WUW - Fear is the First Step

I have noticed that the changes we have made in our home are being followed by my family, as well as myself, so that I really can say "we". I have also noticed that the rest of them don't quite have the drive to do everything I think we should do, or are easier on themselves when they slip up and forget to follow one of our new procedures, like when one of them uses the bathroom without the toilet cloth setup in it, or throws away a recyclable plastic item, or wants to turn the heat up instead of putting on a sweater.

I think I have figured out the difference. Now, I first want to say that I am not perfect in this area and I know I have a lot of work to do. I also want to say that I am very grateful that my family has jumped on board with the changes we have started to make. With that said, I think the difference comes from the fact that I am the one reading all the dire predictions about what is possibly to come and I am the one having her pants scared off her on a weekly basis. My husband is only seeing what is in the mainstream media and we all know how woefully behind the power curve they are nowadays. Not to mention inciting mass hysteria is not the politically correct thing to do. And the girls are only getting what I deem appropriate for them to be exposed to at their ages. I want to scare them only a tiny bit while I appeal to their higher natures to get them behind the changes. I don't want to freak them out totally and give them nightmares. We are unschoolers, after all, and letting our children have a childhood is HUGE on our priority list.

But, since I am the one that is scared, I am the one who feels the need to keep doing what we are doing, and to add more and more as fast as possible. I am seriously motivated. My family, not so much. Enough, for now, but I worry their motivation won't carry them where I see us needing to go. Now, I do understand a bit about human nature and I know that change is a tough thing to make. So, I figure that the slow pace we are setting is best in the long run, as the changes will be habits soon and more easily added to, more likely to stick.

Why am I telling you all this, you ask? Well, I found a little bit of information, packaged in a easy to digest way that might help get you all motivated to make some (more) changes. Scare you a bit, you might say. It is from the BBC News and it shows a good overview of all the possible effects of global climate change, worldwide. Now, it would be easy to read through this and not come away scared, because the language is very non-threatening. "Some regions are likely to experience water shortages." "Cities with a history of heat waves are likely to experience many more, with potential health impacts, especially for the elderly." No where does it say people are going to die from hunger, cold, heat or thirst, in those words. But that is what it means.

So, please go read the report from the link below and really think about the meaning behind the predictions. Read between the lines. Do a little more research. I hope it scares you a bit. I'm sorry, but it's what we all need to do, to get us off our butts and making changes. Changes that last and changes that make a difference.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/629/629/6528979.stm

First we need the fear, to get us moving. Then the hope that what we are doing is helping, will sustain us for the long road ahead. We need to be holding a vision of a new future, but until we are sufficiently motivated, we won't see the need to even think about changing.