RE: Commerce

   

     One of the “re-” words that has been surfacing a lot in the past few years is “recommerce”. Known as a means of reversing commerce, recommerce is the process of selling pre-owned products. Usually through an online channel. Recommerce follows an easy model: consumers exchange their used clothing for store credit, the partnering recommerce service repairs the product, the products are then re-sold.

The Circle of Life (& the Economy)

     

     Economics has been a part of human life on earth since the 11th century, back when trade routes flourished between major cities. Where there are resources to manage and people who need them, there will be economic structure. The thing that I had never really stopped to consider before is that there are several styles of economic structures that we can function by. Unfortunately, the most popular approach (for nearly 200 years now) is a Linear Economy. A linear economy uses the process of, 

Take > Make > Use > Dispose (& Pollute)

     While it sounds really bad, it is not all bad. The linear economy structure has created economic wealth, increased available jobs, has added to modern conveniences, improved quality of life, and it has even reduced mortality rates. While these benefits are good, really good, they are also unsustainable. 

We’re All Just a Bunch’a Tools

Every trade has its tools.

     A shovel is a tool that can be used to cultivate land - creating a space for seeds to thrive. A shovel can also be used to ruin a garden - dig up all of the pretty and hearty plants, tear them up by the root, throw them away to shrivel and rot. 

    In the same way, any tool can be used for good or for bad, it all depends on who is in possession of the tool. What do they intend? What is their definition of value?

     Business is a tool - a tool that is often overlooked. Some look at business and see money, status, a means to an end, and a tool to be used for personal gain. Some look at business and see the greed of the formerly mentioned and choose to be disgusted by the whole enterprise - hating the tool, itself, not the one in the possession of the tool. I constantly stood somewhere between, sitting on the fence… But, I had never taken a moment to realize that the very tool that I was sometimes disappointed in was the same tool that I could be proud of. 

Work & Play: Not Exclusive

Please note, these flowers were purchased from a
local farm stand at a farmers market, I did not pick them. 

I was listening to Jack Johnson yesterday and Spotify had one of those “behind the lyrics” thing, where it shared the lyrics and facts about the song/artist as the song was playing. The song was “My Mind is for Sale,” one of Jack’s first politically-fueled songs. In one clip from an interview about the song, Jack said, 

“Jacques Cousteau says we protect the things we love,
and so I realized it’s my time to do that work.”

That rang true to the shift I had felt in my perspective recently. I have played hard in the wild places that I love without the realization of their fragility. The rocks and the rivers and the lakes and valleys all seem so untouchable. But, they’re not, and I want my future kids to be able to play in the same water and experience the same views that I grew up cherishing, the experiences that have kept my sense of wonder and excitement thriving. Another quote that has been rattling around in my head lately is, 

Realizing my Responsibility

     I opened a book by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, the company that is one of my biggest inspirations. The first page read:

"The most important right we have is the right to be responsible." 

-Gerald Amos

     It was like an alarm early in the morning, when it's still dark outside and you were deep in a dream. Jumping to grab your phone and shush the dang thing. I literally felt my eyes widen and my breathing stop for a minute. I've owned this book for over a year now, I've read that exact line several times when opening the cover. Why is it just now hitting me like a freakin' freight train?

     The COVID19 crisis is in full effect. When I started getting whiffs of it a few weeks ago, something in my mind shifted - no, it wasn't panic. (Although I admittedly did purchase more food and toilet paper than usual in the weeks before). But really, I wasn't panicked. In fact, I almost had a sense of peace wash over me. Like, the things that really matter were suddenly lifted to the surface. Family, friends, food & water. 

Feelings

What happens to that feeling?

When I made it to the top of the mountain.

When he made my heart flutter.

When my dog brings a smile to my face.

When the sunshine warms my cheeks.

Does it just disappear?
We were there, and then we’re gone.

We left the moment, and the way it made us feel…

I just can’t believe that.

Surely, that feeling stays with us.

Finding a place to cuddle up inside of us,

Next to all of the other feelings.

Feelings that we can reflect back to,

Maybe unknowingly.

Maybe we are made up of

All of those feelings.

Nestled in,

Always with us.

Growing as we grow,

Through all of our days.  

Equality is Both

REI has put out a campaign recently – called Force of Nature. This campaign works to create equality for women in the outdoors. I have always tended on the side of feminism, so when I first saw this campaign, I was stoked.

Stoked to see women getting inspired outdoors. Since I have always felt most inspired and empowered outdoors.

While I am always excited to see women feel empowered, there is still a little confusion regarding this campaign for me…

When I look at REI’s Instagram account, I do not see a single photo with a man in it since they launched the campaign in early April. While I do believe that women can empower each other greatly, and that we all have a lot of fun together, I still can’t help but feel like the men in all of our lives are getting left out of the picture (literally…).

I LOVE the women in my life that make me feel inspired. My mother has been my biggest source of inspiration since I was a little girl. I have always looked to her to see how to present myself with dignity and how to keep a badass approach to life.

But what about the men in my life?

Sure, I joke about men being so impossible when I’m complaining about dating struggles with my girlfriends… But that doesn’t mean that the men in my life haven’t been critical to my strength as a woman.

What about my grandfather? Who told me to pull myself up by my bootstraps when I got thrown off a horse as a little girl. At the time, getting up off the ground felt like too big of a task, but when he chuckled and casually told me to get back on the horse, it suddenly felt so humorously possible.

What about my father? Who made sure to take the time to raise me to be independent – showing me how to maintain my vehicle, how to chop wood, cook healthy food, start a fire, and taught me that there’s nothing more dangerous than a dull knife.

What about my brother? Who can always tell when I’m down and knows exactly what I need – placing his hand gently on my back and asking if I want to talk about it.

What about all of my male friends? The ones who have taught me to climb and surf and find new ways of fun outdoors. The ones always behind the camera, capturing my big moments. They have always taken me with them, even though I am not always able to “keep up”. They wait patiently for me to gather myself and help me push past my fears – cheering and celebrating louder than anyone when I finally succeed.

What about the men I have dated? Teaching me how to still be myself in a relationship. How important it is to love myself before someone else can love me. Showing me how beautiful I am, even when I couldn’t see it myself. Showing me how capable I am, by not letting me quit when things get tough or scary.

I thoroughly believe in women bonding together, working together to empower and inspire one another. But let’s not forget about the men who have seen us on the ground, covered in dirt, and feeling powerless, but who have taken the time to tell us to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and get back on the horse. The men who have seen us scared, and told us to keep trying anyway. The men who have made us feel more loved and inspired than we could have ever imagined.

Because, to me, women getting together without any men is not equality. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

When we’re adventuring with men and women…

When we’re inspired by both men and women…

When we’re told to “rub some dirt on it and give it another go” by the men in our lives…

that’s when real equality happens.  

A "Thank You" To the Man Who Broke My Heart

Thank you. 

If it weren’t for the shadows you cast, I wouldn’t have appreciated the light. 

If it weren’t for the times you ripped my emotions around, I wouldn’t have become so resilient. 

If it weren’t for the times you lied, I wouldn’t have valued honesty so much. 

If it weren’t for the times you made me feel so little and insignificant, I wouldn’t have learned to rely on myself to supply my own confidence. 

So thank you for tearing me down, now I know how to build myself back up. 

Thank you for breaking my heart, now it's stronger than its ever been.

You Believe in Me

I recently shared a piece of writing where I talk about how comfort zones are just a figment of our imagination. They are theoretical in nature. In this writing, I give a recent example of when I pushed my comfort zone aside and climbed a route that was higher than anything I had ever done before. Climbing that rock face was not the only thing I shared that was out of my comfort zone. In sharing my writing, alone, I was pushing past my comfort zone. Almost more so than when I climbed that rock.

After sharing my piece with the Lipstick and Laundry blog, I received an unbelievable amount of support and praise for my piece. I was (and am still) shocked. For some reason, I got it into my head that no one would want to hear what I have to write. The same way I got it into my head that I was not capable of completing a big climb.

Then suddenly, it dawned on me…

I was the one who initially pushed past my comfort zone of climbing that rock. I was the one who initially sat my insecurities aside and sent my piece to Michelle, the brilliant creator of the Lipstick and Laundry blog.

However, it wasn’t me who made myself feel confident and secure in my decisions to do so.

It was the people around me. The people in my life. The strangers online.

The evening I sat in my room and wondered whether or not I would climb that wall the next day with Patrick, a very confident, seasoned climber.

That was me.

The next morning when I woke and packed my climbing gear.

That was me.

The moment I stood at the base of the wall and looked up and decided that I could climb it.

That was NOT me.

That was Patrick.

I looked up and saw the wall stretching on forever, and thought to myself, “Who the heck are you to climb this wall? You’re not even a strong climber… Shoot, you can barely walk down the sidewalk without tripping…”

But it was Patrick, who had complete confidence in me. In the fact that I could climb this wall. In the fact that my comfort zone was just a figment of my imagination.  He knew that I was capable. And when he looked over and saw my mini-panic attack going on in my head, he just smiled and said, “You’ve got this.”

And I knew he was right. He had confidence in me, and so therefore, I had confidence in me, too. 

When Michelle reached out to me and asked me to write a piece for her blog, I felt completely intimidated by the thought. But I decided to accept her gracious offer.

That was me.

I wrote the piece for her blog.

That was me.

I had the confidence to publish it for the virtual world to see.

That was NOT me.

That was Michelle.

She gave me great praise when she first read it and told me how excited she was to share it with her followers. After sharing the piece, I received so much love and praise and excitement from friends, family, and strangers, alike! I still am not sure how to handle it. Sometimes, thinking about the fact that people are stopping to take the time to read what I have to say is overwhelmingly flattering.

But it also begs the question of… when was the last time I showed someone my complete and utter confidence in their abilities?

I like to think of myself as a generally positive-minded person and I have a tendency to think highly of everyone I meet. I believe that everyone I know is capable of great things. In fact, there is no doubt in my mind that they are all capable of glorious, amazing, inspiring things!

But when was the last time I actually told them that?

When was the last time I said, “you got this,” to a friend who is feeling unsure of themself?

When was the last time I shared a friend’s passion for others to see, simply because I believe in them?

When was the last time I truly gave someone praise for their ability to push their comfort zones aside and live life to the fullest?

When was the last time I simply told someone that I am proud of them, for being 100% and completely themselves?

Sure, we may have to be the ones to initially push past our comfort zones… However, when it comes to doing so with confidence and passion, it has absolutely nothing to do with us. It has to do with the people around us. The people who believe in us. The people who want to watch us succeed.

Thank you, Patrick, for knowing that I was capable of that climb… long before I was aware of that fact. 

Thank you, Michelle, for knowing that my writing could have some sort of impact, even if I had no clue until after you posted it.

Thank you, not only to those who have believed in me without question and with all of their hearts… But to those who made a point to tell me so.

Be verbal. Tell someone that you believe in them. It may be what they need to hear to push their boundaries aside and start living the life they have always dreamed of. A life without inhibitions, a life with passion and confidence.

“I BELIEVE IN YOU.”

This is dedicated to my biggest believer: my mom, who is also my bestest and closest friend.