. Usually the people who learn how to like themselves, are well liked by others.
Find a mentor - Networking is often said on our podcast to be #1. You need to find other people you look up to who have done what you’re trying to do. Be graceful and kind and never demand anyone’s time, but do ask for it and ask to meet on a regular schedule. Usually mentors get as much from mentees, if not more. If you ask enough people, you will find someone who understands this and will take you under their wing.
Believe in your self and your vision - If you don’t believe in you, no one else will. Take time to give yourself reasons why you WILL succeed. Do not tend to the reasons you will not. They’re not true and they’re often not even your own thoughts. Lots of resources out there for this - life coaches and this blog!
Take accountability - If you mess up, own it. Also find someone who you can be accountable to for your progress. Nothing works better than having to tell someone why you didn’t hit your goals, to not let it happen again.
Have an emotional support person in your life - Life is hard alone. Don't do it. As Dr. Chelsea says in her epic new Ted Talk about Social Health - Find an emotional support person. Be one back. Everything is easier if you have some support. You are not supposed to do life alone. We are social creatures. Make an effort to have a healthier social life if you do not have 3-5 close friends.
Go outside - It is a myth that you have to live in a city to be successful, especially now. Whether you live in a city or you live close to nature, we need our perfect counterpart (nature & plants) to really thrive in life - daily. We need fresh air and time to charge with sources that don’t drain us. We require a place to take our energy and transmute or transform it. What takes human beings 40 years to transmute, nature can do in 1 millisecond. So the next time you feel frustrated go hug a tree and watch the magic it brings into your life. Nature shows us how to change. That change is natural and necessary. Pay attention to the circular economy of nature while you build your dreams and you will create processes that mimic nature and ensure success.
Money Tip 010: Purpose Driven Work Matters to Thrive. FOLLOW YOUR CURIOSITY.
Nothing in this post is a reccomendation.
If you aren’t working and living in your “purpose”, this topic can be trigging, confusing, maybe even frustrating. If you are living in your “purpose”, you can probably totally relate to why that is. For those who have met themselves inside of their purpose (it comes as a surprise for most people when they get there) then we all understand why the topic can release a slew of negative emotions along the way as you get there. It’s not always fun trying to figure out why you’re on this planet. It can at times feel a little useless with the state of the planet and humanity, especially given the last few years. But I promise you, you have a purpose, and it is wonderful and belongs to your journey through life. It is your birthright. You deserve to get there. I want to help you figure it out. I hope this post might help in some way, regardless of your age. It is never too late to pursue purpose driven work and to follow your curiosity. Until you die. Then, it will be too late. But if you’re reading this, you’re still alive. So let’s get this show on the road.
I remember reading the first few pages of the book Course in Miracles. That’s actually all I ever read because I found this one part to be all I needed to motivate me to move in more purpose driven directions. Those first few pages have all these little sayings and there was one that drove me until this very moment. It went something along the lines of this; When you live inside your purpose, you live outside of time. Because once you’ve found what you’re meant to do, you do that purpose forever and time ceases to exist. I have always wanted to live outside of time. Art was always a way for me to lose giant chunks of time. I thought that was my purpose for years because it was one of the only things I could lose time in. What are the things you do that you lose track of time doing?
I remember thinking “WOW! So that’s the real time machine right there. Purpose.” We have this thing in humanity called Time-Sickness. It’s awful and it is real. to travel through time without time-sickness. Larry Dossey coined the term in 1982. But we’ve been doing this thing where we are sick with time since the dawn of civilization. Yes, we all suffer from time-sickness. It is a manifestation of our culture and it is exhausting. I, for one, would like to live outside of time. Maybe it’s why I have always been obsessed with time travel and teleportation. I digress. So, after I put the book down I got a little frustrated with my timeline of life but I realized time is not linear and there is still time to live outside of time! I had always thought I’d know by this age what my purpose it. This was 2019 and I was 36. I realized that maybe instead of worrying about time and liking what I’m doing for work, a better use of my time would be to really lean into my purpose. I should start by simply having A PURPOSE. I thought finance was my purpose but was it really? Why did I go into finance. WHAT IS THE WHY we are doing things. Doing something with purpose seemed like the path I had been on to get me to that job, but where was it leading me? How was I helping people, women specifically? I went into finance because I wanted to help women get access to funding for start ups, if I was being honest with myself. But was I on the right path to do that? I realized I was on the right path-is but wanted to get closer to that timelessness purpose and feel closer to my work and the people I was working with…or was it time to change sectors again?! Eek. Well, I decided the following. My purpose has been changing. Not everyone’s purpose is just so obvious and who’s to say that your purposes in life won’t grow as you grow?! If you don’t know your ultimate purpose, just have A PURPOSE you can follow for now. You don’t need to know what you’re complete utter life purpose is to thrive at work and love what you do. You just need to feel like what you’re doing has a purpose for now. It has to interest you and answer a big Why? And honestly, if you don’t know how to get there, Curiosity is your key.
People always talk to me about passion fueled work. And I always say Uhhh Sorry but No to passion. I did passion and it led me astray and landed me with all sorts of financial issues. For 15 years I did a passion. It was a flame that I never thought would go out. Fashion was my passion for a decade and a half. And it was BRUTAL. Not just because fashion was an abusive industry but also because I could feel the flame flickering on and off the whole time and it terrified me. And then one day the light went out.
And I was in the dark and boy was that a scary time in life. By that time, I was surrounded by a whole lot of processes that damaged the planet and grossed me out while having to interact with a bunch of humans who did not care about me or other women like me, who cared way too much about material, money and surface driven things. Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t all bad. I had a blast. I lived all over the world. I wouldn’t change those 15 years. But I couldn’t do it for another 15. I figured out what I got out of it. I had to find what I was grateful for to move on. I had made friends for life, all over the world. I had learned how to do every part of business inside of a fashion company as a designer and as a model. After my passion for the work and the industry went away, then I had to walk through several very strange careers just to get to a place that I am now. Now I am striving towards my purpose with ease and I feel great! But my goodness, it was not easy. It was downright painful and I blame it on listening to people who said follow your passion. It didn’t have to be so hard. All along I knew I was smart. If you’re reading this, you are too. Now, I say FOLLOW YOUR CURIOSITY. THAT will not lead you astray and if it does at least you’re enjoying it along the way. Leave the passion for your hobbies so it can come as go as it pleases.
If I was honest about what I was really curious about in life, I would have gotten to this point I am at now, 10 years earlier. I tell people to follow that curiosity without apologies to the people raising eyebrows at you for doing so. If you follow your heart + your brain, you will enjoy the journey and the growth. It works like this: You follow the thing you are most curious about. The thing you wake up thinking about and go to bed reading about. The great thing about curiosity is that it’s the perfect gateway career. That is because it will always lead you to more things that endlessly interest you and that you are even more curious about. So each new thing you do, remains exciting or at least grows your expertise. You want to get expertise so people will just pay you for all you have learned. That’s the best way for women to make money - using their brains. The odd thing is that one day after following a whole lot of curiosity paths, and being happy along the way because you’re interested in your work, you realize - AH! There is my purpose! It’s just sitting there like it was waiting there for you all along to just commit to following what actually interests and motivates you. You need to listen to the strings that pull at your heart.
The added value to listening to yourself, and honestly some irony too, is that consumers actually WANT to spend on and work with brands and founders that follow the leader on purpose driven work. While you decide what company you want to start ( see the blog about more VC funding for women and minorities than ever before) that really helps you live in your purpose, try to find a company in a sector that you’re curious about. Try to find a company that is fueled by purpose and curiosity and that you look up to. If you join early enough you might even get equity in a company that you help build, doing something that you find totally fascinating. When you aren’t interested in it anymore, it’s time to move on. Life is too short and time is to precious to torture yourself. And doing something your heart isn’t in, really isn't good for anyone. I’m not gong to bore you with statistics of depression for people in the work field because we are an optimistic blog and most of us know what that feels like. Instead let’s end with some honest statistics around purpose driven businesses.
There are some AWESOME statistics around this topic on The Business of Purpose’s website. I’d spend some time on there if you need more convincing that purpose driven business is where it is at. The following quotes on this blog are taken from their website. Concerning consumers; “64% of global consumers find brands that actively communicate their purpose more attractive. 62% want companies to take a stand on issues they are passionate about, and 52% say they are more attracted to buy from certain brands over others if these brands stand for something bigger than just the products and services it sells, which aligns with their personal values.” Then they reported that Purpose driven brands do better in the market “Brands with a purpose set on improving our quality of life outperform the stock market by 120%.” 120%? Seriously? How can we argue with that?!! People are getting the memo, especially millennials. “There is a rise in people’s expressed importance to live life with a sense of purpose: 80% in 2016, 89% in 2017, 91% in 2018.” Yet this statistic contradicts that importance. “Only 28% of respondents in a PwC employee survey reported feeling fully connected to their company’s purpose. Just 39% said they could clearly see the value they create, a mere 22% agreed that their jobs allow them to fully leverage their strengths, and more than half weren’t even “somewhat” motivated, passionate, or excited about their jobs.” Wow. Also kinda duh, right?
It contradicts itself, which explains why our society is so strange. If people don’t feel like they see the value they create, yet they want purpose driven work, why do they stay in those jobs? Especially when “employees feel they are working towards a good cause, it can increase their productivity by up to 30%.”. The issue might be that people just feel stuck or are breezing by doing the minimum or are scared to move professions. I get it. But being in your fear, laziness, or limbo is really no way to live. We must be the change! I switched industries 3 times in my 30s. The second time I was past 35. I’ll probably change a few more times as I feel more and more in my purpose. The good part is that once you change once or twice, it becomes addicting in a way. You can almost hear your purpose driven time machine calling to you. It was really awkward to get out of fashion for me, but staying in fashion was actually more scary that just doing what I needed to do to grow out of it. I know in my gratitude that I have for a 15 year career in fashion, that I will always have the skills to design and manufacture and distribute and market clothing. That is my MBA from the school of hard knocks. But the passion left the building. The curiosity was not there. And that’s the beautiful annoying thing about life, it will get to a point where staying put is more painful than doing the growth. In the book Owning Your Own Shadow by Robert Johnson he actually recommends changing jobs int he middle of your life, because we need to grow in totally new directions and to honor the other side of our lives. Change doesn’t mean it will be all rainbows and sunshine and we all know this. But it actually is a lot brighter on the other side of major life shifts. One that was totally worth it when all has been said and done. You might say you have too many responsibilities or you cannot afford to change. When I felt that way, I knew it was time to put my head down to work hard to save up to 6 months of my living expenses, spending way less that I was used to spending in order to do this, and moving to a cheaper state away from all my friends. All so that I could study for 6 months to learn so that I could change. I did a lot of studying at night while still working on things I didn’t really love. But I did do it. People with less than me figured it out, so I did too. I read all sorts of books like Everything is Figureoutable and You are a Badass to keep me motivated. Now I share the journey because I am proof that if I could get out of fashion and into finance by way of real estate and a ton of studying in my 30s, along with following my curiosity, then you can too. You just need to have an idea about what really sparks your interests and move toward the interests that you feel will continue to interest you for a long time. Most of all, you have to be brave.
The best thing in the world is to get paid for doing something that you find interesting or want to learn more about. This is not a recommendation to go back to school. Honestly I think unless you’re going to become a doctor or lawyer, school is way too expensive these days… and unnecessary. I love this Elon Musk quote about college for all those who are considering taking out loans to change their lives. You do not need to go broke to be an educated adult or even to attain college degrees. Almost all necessary information for all sectors are free and online. I believe in growing your own mind on your free time and in apprenticing. I believe in asking for help and finding mentors. Most of all, I believe in honoring your curiosity. I believe in changing direction (pivoting) when you feel that the path you’re walking on is leading nowhere - as often as you feel this. If you grow yourself and your life in the direction of purpose driven work, chances are that in a few years, you will be thriving and you will be in shock of the simple truth that all you had to do was follow your curiosity.
There is no such thing as “You have to” do anything. “You can do anything but not everything, so choose wisely.” I don’t know who said that but I think about it a lot. It’s so true. I want to live outside of time. I want to feel like every day is an adventure and that I’m really feeling alive inside my life. So, to thrive, do your curiosity. You have to be strong, brave and smart if you go on this quest. And most of all you need to believe that what you will do on this planet matters, that people out there need you, and that you will figure out how to time travel by way of trusting in what those heart strings pull you towards. Time is a tool. You use it until you find your purpose. Using it in curiosity has surely served me the most.
Please share your journey with us on IG. Tag us #themelroseshow and @themelrosepodcast if you decide to share your own curiosity path!
Money Tip 009: What even is Financial Wellness?!
Step 1: Figure out your purpose
Step 2: Find work doing that thing or learning how to do that thing.
Step 3: Meet your basic needs and put your money to work for you. Move onto physiological needs.
Step 4: Surround yourself with people who love you and want to see you grow and support your dreams .
Step 5: Self-Actualization.
Step 6: Live in your Purpose and watch time disappear.
Nothing in this post is a recommendation.
So many people have asked me “Why finance, Mel?” And I get it, it was a weird pivot. But it makes sense when you know the whole story. It is hard for people to understand how someone in fashion would or could move over to such a different industry. And yet the transition was so natural. It was what I struggled with as a model and as a designer both with having enough to be where I wanted to be in life and to grow. Over and over I have seen women unable to accomplish their dreams for financial reasons. Some of the top reasons are fear of money, lack of money, lack of access to money, misunderstanding credit, iniquitous relationships and fearing failure so much that they never get started/or at the first real financial loss, giving up. Believe me! I’ve experienced them all. Now I live with more than I need. All with a change in my belief system - in money and in myself. Besides getting around a lacking and ungrateful mentality, which honestly is numero uno on the list of how to start accomplishing financial wellness, the second most important thing is to really understand Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
“Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid. ... From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs are: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.” *1
As you can see in this chart, your basic needs will require you… yep you guessed it: money. And that’s okay and that is so important. Because the great thing about money is that you can make it and in a endless amount of ways. And the absolute greatest thing about money is that you can always make more. But not understanding the role it plays in your life and how important it is to use it properly and make it work for you at some point, can lead to major “stuck-ness”, lack of progress, and often depression. And thinking that having lost it all or having none makes you less than, is a limiting belief system that paralyzes so many human beings. Your net worth is not the same as your self worth, and when it is, in any amount, you are in danger. Ever heard of those people who lose it all many times and then always get it all back and then some? How do they do it? Money is a tool, a mindset and an energy that is harnessed, not something that should be feared and/or avoided.
Not everyone thinks they need to self-actualize to hit “success” in life, but I urge you to reconsider if that is your stance. Why wouldn’t you want to actualize and be living outside of time sickness and doing your purpose every day? Are you seriously going to just do your 90 years and contribute nothing but offspring? Or are you going to find what you’re here to do? Maybe you purposely do not go there because it is scary? I know I’ve felt that many times. Is the idea of it so far away because you haven’t been able to hit basic and psychological needs…ever? Whatever your reason, you control this. You are the one creating the world you live in, and only you can truly drive yourself to the other side of it, if that is your desire. Your destiny is within your energetic control once you understand and accept that there is an order to life and that you are the driver. And thank goodness we live in a day and age where information is accessible and endless.
To have food, water, warmth, security, and relationships, you will need money. And you should always have enough of your own without depending on anybody to at least get to these. You need money to be able to pay for the activities and items that provide for you these necessities of life. This is first and foremost defining the path for us to financial wellness. And how you make your money matters too, because money is an energy exchange. If you chose to vibrate your need for money from a place of lacking, you will create more void. If you choose to see opportunity in problems, solutions and organization in your chaos, and work with your own energy, you will get everything you desire. Knowing the tools to grow your mindset and money will guide you to more of it. With grit, and hard work, and a positive attitude, it will come. When I worked with Dr. Colleen Lindstrom on my energy and my purpose, I instantly remembered that one of the reasons people don’t have wellness is because they don’t realize they’re sick. We are living in a world where we are supposed to have money, but no one helps us find our purpose so we study things we like but don’t make us feel fulfilled. We have an education system that doesn’t teach anything about our spirit, the basics of finance or growing our own food, and when we have no soul or direction in our life, including community, we wonder why we feel empty or lost. We live in a world where we are supposed to play by the rules, but there are loopholes at every turn that only a select few educate themselves to really understand or had someone teach them. Privilege breeds more privilege while poverty breeds more poverty. We must be the change in our lineages, if we come from families that do not know how to or teach the mastery of money. We live in a world where so many people in the financial industry have messed up that people actually fear and avoid their own finances. We don’t teach financial literacy in public schools. So the elite grow and the middle and lower class just never break out and move up. Since poverty perpetuates itself, we must make finance not only a wellness field but a standard for schools to teach as early as elementary school. So everyone understands its importance and that it is something that can be learned and achieved. So that compound interest is something kids have the chance to work with, not just adults. This is how we grow as a creative community and not a competitive one.
Financial wellness is about getting your energy and needs right. It is about using professionals, banks, creditors, and financial services, those who do finance day in and out as a resource, not an enemy or something to be avoided. It is about knowing 1,2, & 3 so that you can then learn 4,5, and 6.. all the way to 100 things and then 1000 things that you never knew that you should have known. Most importantly you will find out that you can work less because now your money works for you. It’s about knowing your risk tolerance and then taking it. And it is about reading and learning and then empowering others through your new knowledge base. There is nothing cooler than seeing women lift other women up. Nothing sunnier than to see the underdogs, whoever they may be, building a pyramid together with their friends to lift each other up. To see someone self-actualize and heal and help the world. That is in all of us. The time has come to pay attention, to yourself and to your work. To find some badass-ness, your intelligence, and your passion and work hard with people, often smarter than you on specific topics, to create the life you dream of. The opposite of success is not failure. In fact you cannot get to success without hundreds of little failures. The opposite of success is conformity. Stop thinking because all the people around you don’t know about money, that you simply won’t learn either. Be the change. Refuse to take what is handed to you in life and instead take the reins and direct your life the way you want with your mind and spirit is not living. We all have a purpose. And sometimes the purposes change; let them. Go with your intuition, she/he is always right! I want to help people and inspire others to help themselves, other people and the planet. I also want people to not be suffering because of something so basic to our existence and necessary to live as money is. So financial wellness is my focus, because I understand the struggle of financial unwellness, and it’s not a fun place to be, not a smart place to stay, and most of all not where anyone has to or should stay.
I truly believe financial wellness is the first step towards overall wellness. It is so hard to commit to physical wellness, mental wellness, spiritual wellness, intimacy wellness, karmic wellness, ANY wellness, if you are worried about basic needs being met, or the stack of bills on your table, or the cost you just insured because of whatever. It is virtually impossible! So fix your money. Dig deep to reach out to people like me and just ask what direction to go, what programs exist, how other people are making money, and sit and meditate on how you want to make your money and the dreams you’re building once you do. WRITE IT DOWN. There is power in written and expressed word. And also watch the words that come out of your mouth. Stop saying you’re horrible with money or being mad at money. That energy continues to manifest until you correct it with things like “I’m getting great at money!” and “I’m definitely going to have all the things I ever dreamed of because I now know how to use money!” How do you want to expand your life in every direction once your money is right? Start thinking about the kind of person you would be then, and just be them now. Don’t wait. If you do that, you’re going to get there and feel empty. There is an energetic trick to believing it before it’s true and watching it come to life. But you have to believe it. Resonate with it. So first get really still, figure out what you want, financially, and how you are most likely to achieve that goal. Then figure out, once you make it, how it’s best to invest or put it to work to make it work for you (with someone like me or any other resource you find). Use advisors and interview them. Find one your gut tells you cares, like me. And then do it until it’s done. Use money, don’t let it use you. If you lose steam, come back here and remember why you’re working so hard. Financial wellness leads to all your other wellness and to major creativity awakening and ability. You are a ball of infinite light, who is here for a reason. You ARE smarter than you think, this I promise to you. You can do the hardest things that no one else is doing. I know, because I did it. Please show us! The world needs you to be okay first so that you can grow to great. Take care of your financial wellness starting now with these steps, find mentors, and always know I’m here to help!