#15 — Steady as the Ground Shifts

Today, I planned to go to church and take a much-needed afternoon nap. Instead, poor air quality and a long chat with a friend kept me home. The nap never happened either, thanks to a clogged toilet and my crash course in using a toilet auger. The joys of adulting, right?

This week felt unusual. I planned to blog and be more active on social media, but work and other projects took priority. I also spent hours helping a friend with immigration paperwork, reading through everything to make sure they had what they needed. I felt guilty about not being consistently online, but I had to remind myself: building community means actually being present in it.

When I did get online, the mood felt heavier than usual. A recurring theme on my feed has been recession indicators and the financial burdens so many of us are facing. Groceries are expensive, gas prices are soaring, and thousands have lost jobs or are struggling in the job market. During a work presentation this week, I learned that, from a public health perspective, more and more children are going to bed hungry every month. Conversations with friends in public health and social justice have highlighted the same trend: funding is drying up, and people are scared for their jobs, and for those they serve.

It’s an anxious time, but for those of us who still have jobs and income, I wanted to share a few things I’m doing to reduce my anxiety about money and strengthen my foundation. This is what slow living during a recession looks like for me right now.

Budget refinement

This year is my year of stewardship (I’ll blog about that soon). I’m actively working to reduce my spending and make the most of what I already have at home. I’m buying less clothing and really considering my choices when I do shop. Cooking and baking at home has become the norm, and I’m doing a deep spring clean, finding creative ways to reuse things I already own along the way. I’m focusing more on saving and being mindful about wants versus needs. And yes, I’m also doing my nails at home.

Preventive health

I encourage everyone to book all their preventive health appointments, which are often covered by insurance (especially while you’re employed). For many of us, extended health benefits are tied to our jobs, mine included. Last week, I had an extensive dental cleaning and blood work to check in on my health post-surgery. In the weeks ahead, I’ll finally be replacing an overdue dental crown. Thankfully, insurance covers half the cost of the crown. June is packed with an eye exam and visits to my acupuncturist, naturopath, osteopath, and podiatrist for new orthotic soles. All these checkups give me peace of mind. If you can, get yourself and your kids checked out, fill your prescriptions, and make sure you know where you stand, because diagnostics can be expensive out-of-pocket. So take care of that sore back, itchy patch, or whatever has been niggling you. Plus, the bonus is that the weather is getting nicer, so it feels less of a chore than it would in the winter.

Cool girl summer

This year, my partner and I are cutting back on travel. Normally, we’d do a big summer trip and another in the fall, but this time we’re staying in Toronto. If we can manage a budget-friendly fall getaway, great, but we’re not counting on it. Travel is wonderful, but flight prices are just too steep right now. Instead, I’m putting together a guide of free and low-cost activities for us this summer. The Toronto Library has been an amazing resource (free museum passes!), and I’m planning picnics at the beach and High Park. Maybe we’ll use our annual free hotel night for a quick weekend away. We’ll see how it goes. Summer spending can add up fast, but we’re excited to stay close to home and enjoy all the city has to offer. Honestly, I love Toronto in the summer.

Taking care of my mental health

Things are tough and complicated for a lot of us trying to hold things together, but I’m doing my best to prepare and strengthen my foundation. I’m taking morning walks and finding ways to move joyfully. Journaling and meditating (thanks, Insight Timer, for the free meditations!) are part of my routine, and I’m resisting the urge to buy more notebooks, even though I love stationery. I reminded myself during a recent trip to Good Neighbour that I have a stack of unused notebooks at home, stewardship in action.

Finally, I’m lending a hand where I can by making small donations to GoFundMes for people struggling to put food on the table or pay rent, and giving my time when possible. I encourage you to do the same. Plan as best you can, but remember: we are who we need, and we belong to each other. I don’t know exactly how all of this resolves, but I know we get through it by tending. To our foundations, and to each other.