Joshua Becker's Blog, page 115

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. It is a counter-cultural 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.

How to Live an Exceptional Life, Even When Life Doesn’t Feel Exceptional | The Art of Simple by Kat Lee. We do it by living with wild, exceptional excellence in the small things.

Why Doing Less Is the Best Way to Do More | Michael Hyatt Podcast with Michele Cushatt. Michael and Michele talk about their insights from Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown—a book I highly recommend. (33:33)

Increasingly, Retirees Dump Their Possessions and Hit the Road | The New York Times by David Wallis. “The purge of possessions was ‘a little nerve-racking’ at first, but ultimately ‘hugely liberating’.”

18 Non-Toy Gifts for Children | Nourishing Minimalism by Rachel Jones. A great way to combat too many toys is to shift all the gifts to non-toy items.

Smallish Blog by Evelyn Rennich. A young family of five happily living in 450 sq. ft.

7 Tips to Speed Up the Decluttering Process

“Get rid of the trash to make room for the treasures. Let the things that are important take center stage.” —Peter Walsh

Decluttering can be tough work.

We spend years and years collecting and accumulating more and more things. We should not be surprised then, if it takes considerable time to make decisions about what to keep and what to remove.

But it’s always worth the effort. Possessions weigh us down and add extra burden to our lives. Owning less results in more freedom.

If you are feeling overwhelmed about where to start or experiencing frustration with your progress, consider some of the ideas on this list to jumpstart your decluttering process.

7 Helpful Tips to Speed Up the Decluttering Process

1. Start easy with a clean sweep. Rather than attempting to declutter your home room-by-room, try going in “waves” instead. You will find this method to be far more impactful—especially at the beginning. Grab a box and walk around your home room-by-room. Fill your box with anything you find that you no longer need. No hard decisions, just noticeable impact. Once completed, try a second wave. But be advised, it gets a little more difficult each time through.

2. Find motivation with built-in deadlines. When we first began the process of minimizing our possessions, I did a lot of the work in the early morning. My kids usually got out of bed at 7am, so I would begin at 6am. Because I wanted to be there when they got up, I knew I had 1 short hour to get as much done as I could. This helped me find extra motivation to accomplish as much as I could during that hour. I also found some extra motivation the night before garbage pick-up.

3. Donate more. If you don’t need the money, you can declutter your home much quicker by deciding just to donate everything. The extra income from reselling your possessions can be nice, especially if you need the money. But selling items can really slow down the process and add extra burden to the journey. If quick impact is more important to you, dropping a few boxes off at Goodwill is far more efficient.

4. Include some help. Contrary to what you may think, you don’t need to do all the work yourself. In fact, if you have a family, you’ve got extra help built right in. You might not be able to convince them to declutter an entire room with you all-day on Saturday, but you can surely find some creative opportunities for them to help. For example, ask everyone in your family to find four things from their room that can be donated. Try again in a few days. The work adds up quickly with 3+ people involved.

5. Find freedom in temporary storage. I know a lot of people get hung up on hard-to-remove items. These vary from person-to-person, but common examples include sentimental items, books, kitchen gadgets, or toys. To keep from getting slowed down by these things, try an intermediate step of packing a box, labeling it with a date, and storing it out of sight. It will be easier emotionally. Six months later, revisit the box. You may be suprised how much easier it is to part with these items after not seeing them for six months.

6. Tell a friend and invite them over. Telling others about your decision to delcutter/minimize is an important step. In our book, Simplify, we even included it as one of the most helpful principles in the simplifying process. Sharing your desire brings accountability and forces you to articulate why you made the decision. To add extra urgency to your decluttering progress, invite your friend over for dinner or coffee. Give yourself a few days to prepare the house before their arrival. Trust me… you’ll find motivation real quick.

7. Don’t confuse intent with action. With all things in life, it is important to not confuse a desire to change with actual change. Thinking about decluttering or talking about decluttering won’t result in any positive benefits. These benefits can only be experienced when the excess clutter has been removed. Remind yourself today that talking about change is not the same as implementing change. And take one small step in the right direction because of it.

Decluttering can be tough work. But it’s always worth the effort. If you have been struggling to find momentum, I hope these ideas will encourage you to find some today.

Look Up to Someone

“Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t.”

People who live intentional lives understand an important truth: They are not the first. Countless others have gone before and lived this life well—many, in fact, surround us everyday.

Those who make the most of this life intentionally seek out others to learn from. They embrace humility. Reject prideful arrogance. Quickly admit that they do not have all the answers. And look to others for guidance, example, and motivation.

When we find someone to look up to and admire, we are challenged, encouraged, and enlightened. We find a defense against harmful or trivial distractions. We are emboldened in our worthy pursuits. And we are better equipped to accomplish them.

Sometimes we choose our mentors, sometimes they choose us. The important thing is to be observant, searching for opportunities to learn from others. Find another human being with qualities you respect to speak into your life. And take no relationship for granted.

Sometimes the relationship is formal, sometimes it is informal. I have grown in my understanding of blogging by intently watching somebody I have talked to only once (he doesn’t even know I watch his every move). Conversely, I just completed a year-long mentorship program with two gentlemen in my neighborhood. We met every two weeks on Monday afternoons to talk about work, parenting, marriage, and what we were noticing in each others’ lives. Together, these informal and formal mentors have shaped my life in significant ways.

Sometimes these mentors are professional, sometimes they are personal. We are human beings made up of many complex pursuits. We pursue influence in the world, in our families, and in our ourselves. Finding successful people in each field is a worthy endeavor. “Who is succeeding in my area of work?” is an important question to ask. “Who around me is succeeding at home and in their personal life?” is even more important. Do not pursue one at the neglect of the other.

We were designed to learn from one another. (tweet that)

Those who accomplish the most have done so with humility in their heart. Attempting to navigate this life without mentors speaking into our lives is a dangerous path.

The blame rests squarely on our shoulders. Pride comes before a fall. And it will always prevent us from reaching our full potential in work and life.

The Pictures We Hang On Our Walls

A few years ago, we decided we wanted our home to better share our story. Our desire was to decorate in a way that clearly communicated what was most important to us as a family.

As a result, we removed outdated objects, knick-knacks collecting dust, and any decoration bought only because it matched the color of our couch.

What remained were the pieces most important to us: photos of our family and growing children, a scenic image of Vermont given to us by friends, a beautiful piece of art we received on our wedding day, and a few items that have always been important to my wife.

Each of our decorations tell a story. Our home and the pictures on our walls display what is most important to us.

Now, I realize that personal tastes in this matter vary widely. The art of making a home is always going to look different from person to person. And I know that we hang far less pictures on our walls than most.

But generally speaking, regardless of the number, it is interesting to me that most of us hang the same types of pictures on our walls:

We hang photos of our family. We display photos from places we have visited or would like to visit. We post inspirational words about love and laughter and living life to the fullest. We frame images of a life filled with quietness and rest.

Nobody hangs images on their walls of a hurried, busy, stress-filled life. Nobody displays photos of more money. And nobody decorates their homes with pictures of another day at the office.

Instead, on our walls, we celebrate family, friends, and faith in a better world.

But then, for some reason, we head out the door to live hurried lives of desperation. We rush from one appointment to another hoping to find a better life through anxious worldly gain. And each day, we pile anxiety upon anxiety.

Meanwhile, the pictures on our walls invite us to something better. They remind us of a life lived on purpose with meaning. And they call for us to focus on the very things that make us human.

Unfortunately, too many of us will never notice.

We are out striving for the next dollar that we can use to buy another framed picture of the life we wish we were living.

Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

Possessions do not bring us happiness. In fact, often times, they keep us from it.

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 for it.

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.

Give Me Gratitude or Give Me Debt | Momastery by Glennon Doyle Melton. Sometimes it seems that our entire economy is based on distracting us from our blessings.

Learning to Shun the Instagram Life | The New York Times by Carl Richards. Do we focus on building a real life that makes us happy or do we attempt to live an Instagram life and pretend that it makes us happy?

11 Surprising Things About Becoming a Minimalist | Be More with Less by Courtney Carver. You might expect that when you become a minimalist, you’ll have less stuff and more space, but there are other surprising things you can look forward to as well.

Why I Am Leaving the Best Job I Ever Had | Max Schireson’s Blog by Max Schireson. Life is about choices.

How Your Possessions Are Affecting Your Heart | Storyline by Joshua Becker. Our hearts always follow our greatest investments.

Image: Angelo González

The Becoming Minimalist Business Model

Almost one year ago, I made the transition into writing full-time. As I confessed at the time, it was a difficult decision. Not because I didn’t love writing, but because I loved my previous work so much. One year later, I am happy to report I have found just as much joy and fulfillment in my current work as I did in my previous. It capitalizes well on my strengths as a person.

Recently, I have been increasingly asked how I make money. The question comes from bloggers, both established and new. And the question comes from friends, “So wait, you make money blogging? How is that even possible?”

I assume then, that many of you may be asking the same questions. And for my faithful readers who have been so supportive, I almost feel obligated to tell you how this whole thing works. So here you go: The Becoming Minimalist Business Model.

Let me start by saying my model is not conventional. In fact, I have rejected some of the most tried-and-true practices of full-time blogging simply because they do not fit our culture or goals. Here is a short list of some things I do not do:

Things I Don’t Do

1. I do not post advertising. Becoming Minimalist is completely advertisement-free. There are no images, banners, links, scroll-over videos, Google Adwords, or sponsored posts. Leo Babauta says it like this, “Advertisements on your website is the equivalent of selling your reader’s attention to someone else.” I agree. On the new site design, I even removed the photo ads for my own books opting for text links in my bio instead. The result is a clean site that focuses reader attention exclusively on the words and the message.

2. I do not push email marketing/list-building. In the blogger world, email list building is considered the fundamental first step in full-time blogging. If you read blogs, you’ll quickly notice how often you are asked to submit your email. Most bloggers even offer incentives (free ebooks, downloads, or webinars) in exchange for your email. This is called list-building. And it is the most golden statistic in a blogger’s world. Here at Becoming Minimalist, we push it very little. I do have a newsletter, but it serves a much different purpose than most email lists. And as I’ll mention later, the statistics speak for themselves.

3. I do not advertise this blog. From the very beginning, this blog has grown by word-of-mouth advertising only. I have never bought an ad or hired a Marketing Rep/Public Relations expert. We continue to grow every month (July 2014 was our busiest month ever, overtaking June 2014, which beat out May 2014…). Our growth comes exclusively from the generous support and sharing of our readers. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. You make all of this possible.

4. I do not make as much money as I probably could. Years ago, I was at a meeting with the Marketing Director for a large publishing house. He was asking me about Becoming Minimalist and some of the blog numbers. At the time, we were averaging roughly 100,000 page views/month. I’ll never forget his response when I mentioned the number, “Joshua, you are just leaving money on the table. You could easily be making $100K/year.” His words have stuck with me ever since. I mean who would ever choose to leave money on the table? But over the years, I have come to realize that I am completely okay with leaving money on the table. Because of minimalism, we have reduced our financial needs to a smaller number than ever before. And if all of our financial needs are being met, I figure there are more important things to pursue than larger paychecks.

How then do I make money as a blogger? Here is a comprehensive list of our different income sources.

Income Sources

1. Book Sales. Most of our financial income comes from book sales. Our two best-selling books, Simplify and Clutterfree with Kids, account for most of it and most of those sales come through Amazon. On average, we sell around 2,000 copies total (some more, some less) of our books each month—accounting for $5,000-$7,000 in income. Those numbers are very impressive and rank quite high among industry standards. Thank you to everyone who has purchased a book in the past or intends to do so in the future. Again, they make all of this possible.

2. Amazon Affiliate Selling. In addition to sales of our own books, we receive a small commission for purchases on the Amazon website when the visitor arrives through a Becoming Minimalist link. Different links can be found throughout this website—mostly used when I refer to a book I have been reading. Our Amazon affiliate links earn just short of $1,000 each month.

3. Speaking. I continue to do a good amount of public speaking (1-3X/month) on the topic of minimalism and the benefits of owning less. As I state clearly on my Speaking Page, I do not charge anything above travel and accommodations for my speaking engagements. I don’t do it for the money, I do it for the sake of reaching more people with the life-giving benefits of owning less. I count it a blessing when event organizers choose to pay me anyway. The monthly totals vary significantly from $200-$2,500 but are always appreciated. By the way, you can always find my upcoming speaking schedule towards the bottom of this page.

4. Bluehost Sign-Ups. I use Bluehost for my web hosting and am happy with them 99.8% of the time. They called me one day and offered to send an affiliate link if I wanted to recommend their product. I said, “Sure, I am happy with your service.” Subsequently, I put the link in the middle of one old post written years ago: 15 Reasons I Think You Should Blog. Surprisingly, this one hidden link accounts for $300-$500 each month.

5. Wife’s Income. With my new job providing more flexibility at home, my wife took a part-time job as a substitute teacher in our local school district. She is great with kids, well-connected with the local schools, and considers it an opportunity to be more involved in our community. She makes approximately $400-$600 each month depending on the season.

6. Programs/Bundle Sales. I am thankful for Courtney Carver and all the hard work she has put into developing the Simple Year. It is a valuable, year-long program that has helped hundreds of people find the information and accountability necessary to embrace a simpler lifestyle. As a contributor, I was financially compensated for my modules on money and possessions. The last ebook bundle sale I participated in took place in January. I enjoy participating in these short sales. They bring a quick return on finances and help to introduce my work to new people. All told, these programs and bundle sales account for approximately $10,000/year.

I consider myself very fortunate to do this for a living. Of course, every month brings about a new responsibility to meet our financial needs. But thus far, we have been provided for in excess each month.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do you find new readers? As I wrote earlier, Becoming Minimalist continues to grow beyond my wildest imagination. Most of our new readers come through our incredibly engaged Facebook group. I also contribute a monthly column to Storyline. And I accept most interview/media/podcast requests within reason. But most of the growth is a result of readers like you who have discovered a more profitable way to live than chasing possessions. Thank you for continuing to share the inspiration with others.

How is your newsletter different? The Becoming Minimalist Newsletter is committed to the spread and advancement of minimalism. It unites over 10,000 simple living advocates around common themes of influence and opportunity for impact. For the last three years, it has maintained a 50+% “open rate” which is extraordinarily high. In other words, the newsletter serves the entire simple living family, not Becoming Minimalist exclusively. And people genuinely appreciate that.

What does your typical day look like? Great question. It varies often and took 6-7 months to find a good rhythm that works for me. I still find writing in the early morning to be my most effective. Most mornings, I start between 5:00-5:30. I help get my kids off to school from 7:00-8:00 before returning to work from 8:30-11:00. I enjoy taking off a few hours in the middle of the day to exercise and eat and nap before tying up any loose ends in the early afternoon. My kids get home from school at 3:00 where I may or may not stop working depending on the day. The very end of each day is typically spent preparing for writing in the morning.

What else are you involved in? I enjoy being highly present in the lives of my kids and my wife. I have become more physically active since the job transition. And I continue to remain involved in some of the local churches here in Phoenix: teaching, leading, and serving. I enjoy that very much and am always thankful for the opportunity to help.

What is coming up in the future? We have been quite busy behind the scenes laying the groundwork for some very significant projects in the near future—I have many people to thank. At this point, I am not at liberty to share any details quite yet, but I will let you know as soon as I can. Both are going to require your help. And both dream big with a desire to inspire others, make history, and change the future for the better.

The business model above is unique in many aspects. It focuses on the pursuit of mission. It does not focus on the pursuit of money, but it does not deny its importance in our lives or potential for impact (as you will soon see).

My goal is to live a calm, focused, passionate, and fulfilled life. The Becoming Minimalist business model accomplishes that for me.

A Life-Changing Challenge: Add One Compliment

“Blessed is he who has learned to admire but not envy, to follow but not imitate, to praise but not flatter, and to lead but not manipulate.”

—William Arthur Ward

For the past several weeks, I have been trying a little experiment. It has been quite life-transforming. And I recommend it to you. The experiment goes like this:

Include one compliment in every conversation.

It’s that simple. And it’s that difficult.

The challenge did not start out for me as an intentional experiment. A few weeks ago, I was spending some time with a good friend—someone I look up to in many ways. During a break in the conversation, I mentioned some things I admire about him. I didn’t think much of it. In fact, it was actually long overdue.

His response surprised me. It was even more emotional than my original compliment. He lifted his head, looked me in the eye, and replied, “Thank you Joshua. I really needed to hear that today.”

I was reminded that many people are fighting difficult battles. We put on smiling faces, but deep down, we hurt. Sometimes, a kind word is the only source of hope we find in our day.

I decided from that moment forward I would try to be more intentional with my compliments and encouragement. In fact, I would try to work one into every conversation.

It has been both challenging and fun. I have not been perfect. But here are some of the results I have noticed:

It benefits others. Compliments encourage others. Through kind words, we remind people of their value and their talents. All of us want to be noticed—receiving compliments confirms that we are. They provide confidence and joy and hope.
It benefits me. When we share happiness, we receive it. These days, I see more smiles. The experiment also forces me to think less about myself and more about the other person. It is quite self-revealing. I have begun to recognize how few compliments I actually offer in a day. And I have been reminded of the power in my words.
It benefits my environment. The people around us create the environments in which we live, work, and play. Spreading joy among them by fostering a culture of encouragement challenges others to do the same. Our work environment feels different, our home life feels different, and the world around begins to change just a little bit.

Our words are important. They have the potential to carry life within them. And offering heartfelt, sincere compliments is one of the best ways to accomplish that.

If you do decide to try the experiment, here are a few things I have learned:

Look for a prompt. I found it helpful to associate the challenge with a physical object around me to serve as a reminder—something you will have present most of the day. There is no need to buy anything new. Just attach special meaning to an article of clothing or jewelry. Use it to remind you of the challenge. It can be easy to forget.

Let common sense be your guide. Not every conversation needs a compliment. Some are short, some are just in passing, and some people we talk to on numerous occasions during the day. So use your common sense. If you talk to your boss, co-worker, or spouse 10-15 times each day, offering a compliment each time may get awkward. Settle for a few well-timed, kind words instead. Again, use your best judgment.

Keep it natural. The benefits of the challenge seem to diminish significantly when you tell someone, “Oh, I’m just saying compliments today as part of an experiment.” Using your common sense above will help to avoid those situations.

Try to be specific. It’s not always possible, but specific compliments about a person and what you appreciate about them seem to carry the most weight.

You can always end with a compliment if you need to. More than a few times I offered my compliment at the very end: “It was nice talking to you today,” or “I am glad you stopped by,” seemed to work nicely if I didn’t work a compliment into the flow of the conversation.

Using a compliment as a transition can also be helpful. They sound very natural. “Hey, you are good at Math. I have a question for you.” “I notice that you do a good job of managing people, can I ask you something?” “You are great at solving problems, can I get your input?” They take some forethought, but work really well.

The more you know someone, the easier it is to think of something nice to say. As might be expected, the better you know somebody, the easier it is to think of and offer a specific compliment. They tend to flow a bit more natural. Keep that in mind because you’ll need to work hard around people you don’t know as well.

Learn from your mistakes. There will be numerous times each day when you forget to offer a compliment. Don’t give up. Instead, try to learn from it. As you walk away, see if you can figure out why you forgot. There are probably several reasons, but I found one of the most common to be the simple fact that I was more focused on myself during that conversation than the person I was speaking with.

Give it a few days. I recommend committing to the experiment for three days.

Take notice of your response. How does the challenge make you feel? More confident? More joyful? What lessons can you learn from it? And how might it affect the words you choose in the future?

Go ahead. Try adding one compliment to every conversation today. I’m confident you’ll be really good at it.

7 Questions to Bring Happiness Closer

“Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out.” —John Wooden

According to the numbers, most of us are in debt, hate our jobs, and are busier than ever. To make things worse, the places we tend to search for pleasure take us further away from it.

No wonder the pursuit of happiness has become such a profitable business. To be fair, I am a fan of positive psychology. It reinforces many of the principles of minimalism—namely, that the joy found in material possessions is of rather low quality.

But among all this discussion of happiness, I sense a growing frustration. For many people, happiness is hiding around the corner—something that will hopefully be achieved in the future when the conditions are just right.

This understanding is based on the notion that happiness is discovered when burdens have been removed. The thinking goes: I will be happier when my debts are paid off, when I get a different job, when I finally find the man of my dreams, or when I finally get out of this crummy marriage.

But this is unhealthy and unhelpful thinking. It comes from a vantage point that thinks happiness is conditional—that it can only be achieved when all the stars align just right.

If happiness is only a result of the circumstances around me, it will never be fully realized. (tweet that)

It will always remain just out of reach because this world never allows for perfect circumstances. Our world is populated by imperfect people. And as long as it is, pain and suffering and injustice and the consequences of our own poor decisions will continue to surround us.

The truth is that those who are the happiest are not necessarily those surrounded by the best circumstances. Instead, the happiest people are those who have decided to rethink their perspective.

Happy people focus on the things that bring joy into their lives today. This may come easier for some, but it is impossible for no one.

If you are struggling with the circumstances of your life today—whether it be a trial, a job, a relationship, or something else—work hard to shift your perspective. Do not wait for your circumstances to improve before you discover happiness. Decide instead, to embrace it today.

Try asking yourself these 7 questions to intentionally bring happiness closer:

1. What can I be thankful for? Gratitude is most helpful as a discipline. When things are going well, gratitude is an easy and natural response. Similarly, it serves little benefit—it’s easy to be focused on the good when you are surrounded by it. Gratitude is most helpful and life-enhancing when it is needed most. When you most feel the burden of your circumstance, look around, notice the good, and offer a verbal appreciation of gratitude. It will immediately shift your focus from the bad to the good.

2. Who do I know that loves me? There are few things more affirming in life than the realization that we are known and loved by another—whether that be a parent, a spouse, a friend, a mentor, or a child. Whether they live close or far away, remember their faces. Whether you have spoken with them recently or not, remember their voice. If you are loved, you have all you need for joy.

3. What progress have I made? Many of us get down on ourselves and our lot in life because we feel unaccomplished or unchanged. When we focus too much on the things we wish to achieve, we forget to appreciate the progress we have already made. When you are feeling down, take a moment to remind yourself of who you were before and who you are today. Have you arrived fully? Doubtful. But are you closer today than ever before? Probably.

4. What contribution do I bring? Whether you paint, landscape, manage people, or answer telephone calls to provide customer service, thank you. Your work matters to us. Though you may not always see it, you make our world better and improve our society. Don’t view your job as just a paycheck—after all, there is no dollar amount worth the sacrifice of your life. Instead, view your work as contribution. And be reminded that we are grateful for it.

5. What pursuits bring me the most joy? Where in life do you find your most joy and fulfillment? Your kids? Your work? Your hobbies or passions? Look around to see what makes you most alive. Now go do it more often. Your television isn’t making you happier, neither is staring at Facebook. Divert more of your energy towards the things that breathe life into you.

6. Who can I help? One of the reasons we miss happiness in our present circumstance is we get so focused on trying to achieve it by serving ourselves. But we find our greatest happiness and our greatest fulfillment in serving others. The time to be happy is now. And the way to be happy is to make others so.

7. What choices do I have? One thing that can never be taken from you is your power to choose. Remember, we may not be able to change our circumstance, but we can always choose our response to it. To live is to retain the power of choice. Look around. What options still remain? Look hard. There is significant happiness to be found in the simple truth that you can still show up in your own life.

Happiness is not waiting in the future for all your circumstances to be perfect. Happiness is waiting to be discovered today in the middle of them.

Our Lives are More Valuable Than the Things that We Own

If your greatest desire in life is to own more things, you are selling your potential short.

Unfortunately, society has told us our greatest dreams should consist of doing well in school, getting a lucrative job, building a large retirement fund, and buying a really nice house with lots of cool things. And because we get told that deceptive lie so many times and from so many sources, we start to believe it—without even noticing.

Before we know it, we are accumulating more and more things hoping to satisfy the longing in our hearts for something greater. This is a shame.

We can dream bigger dreams.

We can dream better dreams.

As Eric Hoffer once said, “You can never get enough of what you don’t need to make you happy.”

Our lives are worth more than the things that we own. Our lives can be lived for things that matter: love, hope, charity, relationships, contribution, spirituality.

But not if we sacrifice them by settling for possessions that only distract us from it.

Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

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.

Living the Simple Life | Zen Habits by Leo Babauta. You can’t have a simple life if you’re unwilling to let go of what you’re used to.

Love People, Not Pleasure | The New York Times by Arthur C. Brooks. The things we use to escape unhappiness often intensify it.

The Gray Hair, It’s Growing on Me | The Art of Simple by Tsh Oxenreider. There’s something freeing about being myself.

A Fresh Start | the Simple blog by Erin Lauray. “I was trying so desperately to create a life that mattered that I was missing out on what already mattered.”

Americans In Debt: 35 Percent Have Unpaid Bills Reported To Collection Agencies | Huffington Post by Josh Boak. I don’t know, it just seems like we should stop buying stuff we don’t need.

Image: DaveFayram