Swap it!

News & Insights

Jun 13

Things have been nicely busy on the yoga and catching-up-with-friends-and-family front, but oh dear, I can’t believe it has been so long outside the blogosphere already!

So let’s get to it, shall we? I hope this little blog will have been worth the wait. Um, no pressure… Anyway, the theme is simple: swaps.

In these times of economic turmoil triggered among other things by a spirit of greed, selfishness and covetousness, an amazing potential to come back to simplicity and generosity has been made available to us. Enough of valuing money and more money only, time to value your and other people’s time too as well as their skills.

We all know how it is like to have the motivation and time to do something but not the budget for it, so how about… swapping it?!

The word “swap” refers to the exchange between two willing parties of a skill or an object for another. Money was created to facilitate this exchange since what you have to offer might not meet the needs of your wanted party, but sometimes, this kind of synchronicity can actually happen if you are open to the idea.

I am extremely lucky to teach yoga and I have to say that it is a very swappable skill since more and more people are drawn to try it.

So far, I swapped yoga privates for singing lessons (I am not tone deaf but not a natural either…), Amatsu sessions (see note at the bottom), reiki as well as cooked meals and I am sure it is just the beginning of a long list!

Only thing you need to think about is what you could offer: can you cook, speak another language or play an instrument? And what would you like to receive or learn? Don’t feel weird or afraid of suggesting a swap when you see a possibility. It is a refreshing approach appreciated by many regardless of the size of their purse! Choose wisely, through a friend’s recommendation for instance, to establish a sense of mutual trust and see for yourself.

Swapping makes for personal and memorable experiences as the concept puts you in touch with people who share a common ground with you. There is an interest or curiosity in one area of each other’s life which creates a great environment for personal growth.

So swap it, buying it is so yesterday…! ;-)