Whether you are starting to work from home, starting a small, sustainable business, deciding to home educate your children or simply live without a car, the experience of turning your back on the rat race can feel very lonely. More than that, you may be challenged by others who view your actions as an implied criticism of their decision to stick it out on the treadmill. Rather than allowing this to undermine your confidence in your decision, you can view this situation as an opportunity to create a new, mutually supportive mini-community that will serve you, all those in it and the world at large. How do you do that?

Responsibilities.

A community is a different animal to an organisation. Organisations emphasise roles, rules, rights and conformity, whereas communities emphasise relationships, consensus, cooperation and creativity. So, in building a mutual support network, you are not trying to re-create the organisation that you have just left. Rather than that, you are starting to create something more fulfilling and wholesome.

What do you want your responsibilities to be in your new venture? What type of relationships do you want to have with others? Maybe you’ll decide that there are some people you definitely no longer wish to have a relationship with or any responsibility for!

Self-sufficiency

One of the beliefs I’ve encountered from friends and colleagues alike is that there is some kind of conflict between self-sufficiency and community based sustainable living. There seems to be this idea that those who are strong supporters of the self-sufficiency movement see themselves as separate from the community and that they are to be commended for not being dependent on anyone or anything outside of their immediate environment. I think this is a misunderstanding of where our responsibilities lie when we talk about sustainable living.

In order to be resilient in the face of peak oil and climate change or in order to live a life of voluntary simplicity for spiritual reasons, there is a clear distinction between being totally self-sufficient and isolated by it and being dependent on the global corporate machine. There is also the middle ground where self-sufficiency and sustainable living can co-exist. In this case, self-sufficiency is about knowing where our boundaries are. For example, I believe you are self-sufficient if you accept responsibility in a proactive way for your personal life. This would include your health and wellbeing, your work, your relationships and personal and professional development. It is possible to do this at the same time as living and working in community with others. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this degree of self-sufficiency is essential if you want your mutual support network to function effectively.

Cooperation and delegation, associates and colleagues

Some of my clients who start their own businesses, believe they will have to do everything themselves in an effort to cut costs. This was the route I took when I first became self-employed and I soon found it very stressful and rather unsuccessful. Sharing the load can be much more productive and satisfying, even if at first it appears to add extra cost. Working alongside others can relieve you of tasks you find dull or difficult (delegation). It can provide stimulation, insight and inspiration (finding associates with complementary skills), and lead to some very exciting synergy (cooperation).

You might immediately think of a financial management consultant, web designer or personal assistant under this heading. I would also include those who support you in your health and wellbeing and those who at first might appear to be competitors. In my mutual support network, I include an osteopath, nutritionist and yoga teacher as well as several other coaches.

Personal and Professional Development

What do you hope to learn from your new venture? Suppose you are turning a well-loved hobby into a small business or reducing your working hours and cutting your living expenses. Who do you know who can mentor or teach you? Who can help you improve your skills? Who can listen to you without judgement?

Your personal and professional development network might include favourite workshop leaders, a coach and a spiritual teacher for example.

Remember also that your support network is a mutual one. What do you have to offer your network?

Conclusion

One of the saddest by-products of our post-modern society is the isolation felt by many of its inhabitants. With many people living in single person households and single parent or small nuclear families we have lost the confidence building benefits and emotional support of living and working in community. We have also lost the practical advantages of sharing resources. The good news is we can re-create community and reap the benefits even if we do this on a small scale.