To DIY or Not to DIY?
Why Bother Doing it Yourself?
Many people question the value of DIY. It can seem a false economy; why do-it-yourself when you can hire a professional to do it for you, likely for less money? You work so hard, shouldn't you waste your free time in the most frivolous way possible? But DIY is about more than just dollars and cents; it's about improving your mind, your body and your world.
We have always been a great nation of Doers. Our forefathers carved homes out of the wilderness, grew veggies, raised chickens, and brewed beer. They lived by the sweat of their brows and the cunning of their minds. This is our rich heritage, a tapestry woven together by regional ideas, activities and foods and it is our turn to carry on the tradition of self-reliance. This is not a burden we are shouldered with, but rather an invitation to awesomeness.
DIY is about slowing down; taking the time to learn something in life and enjoy it. It requires you to use your mind and body, often in new ways, that in turn makes you stronger, smarter and more self-sufficient. When you create something from scratch you really understand that thing; you gain skill and knowledge. The added bonus is you might even create something new. DIY promotes a diversity of foods activities, and ideas that shape the cultures in which we live and thrive!
DIY is also about maintaining control over your own life. When you outsource some aspect of your life, even the minutia, you relinquish control of that little piece of yourself. Each decision may seem small, but as you yield more to conglomerations, they grow powerful. That starts with them making our jam and raising our chickens, but can lead to them splicing bacterial DNA into our grains or convincing us through a myriad of avenues to rely on convenience instead of quality.
DIY can help reduce your footprint on this planet. Instead of a buy-use-replace model you can repurpose, reclaim and rethink. By gardening and composting you can reduce food waste. Through homebrewing you can virtually eliminate recycling, in favor of reuse. When you do-it-yourself you can find a better way! And when you have done-it-yourself, you'll be much less likely to waste even a drop what you've made.
Through DIY you can improve yourself, assert yourself, and consume less. But fundamentally, DIY is a way for you to connect to your own life and make it awesome in the process.
