Get in the mindset of DIY when you can for what ails you and/or your stuff.
This kind of lifestyle is opposed to a commercialized, consumerist mindset that says, “Ask a professional,” or “Buy something new.” Sometimes you do need a professional, but not always. Sometimes it’s best to buy something new, but not every time. Until you make it your habit to start going through some problem-solving steps yourself, first, you’ll find that you keep wasting time, money, and energy on unnecessary items and activities.
Natural fixes can be applied to any area of life in the right situation: diaper rash on your baby’s bum, hay fever, a broken pot handle, a boring relationship. Let’s look quickly at the main categories: 1) Health, 2) Stuff, and 3) People.
- Health
We all need doctors sometimes. I am not advocating a refusal to take advantage of the professional medical help that is available to you. I am advocating that, when the illness or injury is minor, you do a little research and try some simple, natural changes first. You may find that taking echinacea and eating honey solve that hay fever problem, and you’ve just saved time, money, and a round of allergy medication. - Stuff
If you buy cheap stuff, it’s going to break sooner. So the first step in stuff is to quit buying the cheapest you can find. Live without it a little bit longer, and invest in something high-quality that will last. This is true all the way across the shopping spectrum. The second step with stuff is to first find a way to repair or modify what is broken or useless before you trash it and buy something new. - People
Our example above: a boring relationship. How can a sustainable lifestyle of natural fixes apply to a boring relationship? We apply the same principles. Instead of first running to the most extreme options available, you try a few simple, natural changes yourself. You don’t just dump your friend for someone shiny, new, and exciting. You put a little effort in. You try a new approach. You listen. You give. You adjust a bit. You might just find the relationship isn’t so boring, after all. - Annie | My Bio & Articles
The concept is simple: you have a brain, and you don’t have to be a professional at anything to use it. Common sense and a little know-how can take you a long way.
*Disclaimer: Nothing said here is meant to be medical advice.
Image Credit: owlhere.
Interesting advice, I agree up to a point but I have to add a note of caution. My husband just tried to mend my son’s psp by replacing the screen, he took advice and bought the right tools but in replacing the screen he damaged the motherboard. The repair has cost more than buying new. In retrospect we should have sent it to a specialist repair company.