Joshua Becker's Blog, page 106

Do Less and Live More

Note: This is a guest post from Melissa of Melissa Camara Wilkins.

“How are you?”

How many times do you hear that every week? We all know not to answer “fine.” Fine isn’t a thoughtful answer. Fine means we didn’t think about the question.

Instead we have another default answer, don’t we? We’re busy. We’re all busy. How are you? Busy.

It’s true, so many of us are busy. Even as we try to simplify our homes, our calendars have a tendency to stay packed full.

When we start eliminating the extra stuff from our houses, we find new pockets of free time—the time we would have spent taking care of all that stuff. You’d think, then, that we would have plenty of open space in our schedules.

But there are so many options competing for those extra minutes that we can keep adding to our calendars until there’s no time left. We’re busy.

Sometimes being busy feels good, and sometimes keeping busy makes us feel important. But you are valuable because of who you were made to be, not because of the activities you do. Your worth does not depend on your busyness. You can do fewer things, even if the things on your calendar are all good things.

And the things we keep busy with often are good things. There’s volunteering, there’s being a friend, there’s work. There’s regular old household chores. And if you have kids, there’s sports, scouts, classes, clubs, and lessons, enough to fill every minute of the day, and it seems like everyone else is doing them all, so it must be possible.

We stop asking each other: How are you? And we start asking: How do you do it all?

The most important way to think about that question doesn’t have anything to do with your process. The best answer to that question has to do with your purpose.

You don’t have to do it all. You can quiet your schedule. You can choose mindfully.

Focus on purpose over process.

Instead of asking: How do I do it all?

Start asking questions like: Why am I choosing this? Does this feed my family or nourish my soul? Was I made for this?

If your schedule lines up with your purpose, wonderful! Keep doing what you’re doing, and keep asking for help when you need it.

But if you weren’t made for this—whatever this is that’s filling your schedule—stop.

Let go of activities that aren’t a good fit for you or your family. Let go of activities that might be great, but are too much for this season. There will be other seasons. Let go of activities that everyone else is doing. You aren’t everyone else. You were made to be you, on purpose.

You can focus on what’s right for you. Do what fits your personality, your passions, your purpose, your values, your family. Do more of that, and less of everything else.

It’s hard to be the person you want to be if your days leave no room for contemplating who that person is. (tweet that)

Let go, and you’ll find more space to be yourself.

A minimized schedule can have maximum impact.

When you don’t do it all:

– You need less stuff.

Every activity comes with its own clothes or shoes or tools or toys. If you eliminate the activities that aren’t best for you, you won’t need all the props to prop up a lifestyle you don’t even want.

– You relieve pressure.

With fewer activities, there’s less stress on your calendar and your budget. You have less worry about carpools, traffic, and arrival times. You relieve that feeling of living through over-full, overcomplicated days.

– You have more time for your soul to breathe.

More free time means more space for stillness and contemplation. It means more space for dreams and growth. It means more time for listening and reflecting.

When there’s open space in your calendar, there’s more room in your heart for considering your place in the world, for thinking about who you are and how you intend to live.

Kids with more free time get to practice using their imaginations, and really, so do we adults.

Enough busyness.

Live out your purpose. Live your values. You don’t have to do it all. You just have to be yourself, and do what you were made to do.

***

Melissa Camara Wilkins writes a beautiful blog for unconventional souls who want to live differently, think differently, and see the world a little differently. Her book, DO YOUR THING: How to Find Time to Do What Matters, is free for you today.

Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

Fill your life with stories to tell, not stuff to show.

The simplicity/minimalism movement is a beautiful community. It is friendly, encouraging, and helpful. There is a genuine understanding that any promotion of simplicity is good for society—and there is little concern over who gets the credit.

It is a pleasure to be part of such a wonderful group of people. And I enjoy every opportunity to promote writing that encourages people to live more by owning less.

So fix yourself a nice warm cup of coffee or tea. Find a quiet moment this weekend. And enjoy some encouraging words to inspire more simplicity in your life today.

How This 30-Year-Old Travels The World On As Little As $30,000 A Year | Forbes by Laura Shin. “It was so crazy hard to get rid of all this stuff I’d accumulated.”

The Essential Non-Essentials | KINFOLK by Margaret Everton. Arbitrarily inviting everything that appeals to you into your life is just imprudent excess, like a good dinner party gone haywire because the host didn’t bother revising the guest list.

How One Portlander Found Abundance and Balance by Downsizing | Portland Monthly by Tina Jeffers. Could you reduce your home’s square footage by 70% and get rid of most of your belongings?

7 Reasons Generous People Are More Likely To Be Successful | Lifehack by John Patrick Hickey. Generous people are often successful in life—not just at work or in the community, but in their personal lives as well.

9 TED Talks to Watch Instead of Shopping | TED. Forget about Black Friday. Step away from the mall and watch these talks on consumerism … and why it’s not always the best thing.

7 Ways to Live a Simpler Life in a Modern World

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Brian Gardner of No Sidebar.

Today’s world has many luxuries that are supposed to make life easier. At times they may, but other times, they make things more complicated.

Meanwhile, there are lots of people who dream of living a simpler life. They picture spending their days sitting by a lake and enjoying nature. This dream is often interrupted by reality, but it does not have to be that way. There are things we can do to simplify our lives.

When people hear about simplifying life, they may think it means moving into a home in the middle of the woods and living off the land. But that is not necessarily a simpler life—and it may not be for everyone.

Instead, choose things that can keep you in the modern world, but still make life easier.

1. Get a basic cell phone. It would be nice to say that a cell phone was not necessary at all, but pay phones have disappeared and if you need to call someone in an emergency, you will need a cell phone. Instead of getting a smartphone with data and texting, opt for a basic cell phone that only makes or receives calls. There are plans that allow you to get a phone for less than $50 and offer free minutes to talk with every month.

2. Cut the cable cord. Many people are spending well in excess of $100 a month on cable television that gives them 500 different channels. Out of all those channels, most people watch 10 to 15. Instead of having a cable bill, use over the air stations you receive for free. Add a streaming service and you will never miss cable. Without cable, you can go back to an old, reliable method of entertainment—talking to one another.

3. Get rid of credit cards. Credit cards are nice. They allow people to buy things they otherwise could not afford and pay for it over time. They also become a burden that drags many people down each month. Instead of using credit cards, only buy what you can afford. Stick to that plan and the fear of not being able to pay the bills will quickly disappear.

4. Declutter the home. A search around the home will find many things that are not needed, or are no longer used. Find different ways to get rid of the things that are no longer necessary. It is even possible to make some money selling these things that can be used to help in other areas, such as paying off credit card debt.

5. Get rid of monthly expenses that are not needed. Many people are paying for gym memberships, mobile internet service, and many other monthly services they barely use. They have often put the monthly payments on their credit card so they do not even realize how much they are spending and not using.

There are often ways to get the same things that you get from these pay services without having to pay. Gym memberships can be replaced with exercising at a local park or walking around the neighborhood. If you need internet service away from home, look for Wi-Fi hot spots. They are found at many restaurants, hotels, and coffee shops. It might take effort to do this at first, but once it becomes a habit, it is easy to do.

6. Start to track your expenses. One thing people will benefit from doing is tracking the money they spend. It is the best way to find out when you are spending money and what you are spending it on. It is possible you will find you are spending a lot of money you don’t need to. You may find that second car is an expense you may not need. You could take public transportation to work and get by without a second car and all of its headaches. When you realize that, it becomes possible to make changes.

7. Track your time. Pay attention to how much time you are spending doing things. Look for ways to cut down on time you think is being wasted on unnecessary things.

Time and money are two of the most valuable resources people have. When life gets simpler, the amount of these two things that a person has available will rise. That is the benefit of a simpler life in today’s world.

The great thing about this list is that people have choices. They can choose to do one of them, all of them, or some of them. They can start out with just one and then add some others later.

Life is about choices. Making the choice to live life in a simpler way is something that is becoming a popular thing to do.

***

No Sidebar is a weekly email newsletter from Brian Gardner that helps people design a simple life—at work, at home and in the soul. You can also find him on Twitter.

5 Simple Ways to Live an Abundant Life through Self Simplicity

Note: This is a guest post from Eric Ungs of Unless You Care Project .

“Being a minimalist means that you value yourself more than material things.” —Brian Gardner

We often think of minimalism as shedding away our external possessions and living with only the essentials. Certainly, this is very much part of it.

But I am learning the journey is not just external, it is also internal. To experience true abundance from minimalism, it must start within.

Just as some people accumulate things to create a false identity or pursue a mythical state of happiness, eliminating yourself of possessions without coming from a place of inward truth is short-sighted. They are disconnected.

Living an abundant life derives from traveling a journey of intentional self growth. It’s functioning through your true self to live a simple life. It’s getting good at being simple. Self simplicity becomes the clarity in which you find meaning. It’s the removal of the unnecessary. It’s the discovery of what you value most.

Self simplicity is the intersection of self-care and minimalism.

As you begin to focus on your inner self, minimalism becomes the by-product. (tweet that)

Here are 5 simple ways to live an abundant life through self simplicity.

1. Simplify your wardrobe.

Two years ago, I adopted a minimal wardrobe. A solid colored t-shirt, jeans and a pair of Vans sums up my daily wardrobe year round. It’s the attire that I feel most like myself in. Because of this minimalist approach, I am able to eliminate unnecessary energy that gets put into what I wear. It spares me a few more minutes in the morning to sit at the table with my family for breakfast before we all head out the door. It results in one less source of stress and anxiety within my day.

2. Eliminate digital distractions.

As our mobile device is the bridge that connects us to the world, it’s also the very thing that pulls us from the present moment. For the past couple years, I’ve removed all notifications on my phone. It no longer is a constant distraction that pulls me from the present moment.

One Saturday evening while my wife and son were gone, I had a sudden impulse to remove the TV from our main floor family room—the room where we spend most of our time. Since then, our family has become much closer and our focus is no longer fragmented. We play more, we have spontaneous dance parties, we listen to music and sing together, we grab our own books and read, and we have quiet time together.

I even began noticing glances at my watch would allow different levels of anxiety to creep in. My ego would spew off all the things I should be doing instead of what I was doing at that moment. So I no longer wear a watch. It’s eliminated a feeding source for my ego. And the anxiety that would creep in from wearing a watch has since subsided.

3. Focus on your art, not your job.

Most people dislike getting up in the morning because of the job they have. The unfortunate reality is we spend a third of our lives in the workplace. So why do we drudge through it working for the weekend?

Changing your mindset in how you approach your job opens up life’s abundance. It no longer becomes a balancing act of work and life, but becomes life itself.

Remove yourself from the cog-like behaviors and pour your unique abilities into all that you do. It makes getting up in the morning a lot easier. This shift in mindset has transformed how I work.

Previously, my daily goal was working towards a promotion, a more prestigious title, and a larger paycheck. That’s it. Since practicing self-care, office politics has become less attractive, the race up the corporate ladder no longer serves a purpose, and the prestigious titles are now just words.

Focus on the difference you can make by the work only you can do. New meaning will immediately arise.

4. Learn to say no to things.

I used to feel like I had to say yes to everything thinking that’s what the path to success looked like. Often times these commitments and obligations I agreed to caused unnecessary stress and friction within my relationships: family, friends, colleagues.

The ability to say no provides space in my life to focus on the things I value most. It’s not about being involved with everything, but rather involving myself with the right things.

5. Embrace the mundane.

It wasn’t until I committed to traveling a journey of intentional self growth that I discovered where life is really lived—in the mundane. Life is lived in those in-between moments we often hurry past. It’s in the car rides to daycare, standing in the grocery line with your son, reading to your kids before bed time, or clearing off the dinner table as a family.

It’s all the things that are part of our days that we tend to gloss over. But these are the simple memories that last a lifetime. These are the experiences that write our story and shape our lives. It’s those simple things that matter and become the things we appreciate most.

I didn’t set out to become a minimalist. It was born through self-care and committing to travel a journey of intentional self growth.

But through self simplicity, abundance was found.

***

Eric Ungs writes at Unless You Care Project where he helps others lead a life of intentional self growth. You can also find him on Twitter.

6 Questions to Discover Your Most Meaningful Pursuits

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Jacob of JacobJolibois.com .

Minimalism removes the meaningless to make room for the meaningful. 

Properly understood, it is easy to get caught up in the minimalist lifestyle. The idea of removing the meaningless to make room for the meaningful is attractive to many.

Before long, garbage bags line the edge of the road and the backseat of the car is loaded with boxes for Goodwill. But as we finalize the details on our latest eBay auction, we may sit back and wonder, “Now what?”

What was the point of this exercise anyway? What is the “meaningful” that we are supposed to be making room for? While some people are born knowing precisely what they want to do with their lives, some of us live in a constant state of misdirection, unsure of our purpose. Every shiny thing we try, we soon discover, is not what we thought it would be.

As a result, minimalism becomes just another shiny thing we discard when it doesn’t fulfill us. But, if we discover our meaningful pursuits, minimalism becomes a tool that empowers us to realize it.

Here then, are six important questions to help anyone discover their unique, most meaningful pursuits:

1. What currently leads to most of my happiness and fulfillment?

“This is the true joy of life, the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one.” —George Bernard Shaw

Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto discovered a principle wherein 80% of results stem from 20% of the causes. Therefore, if we could pinpoint the 20% of activity that supplies 80% of our happiness and fulfillment, we could begin taking steps toward maximizing our time and resources within the 20% and moving away from the 80%. Be intentional about breaking down what makes you happy and leverage your minimalist lifestyle to make time for those activities.

2. What concern or problem do I feel most compelled to solve?

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. illuminated the heart and soul of defining our “why”: others. In a world where individualistic concerns are championed, the world-changers and the misfits must unite around a cause larger than themselves. It is there that we will find an answer to our “why” that wells up inside of us and motivates us to make a difference.

3. What would I spend my day doing if I knew I couldn’t fail?

After answering this question, answer a second—what is the worst case scenario if you attempt it now and fail? I would be willing to bet that most of you will discover the worst case scenario isn’t all that bad. If we give our fears a name, they tend to shrink. They’re like the wizard behind the curtain—only an illusion.

“There are two types of people in this world. There are people who see the thing they want and there are people who see the thing preventing them from getting what they want.” —Unknown

4. What do I get so consumed with that I forget to eat or sleep?

“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there’s love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” —Ella Jane Fitzgerald

Purpose is found at the convergence of passion and service. What makes each of us unique is the sum of our individual experiences, traits, skills, interests, and aptitudes. We must tap into the practices that fulfill us and find a way to marry it with our cause (see the answers to questions 2 and 3). There we will find our “why”.

5. What does my perfect day look like?

“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” —Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland

Outlining a clear picture of our “why” in practical terms gives us clarity and direction instead of a vague, romanticized goal. It allows us to dig into the details and honestly ask ourselves what we desire. With this clear destination in mind, we can be proactive in our journey.

6. What is one step I can take this week toward realizing my “meaningful?”

“A vision without a task is but a dream, a task without a vision is drudgery, a vision and a task is the hope of the world.” —From a church in Sussex, England, ca.1730

Now that we have named our values, burdens, fears, passions and goals, we have a better understanding of why we do what we do. Though we may not have all of the answers now, we have a place from which to start.

At this point, it is crucial to give ourselves a few small wins in the beginning to build momentum. Write down at least one step you can take this week toward your purpose. It could be reaching out to a friend, writing an outline, or setting aside $100.

The important thing is to start. And to discover more and more space to pursue it.

***

Jacob Jolibois writes at JacobJolibois.com, helping others craft a simple, yet impactful life. You can also find him on Twitter.

Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

There’s more to life than buying stuff.

There are many wonderful people pursuing and promoting simplicity. Fortunately, some of them are gifted in communication and choose to encourage and inspire us with their words. I enjoy reading their unique perspective. I’m sure you will too.

So fix yourself a nice warm cup of coffee or tea on this beautiful weekend. Find a quiet moment. And enjoy some encouraging words about finding more simplicity in your life today.

5 Reasons Why Minimalism is a Better Way of Life | No Sidebar by Brian Gardner. Being a minimalist means that you value yourself more than material things.

Aspirational Parents Condemn Their Children to a Desperate, Joyless Life | The Guardian by George Monbiot. Surrender your freedom, avoid daylight, live to work, and you too could join a toxic, paranoid elite.

Why I’m Breaking Up With the Apple Watch | The New York Times by Vanessa Friedman. “It’s not you, it’s me.”

The Pressure to Look Good | The New York Times by Jennifer Weiner. It used to be that, generally speaking, we all knew the occasions that required us to look good. Now? Every day is Class Picture Day.

After Losing His Father, Here are the 10 Life Insights This Dad Wants His Daughters to Know | The Good Men Project by Luke Martin. Be an experience collector.

The Gift of Presence

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Evelyn Rennich of Smallish Blog.

“Wherever you are, be all there.” —Jim Elliot

Minimalism, at its heart, is focusing time, energy and resources towards more important aspects of life.

For most people, this intentional fixation results in a widespread clearing of clutter. “Life clutter” may take on many forms: physical belongings, technological fillers (such as alarms or apps), non-life-giving calendar items, even unhealthy relationships.

The beauty and allure of minimalism is it produces a sparklingly streamlined life in which priorities are well-ordered and there is room for that which is most important to each person.

For me, this means relationships. My relationships with my family and close friends are paramount, but so many times those closest to us receive our worst because we are over-committed, over-tired and over-stimulated.

Often, our loved ones only receive a fraction of the love, joy, support, humor, or friendship we have to offer because we are distracted. Busy. Stretched too thin.

Minimalism can help us give our best to the people who want to see it most.

The American Chaplaincy uses a term called “ministry of presence.” The idea generally translates to the act of blessing hurting people merely with a presence—by showing up. By being there. By offering tangible support, whether it’s in the form of a hug or a steaming bowl of soup.

I love the concept and name “ministry of presence.” I’d like to tweak the definition a little; let’s think of it more as a daily choice to be intentionally present in relationships.

As we move through each day, it is easy to be physically present but mentally and emotionally elsewhere. You know what that looks like: you might be in the room but disengaged from the conversation or the needs of those around you. Maybe you’re in the house but checked out and browsing online. Maybe it means you’re busy stuff-managing (organizing) again. Maybe it looks like forgetting that a friend has surgery scheduled this week.

In our busy, over-planned, over-stuffed world, it’s easy to forget that every encounter we have with another human being provides the opportunity to bless, to shed light upon, to pay attention to, whether they are in pain or not.

Embracing a simpler, clearer, more pared-down lifestyle can provide the energy and focus needed to concentrate on the people in front of us, whether it’s a dear friend over for coffee or the silky-haired child in my lap waiting for a story.

Less stuff, fewer commitments, and fewer distractions allow my main priority of relationships to shine through.

When life is slower and intentionally styled to value relationships, I am primed to interact better. To actively listen. To offer a fully formed thought instead of an absent-minded “hmmm.” To engage with a little bit of humor. To grasp someone’s hands and share a spontaneous prayer with them. To offer affirmation in the form of direct eye contact. The opportunities to share what you uniquely have to offer are endless.

Minimalism provides room for ministry of presence to be a way of life.

One of my favorite quotes is by a missionary and author Jim Elliot: “Wherever you are, be all there.” That’s ministry of presence. That’s the gift of being truly you, wholly present in every conversation.

Minimalism can clear the rubble to reveal you—able to be all you—fully present in each interaction. The ripples of such a decision will provide a valuable gift to everyone you meet.

***

Evelyn Rennich writes about her attempts to live modestly, frugally, and green at Smallish Blog. You can also find her on Twitter.

Breaking the Influence of Consumerism

Life is complicated enormously by modern propaganda.

Commercials and advertisements work relentlessly to convince us products manufactured on assembly lines will bring us joy and make us insanely happy. But in reality they make us more insane than happy.

The goal of Madison Avenue is to prompt discontent, increase desire, and change our attitude from “That’s extravagant” to “I need it.”

They are so subtle at their craft we hardly realize we are being brainwashed. Slowly, they take control of our desires, our checkbooks, and our life.

Becoming Minimalist was founded on and has remained true to one simple message: Owning less is better than pursuing more. Possessions do not equal joy—even worse, they often distract us from it.

But to live this out on a daily basis, we must be mentally prepared to counter the pull and influence of consumerism.

We must remind ourselves often that happiness is not an item to be purchased, it is a decision to be enjoyed. Our happiness is not based on possessions.

Some of the most joyful people I have ever met live in extreme poverty while some of the wealthiest people I know are miserable. Happiness is not found in the abundance of possessions. It is a decision we make each morning.

It is wise to identify what advertisements are trying to sell us. The emphasis in modern advertising has moved from providing factual information on a product to creating associations in the mind of a consumer.

Most advertisements are not trying to sell us on the material properties of the item. Instead, they appeal to our subconscious desires (status, sex, prestige, happiness, appearance, self-esteem, identity, or reputation) or subconscious fears (loneliness, security, weaknesses, uncertainty). Be aware of their strategy, look for it, and don’t be fooled.

Buy things for their usefulness, not their status. Purchase items for their ability to meet your needs, not for their ability to impress your neighbor. Apply this principle everywhere—your house, your car, your clothes, and your hobbies are all good places to start.

Intentionally and purposefully seek to remove advertisements from your life. Cancel your junk-mail (both physical and digital). Mute your radio/TV during advertisements or better yet, stop watching television altogether. Enjoy outdoor recreation (biking, exercising, hiking, gardening, camping) or occupy your mind with reading, art, conversation, philosophy, or meditation.

Enforce a 30-day wait period on major purchases. The extra month will provide ample opportunity to answer the question, “Do I really need this?” It will also help you answer these questions: “Are there any subconscious motives to this purchase?,” “Which brand is the highest quality?,” “Can I find it cheaper elsewhere?,” “How likely is it this purchase will soon become unused?” and “Am I controlling my decision or am I being manipulated by someone else?”

Join our joyful revolution. More and more people are choosing to say “no” to the mindless collection of material possessions and say “yes” to more important pursuits instead.

Overwhelmingly, these people are adamant that life is better when the influence of consumerism has been broken. You will most certainly agree.

9 Ever-Present Distractions That Keep Us From Fully Living

Our world is becoming increasingly filled with distraction. Information moves faster, louder, and brighter than ever before. Entertainment, social media, and marketing have never been so prevalent. They beg for our attention and our focus. In so doing, our minds are diverted from more important work.

We would be wise to adopt principles that help us live less distracted.

However, these distractions are easy to notice. We readily admit that we spend too much time checking e-mail, watching television, or playing games on our phone. After all, the battle plays out in front of us each day.

Far more detrimental to our lives are the subtle distractions that quietly surround us. They are not announced with blinking lights or beeping sounds. In fact, they have become so commonplace and ever-present, we hardly even notice their existence. But these distractions take residence in our mind and wreak havoc on our pursuits. And in the end, they keep us from living our lives to their greatest potential.

Consider this list of 9 ever-present distractions that often keep us from fully living. And recognize if any have taken residence in your heart.

1. The Promise of Tomorrow. Joshua Glenn Clark said it like this, “We waste so many days waiting for the weekend. So many nights wanting morning. Our lust for future comfort is the biggest thief of life.” It is not entirely foolish to look toward the future and plan accordingly. However, when we endure our days only for the sake of tomorrow (the weekend, the vacation, or the retirement), we miss out on the full beauty and potential of the present.

2. The Pursuit of Perfection. We ought to pursue excellence and pride in all we do. Our next step forward should be the right next step and it should be taken with as much intention as possible. But doing our best and achieving perfection are rarely the same. When perfection becomes the goal, it becomes the enemy of progress—and in this way, it often distracts us from taking the essential risk of moving forward.

3. The Regret of Yesterday. To live is to experience regret—nobody escapes life unscathed. We regret our actions, our decisions, and our motivations. But no amount of regret can ever change the past and only those who have come to recognize and admit their imperfections are able to move beyond them. Call your mistakes what they are, offer an apology when necessary, and then move on. Don’t allow regret from the past to negatively distract from opportunity in the present.

4. The Accumulation of Possessions. The things we own require our time, our energy, our money, and our attention. Every increased possession adds increased stress in our lives. And yet, we continue to pursue and accumulate more and more and more. But more is not the answer. More has become the distraction.

5. The Desire for Wealth. Those who chase riches have misplaced their greatest potential and traded it to the highest bidder. Our lives were designed for contribution—to provide a positive impact on society for ourselves, our families, and those who live in community with us. Sometimes, our contribution provides financial excess. Other times, it does not. But either way, when our contribution to society becomes chiefly motivated by a selfish desire to accumulate riches, it has become self-focused. And we have lost our opportunity to live it to the fullest.

6. The Need for Notoriety. The life you live is the life you live regardless if anybody notices or not. Those who live lives focused on the need to be recognized for it are usually the first to take shortcuts to get there. Instead, find significance in the eyes of those who know you best—because in the end, that is all that matters anyway.

7. The Pull of Comparison. It seems, by nature, we feel compelled to compare our lives to the people around us. We compare our belongings, our appearance, our families, and our successes. But each time we do, we place our focus and energy on the wrong person. Comparing yourself to others will always cause you to regret what you are not, rather than allow you to enjoy and grow who you are.

8. The Appeal of Pleasure. Many of us are led astray by the appeal and pursuit of pleasure. “Why not?” we might ask, “what is wrong with the pursuit of pleasure?” And I might even agree, at least to a point. But here’s the problem, pleasure is a terrible teacher. The most significant lessons we learn in life are rarely received during times of pleasure. Instead, they are born out of pain. I am not contending that we should seek pain in our lives. But I am contending a life lived chiefly for the pursuit of pleasure, will usually seek it in all the wrong places.

9. The Presence of Indifference. The world is a big place and we have much to offer. Those who choose to live life as a victim will always miss their opportunity to give. Additionally, those who choose to adopt an indifference to the world around them will miss out on their greatest potential. But those who recognize need and seek to do something about it, experience a joy and fulfillment that can never be discovered anywhere else.

Our world is full of distraction—the most dangerous are those we do not recognize.

But our fullest potential requires that we notice distraction—and work diligently to overcome it. (tweet that)

Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it. It requires a conscious decision because it is a countercultural lifestyle that stands against the culture of overconsumption that surrounds us.

The world we live in is not friendly to the pursuit of minimalism. Its tendencies and relentless advertising campaigns call us to acquire more, better, faster, and newer. The journey of finding simplicity requires consistent inspiration.

For that reason, I hope you will make an effort this weekend to find a quiet moment with a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy some of these hand-picked articles to encourage more simplicity in your life.

The Cloud Generation: No Longer Buys All The Things | The Vocal by Sheree Joseph. It feels like this change has come about in a slow and nuanced way.

Skyway Mom Downsizes for Family Life in Downtown St. Paul | Pioneer Press by Molly Guthrey. “I think of it as paradise. The entry fee is getting rid of 80 percent of your stuff.”

Grace for the Journey | The Art of Simple by Alysa Bajenaru. Because minimalism is not a competition. And when we strive for someone else’s definition of perfection, we will certainly fail.

How Life in a Caravan Set Us Free | BBC by Tim Meek. “We currently enjoy a richness that we could never have imagined.”

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This Thursday, June 11, I will be hosting a free, live webinar on the intersection of community and simplicity: 3 Powerful Keys to Grow Life-Affirming Relationships. Alongside Joel Zaslofsky, Founder of SimpleREV, our goal is to offer encouragement and challenge on the importance of community in living out simple lives. To join us, register here.