Guilty Until Proven Innocent

I have found myself as part of a community who's values lie beyond monetary, who strive more to live for the pursuit of satisfaction then for the pursuit of comfort (satisfaction being comfortable). Wherever I have spent an extended period of time, I have ended up a part of this community as if by some sort of fate. There is one attitude that I have encountered and acquired along the way that I don't quite feel comfortable with, that of being 'guilty until proven innocent'.

People wonder how I meet my basic needs without working for more than minimum wage and sometimes having long periods of time where I don't work, where I might be traveling or learning in other unconventional ways, WWOOFing for example. I have occasionally been accused of taking advantage of others and being 'lazy'. I have encountered the attitude that I am taking advantage until I prove my worth through some sort of series of invisible tests that I must pass.

When this attitude comes to pass I feel like I will never be able to prove myself, perhaps because I can't. If someone is suspicious of me, then they will be keeping their eye out for things that could be interpreted as devious or untrustworthy instead of noticing the ways in which I am a good person. And also, If I'm feeling guilty I will be feeding this idea of distrust by acting as if I need to prove something and seeming guilty because I allowed myself to buy into that feeling.

The first and foremost way that I am able to meet my needs with what is deemed "little" money, is to reevaluate the definition of 'need'. Need to me has changed from what need was growing up. My needs bend and mesh and flex to what resources are nearby. What is available? The second is to reevaluate money. Not everything can be bought and not everything needs to be bought. What other resources do I have to offer?

I have found a variety of ways around using money, and I'm not talking about stealing, I'm talking about free piles, dumpster diving, exchanges, seeking out free activities and workshops, riding a bicycle and learning how it works, and living with people who have similar ways of life. Is this taking advantage? Who would I be taking advantage of? It's far from lazy. It takes just as much work to avoid using money as it does to earn money so you can buy convenience, as far as I can tell. It's just a different kind of work.

I'm not sure where 'guilty until proven innocent' came from, but I'm working towards eradicating it from my life.