Joshua Becker's Blog, page 124

Not Just the Outcome, But the Process

“When walking, walk. When eating, eat.” —Zen Proverb

45 days ago, I became a full-time writer.

Since making the change, friends and acquaintances have asked often how I enjoy my new role in the world. I typically respond by saying, “Well, you know what they say… I hate writing, but I enjoy having written.” I’ll go on to describe the difficult and unsexy writing process. But then I’ll describe how wonderful it feels to finish something that will be read and will live on to be picked up by any person, anywhere, at any point in the future. It’s a wonderful feeling really. And the quote is actually a pretty good description of the process.

But there’s one problem with my response—it focuses all joy on the outcome rather than the journey. It finds fulfillment in the product, but not in the process. And this tendency to focus postively on the outcome while lamenting the journey is far too common.

We long for the house to be clean, but hate the steps to get there. We look forward to reaching a desired weight but suffer through the diet or the exercise. We desire the college degree, but despise the homework assignments along the way. We live for the weekend when our work will be done, but complain about the idea of Monday morning coming again so soon.

This approach of only appreciating joy in the outcome robs us of countless moments along the way. When joy is only found in the final product, the rest of our lives are experienced as something to be avoided, endured, or suffered through.

This approach has other short-sighted, negative effects:

It discounts the role and importance of work and effort in our lives.
It misses opportunity to celebrate the small steps we take along the way.
It overlooks the value of exercising discipline.
It fails to appreciate the value of discomfort in our growth.

There is a better way: Mindfulness. Mindfulness maintains a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and surrounding environment. It does not delay joy until the finish line. Instead, it seeks meaning and intentionality throughout each step of the process.

I learned this practice when I first stopped using a dishwasher. While I used to view washing dishes as a chore to be dreaded, I suddenly began to view it as the final step in our meal and an act of service to my family. This new approach began to change the way I viewed this chore and many others.

For exercise, I run without music. As a result, because the distractions have been limited, I am better able to listen to my body. If it feels good, I am free to be alone with myself and my thoughts—not longing for the finish line, but finding joy in every step (or at least, most of them) along the way.

Mindfulness has also changed my view of work and employment. Work is no longer something to be avoided or removed as soon as possible. But work is about contribution. It is about adding value to society and the people around me in exchange for the value they are adding. And there is great joy to be found in it.

There is a Zen proverb quoted at the beginning of this post that often gets modified around my house. It starts to sound like this, “When washing the dishes, wash the dishes. When doing homework, do homework. When playing with your friends, play with your friends. When cleaning the bathroom, clean the bathroom.” Each time, it communicates the same meaning:

Recognize the importance and the joy in your present activity. Be mindful in every moment and each step of the journey. There is indeed great joy to be found in the process—not just in the outcome.

And that feels good to have written.

Simple Living. The Earlier, the Better.

I find it difficult to admit most of my life was wasted chasing the wrong things. Looking back, it has become increasingly clear how I spent the first 33 years of my life chasing temporal, material possessions. I thought my life would improve as I acquired them. It was supposed to be the “American Dream.” But I was all wrong.

While my household possessions were not extravagant, they accumulated over years—especially as we moved into larger and larger homes. Each move would result in more rooms to furnish and more empty closets and storage areas to keep our stuff. Fashions changed and thus, we bought new clothes. New technology emerged and we purchased new gadgets. Kids entered our family and with them came toys, gifts, hand-me-downs, and purchases “necessary” to raise them correctly.

Eventually, our possessions began subtlely to control our lives. We spent countless hours cleaning, sorting, organizing, repairing, replacing, removing, and maintaining our physical possessions—not to mention all the time we spent on the front end earning the money just to make the initial purchase in the first place. Our pursuit of material possessions was controlling our checkbook, draining our energy, and robbing us of true, lasting joy.

But then, everything changed. When I was 33 years old, we began giving away all the possessions in our lives that were not absolutely essential to our purpose and goals. Eventually, our family removed over 60% of our earthly possessions. And we couldn’t be happier. We found more time, money, and energy to pursue the things in life most valuable to us: faith, family, and friends. We discovered far greater fulfillment in life pursuing our passions than we had ever discovered pursuing possessions.

And now, my only regret is that we didn’t do it sooner—that we wasted so much time, so many years, and so many resources. If I could do life over again, I would have embraced a minimalist life earlier: my teens, my twenties, or as a newly-formed family. As a result, from the very beginning, we would have experienced:

Less debt.
Less clutter.
Less financial obligation and debt.
More savings.
More intentionality.
More presence with others in my life.
Less need to get ahead at others’ expense.
More passion.
More contentment.

The life-giving invitation to minimalism holds benefit for every generation. It is never too late to start no matter what stage of life you are introduced to it. But my life would attest to the fact that today is the best day to begin living with less. And the earlier in life, the better.

Simple Living. The Earlier the Better.

I find it difficult to admit most of my life was wasted chasing the wrong things. Looking back, it has become increasingly clear how I spent the first 33 years of my life chasing temporal, material possessions. I thought my life would improve as I acquired them. It was supposed to be the “American Dream.” But I was all wrong.

While my household possessions were not extravagant, they accumulated over years—especially as we moved into larger and larger homes. Each move would result in more rooms to furnish and more empty closets and storage areas to keep our stuff. Fashions changed and thus, we bought new clothes. New technology emerged and we purchased new gadgets. Kids entered our family and with them came toys, gifts, hand-me-downs, and purchases “necessary” to raise them correctly.

Eventually, our possessions began subtlely to control our lives. We spent countless hours cleaning, sorting, organizing, repairing, replacing, removing, and maintaining our physical possessions—not to mention all the time we spent on the front end earning the money just to make the initial purchase in the first place. Our pursuit of material possessions was controlling our checkbook, draining our energy, and robbing us of true, lasting joy.

But then, everything changed. When I was 33 years old, we began giving away all the possessions in our lives that were not absolutely essential to our purpose and goals. Eventually, our family removed over 60% of our earthly possessions. And we couldn’t be happier. We found more time, money, and energy to pursue the things in life most valuable to us: faith, family, and friends. We discovered far greater fulfillment in life pursuing our passions than we had ever discovered pursuing possessions.

And now, my only regret is that we didn’t do it sooner—that we wasted so much time, so many years, and so many resources. If I could do life over again, I would have embraced a minimalist life earlier: my teens, my twenties, or as a newly-formed family. As a result, from the very beginning, we would have experienced:

Less debt.
Less clutter.
Less financial obligation and debt.
More savings.
More intentionality.
More presence with others in my life.
Less need to get ahead at others’ expense.
More passion.
More contentment.

The life-giving invitation to minimalism holds benefit for every generation. It is never too late to start no matter what stage of life you are introduced to it. But my life would attest to the fact that today is the best day to begin living with less. And the earlier in life, the better.

Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

The simplicity/minimalism niche is among the most friendly, encouraging, and helpful communities you will ever find. There is a genuine understanding that any promotion of simplicity is good for society—and there is little concern about 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.

Hello 35! | Rowdy Kittens by Tammy Strobel. Tammy takes beautiful photos and writes beautiful words. Happy 35th birthday.

I Want to Be a Millennial When I Retire | New York Times by Jim Sollisch. “Max, who has everything, is working his tail off, making maximum contributions to his 401k and buying rental properties, so he can afford to have the life of someone who has none of the trappings of success.”

Are Children Given Too Many Toys? | BBC News by Joanne Furniss. It was a pleasure to be interviewed for this helpful article.

Better Off Broke: Why Some Choose Poverty Over Wealth | Fox Business by Erica Sandberg. A shocking truth: Not everyone craves a high-powered job, big house, luxurious vacations, and stockpiled cash. In fact, some not only eschew such things, they’ve consciously chosen to both earn and spend far below their capabilities.

Consumerism in America: How Your Stuff is Killing You and You Don’t Even Know It | This Way to Paradise by Val. “We no longer live life, we consume it.”

Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life | Amazon Kindle by Joshua Becker. For the next 4 days, the digital version of our book is available for only $0.99. It is currently the 3rd most popular Self-Help book on Amazon.

There are Better Things to be than Rich

“Money often costs too much.” ―Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today, in most societies, the pursuit of wealth has become inevitable— almost as if the desire to be rich is already a forgone conclusion in our lives.

The prevailing view is that wealth is good, that it should be pursued, that material possessions and riches enhance our enjoyment in life, and that wealth provides opportunity to find greater fulfillment in life.

But recently, I have come to realize the pursuit of riches is based on a faulty premise. It is based on the incorrect rationale that the presence of money is always good—that it always brings benefit into our lives. This is not always the case.

Once our basic needs have been met, money contributes very little to our overall happiness and well-being. But more than that, there are actually a number of inherent dangers in possessing riches. Or maybe I should say, at the very least, there are better things to be than rich. And we’d live more fulfilled lives if we began chasing after them with as much intensity as we seek riches.

Consider just this short list of Things Better to Be Than Rich:

Content. Contentment is far more valuable than riches because whoever finds contentment is always satisfied. Money comes and goes—sometimes quickly. But contentment rises above our circumstance and offers happiness regardless of our financial state.

Generous. Jeff Shinabarger says it well, “Anything we find that is more than enough creates an immediate opportunity to make others’ lives better.” Our resources can accomplish great things in this world—but not if we keep them to ourselves.

Free. Jim Sollisch has recently come to this understanding. Often in our pursuit of wealth and bigger bank accounts, we sacrifice freedom. We think riches will provide greater freedom for our lives, but we rarely recognize how much freedom we have actually sacrificed in our attempt to simply find more of it.

Selfless. Choosing to live selfless lives that seek the benefit of others brings meaning, purpose, and lasting impact to our short lives. While living selfish, self-centered lives is neither attractive or fulfilling.

Honest. No compromises, no regrets. Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and harmful desires. Given the choice, we should honesty, integrity, and character any day. It makes laying our head on the pillow each night that much sweeter.

Passionate. It is far greater to have a career and life we love waking up to in the morning than a high-paying job that brings no satisfaction, provides no positive contribution, and provokes no passion in our day.

Dependent. There is greater security to be found in lasting, trusting relationships than wealth. Dependence on others teaches us this truth. But even more importantly, it also allows us to experience the goodness of other people.

Compassionate. The statistics continue to hold true. The more wealth we obtain, the less compassion and empathy we feel towards those without. And as a result, the less we contribute.

Humble. Wealth often brings with it a certain level of pride—or at least, a more-necessary intentionality to remove prideful tendencies. Sometimes this pride comes from within and sometimes it is encouraged by others. Meanwhile, humility quietly calls us to embrace its hidden power and freedom. It would be a shame to miss it at the expense of riches.

Resourceful. Learning how to live with less is an important pursuit. It teaches us the value of the things right in front of us and forces us to appreciate them even more.

Connected. Riches do not result in deeper relationships. In fact, often times, they have the opposite effect. But intimate, connected relationships continue to provide the joy in our lives money can never produce.

Perseverant. Perseverance is a powerful characteristic that can only be discovered through trial. And while riches cannot remove every trial in life, they can often remove just enough to keep perseverance from ever taking root in our heart.

Happy. As I mentioned, once our basic needs have been met, money contributes very little to our overall happiness and well-being. Gratitude, generosity, and contribution produce far more. And that is the real goal: to live lives of joy and fulfillment and help others to do the same.

Now, please don’t misread me. I am not contending that those with riches cannot also be content, generous, humble, or connected. I know many incredibly generous people who could also be described as wealthy. And I would never contend that those without wealth are better simply by the nature of that qualification. Lastly, I would never confess to have arrived fully in any of the categories listed above.

But I do believe with all my heart the pursuit of riches can lead to great danger. It is not a pursuit to be automatically accepted as the wisest course of action for our lives. In fact, as soon as it is removed, we provide greater opportunity for these better things to be true in our lives. And there are indeed, far better things to be than rich.

***

To celebrate its two-year anniversary in digital format, our best-selling book, Simplify: 7 Guiding Principle to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life is currently available for $0.99 (digital-only). The book has motivated tens of thousands to embrace a rational approach to minimalism—and will certainly inspire you to do the same. In fact, it currently ranks as the #2 Self-Help book in the Kindle store. So pick it up today, the discount ends early next week.

Image: Daniele Zedda

Celebrating Two Years of Simplify

Two years ago, we released Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life on the Amazon Kindle. By the end of the day, it was the #1 Self-Help book on Amazon. Eventually, the book would sell over 20,000 copies in its first year alone. One year ago, we celebrated its success by reducing the price to $0.99 for ten days. Again, it soared to #1. It continues today to remain one of the most influential books on the topic of minimalism as it inspires people to live more life by owning fewer possessions.

To celebrate its two-year anniversary, we have decided to offer Simplify for $0.99 for the next 10 days.

Simplify provides the inspiration and practical help to encourage you to simplify your home and declutter your possessions. Ultimately, it argues you will find more life by choosing to live with less. You’ll find more time, energy, and finances to pursue your greatest passions. And you’ll experience a new freedom by owning less.

The book retells our story of finding minimalism and the most important lessons we learned during the journey. But more importantly, it provides the motivation for you to begin your own journey towards a better life defining a rational minimalism that works for you. It invites its readers to discover a new life-giving truth. And it will likely change the way you live the rest of your life.

It has received praise from countless readers:

Leo Babauta called it “a must-read.”
Albany Times Union said, “If you’re looking for specific advice on how to live well with less, this book is worth a look.”
Tanna Clark, a professional organizer wrote, “I absolutely love Simplify! It is a simple, straightforward guide that brings new light to the term minimalist.”
In just the past two weeks, Frank called it “best choice I made,” and P. Luibl called it “exactly the book I needed to get motivated in clearing the ‘stuff’ from my life.“

I’d love for you to join the movement and purchase a copy of the book today. It can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords for only $0.99. After 10 days, it will return to its regular price.

***

If you have read the book and found it to be valuable, consider sharing this offer with others via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or e-mail. From the very beginning, the only promotion this book has received has been word-of-mouth.


If you do not have a Kindle, you can still read the book by installing the free Kindle software on your computer, tablet, or mobile device. It’s super-easy. And generally speaking, allows for less expensive book buying.

Celebrating Two Years of Simplify.

Two years ago, we released Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life on the Amazon Kindle. By the end of the day, it was the #1 Self-Help book on Amazon. Eventually, the book would sell over 20,000 copies in its first year alone. One year ago, we celebrated its success by reducing the price to $0.99 for ten days. Again, it soared to #1. It continues today to remain one of the most influential books on the topic of minimalism as it inspires people to live more life by owning fewer possessions.

To celebrate its two-year anniversary, we have decided to offer Simplify for $0.99 for the next 10 days.

Simplify provides the inspiration and practical help to encourage you to simplify your home and declutter your possessions. Ultimately, it argues you will find more life by choosing to live with less. You’ll find more time, energy, and finances to pursue your greatest passions. And you’ll experience a new freedom by owning less.

The book retells our story of finding minimalism and the most important lessons we learned during the journey. But more importantly, it provides the motivation for you to begin your own journey towards a better life defining a rational minimalism that works for you. It invites its readers to discover a new life-giving truth. And it will likely change the way you live the rest of your life.

It has received praise from countless readers:

Leo Babauta called it “a must-read.”
Albany Times Union said, “If you’re looking for specific advice on how to live well with less, this book is worth a look.”
Tanna Clark, a professional organizer wrote, “I absolutely love Simplify! It is a simple, straightforward guide that brings new light to the term minimalist.”
In just the past two weeks, Frank called it “best choice I made,” and P. Luibl called it “exactly the book I needed to get motivated in clearing the ‘stuff’ from my life.“

I’d love for you to join the movement and purchase a copy of the book today. It can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords for only $0.99. After 10 days, it will return to its regular price.

***

If you have read the book and found it to be valuable, consider sharing this offer with others via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or e-mail. From the very beginning, the only promotion this book has received has been word-of-mouth.


If you do not have a Kindle, you can still read the book by installing the free Kindle software on your computer, tablet, or mobile device. It’s super-easy. And generally speaking, allows for less expensive book buying.

12 Simple Strategies to Create Space Each Day

“Rest and be thankful.” —William Wordsworth

Research continues to affirm the importance of downtime. Empirical data, referenced here by the Scientific American, affirms the notion that our mental resources are continuously depleted throughout the day. As a result, various kinds of rest and downtime replenish those reserves and increase their volume.

Downtime during our day provides our minds with the rest and space to better process information, improve memory function, increase attention span, integrate learning, spark creativity, and make better decisions.

Yet, despite the research, our world continues to increase in speed. Because of advances in portable technology, a 24-hour news cycle, and advertisers relentlessly pursuing our attention, information enters our sphere of senses at an alarming rate. And it does not appear to be slowing down any time soon.

Distractions do not remove themselves and information will not slow itself down. Therefore, it is our responsibility to intentionally and mindfully slowdown, discover downtime, and create extra space. This can certainly be accomplished by making vacation a priority, by choosing rest one day each week, or by taking full advantage of holidays.

But this downtime can also be discovered on a daily basis. In fact, much of the research will confirm the importance of creating extra space each day. Creating even 10-15 minute windows of rest for our minds to experience downtime will result in both personal and productivity advantages.

Consider then, these 12 Simple Strategies to Create Extra Space Each Day.

1. Nap. According to some studies, our minds may be hardwired to shift between sleep and wake more than once a day, even dating back thousands of years we find evidence of society embracing an afternoon nap. And if you think you need to find 30-60 minutes to find this space, you may be over-thinking it. Even a 10-minute nap sitting upright in a chair immediately enhances performance— and does not result in the grogginess of a longer nap.

2. Wake 15 minutes earlier. Many of our days begin at breakneck speed. We wake with just enough time on the clock to get ready, quickly eat breakfast, and catch the next bus in time. Or we wake and are immediately placed into the throes of life trying to get kids, spouses, and ourselves ready for the day. Meanwhile, the full brunt of the day has yet to even begin. Find some extra space by waking on your own terms, even for just 15 minutes. You will find peace and calm there. And for the next 23 hours, you’ll be glad you did.

3. Get outdoors—even for a short walk. Embrace the value of the outdoors during evenings and weekends. But additionally, spending short bursts of time outdoors over lunch breaks or afternoon breaks can provide downtime for our minds. The fresh air affects our senses in important ways. And the change in environment provides greater opportunity for our minds to shift away from work-mode for a few short minutes.

4. Flip the off switch. Much of our downtime is being wasted and traded for the intake of even more information. The average person now watches 34 hours of television each week. For various reasons, I am a big fan of deciding to watch less. Yet, the very reason many of us watch television (to relax, rest, unwind) may be the greatest motivation to simply turn it off. As a result of flipping the off switch just one show earlier than normal, we may be able to discover the true downtime our minds have been requesting all along… or at least an earlier bedtime.

5. Salvage the commute. Many of us have commutes that are literally killing us. In addition to increased cost and wasted time, according to the New York Times, commuters suffer from sharp increases in blood pressure, body weight, waist circumference, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and heart disease. Lengthy commutes were also associated with greater degrees of exhaustion, stress, lack of sleep, and days missed from work. If the commute can be avoided, it should be. But if it cannot, salvage the commute by using it to create extra space. Turn off the news channel (especially the one that only makes you angry), the cell phone, or the abrasive attitude. Try sitting in silence. Enjoy the calm as best you can. And use the space for your mind to sit quietly with yourself.

6. Take a longer lunch. If possible, establish a longer, more deliberate lunch routine. While some do not, many of your workplaces do indeed allow for longer lunch breaks—yet we often trade them simply to feel important or get more done. Try taking a longer lunch. And don’t feel guilty about it—personally or corporately. Because of the downtime, your work in the afternoon will be more efficient. I always took a brown-bag lunch to work. I found rather than rushing to the fast food joint down the road for food, having something pre-packed allowed more time for downtime during my scheduled lunch. Plus, I learned it from my dad.

7. Enjoy an afternoon tea. There is good reason some of the most advanced societies in our world take time for afternoon tea. Along with some health benefits, afternoon tea relaxes our mind, replenishes our spirit, and nurtures our soul. No wonder it continues to be one of our longest-lasting memories of experiencing different cultures. We would be wise to embrace some of its routine in our daily schedule.

8. Set aside time for meditation. Meditation benefits the soul. Properly used, it centers our minds, our pursuits, and our passions on those things most important to our well-being. Additionally, some studies cite specific positive physical changes in the brains of those who consistently make use of the practice. And while there is benefit in even short-term meditation, the more we embrace the practice, the greater the outcome. Whether you discover this practice during yoga, alone in solitude, or meditating on spiritual writings, it continues to remain a highly effective tool for creating space in our lives each day.

9. Take a longer shower. If you are one of the those people who believe you have your best ideas in the shower, you just may be right and science may finally be proving it for you. But even if you don’t do your best thinking in the shower, intentionally taking a longer one may be just the right formula for slowing down and enjoying a little more distraction-free living. Your water bill may not thank you for the practice, but your mind just might.

10. Test out the Pomodoro technique. The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s based upon the idea that our minds work best in 25-minute bursts. The technique goes like this: Decide on a task to be done; set a timer for 25 minutes; work on the task until the timer rings; take a short 3-5 minute break; and every four intervals take a longer break (15–30 minutes). Personally, I have found the technique to be more advantageous during some projects/days than others. But if your drive to succeed is constantly keeping you from slowing down, this time management technique may be helpful in both creating space and accomplishing more.

11. Remove mindless Internet. According to this study in the National Bureau of Economic Research, for every 10 minutes people fool around online, they spend: 2.9 minutes less on all other types of leisure, 2.7 fewer minutes working (or a more dramatic 3.75 minutes, for people in their 30s), and 1.2 fewer minutes on personal care, including sleep. Multiplied over the reality that the average person who uses the Internet for fun spends roughly 100 minutes a day on it, turning off mindless Internet may be a significant strategy to create significant extra space.

12. Turn off notifications. Our smartphones have created workspaces even away from work. Even when we are not “clocked-in” at the job, our constant stream of notification reminds us of incoming emails, pending deadlines, and opportunities for employment advancement. The lines between work and rest continue to blur. One simple strategy to redraw those lines is to turn off the notifications (email, Facebook, IM) on your smartphone away from work. As a result, you will be able to check your apps on your schedule at appropriate times throughout the day and reduce the number of times you check your phone each day (which currently sits at 150 times, just short of every 6 waking minutes.

Of course, adopting each and every one of these strategies is not recommended. After all, we do have important work to accomplish for ourselves and for this world. But if your mind needs respite from the ever-increasing flow of incoming information, implementing just one or two of the simple strategies above will provide the extra space your mind desires and demands.

A Beginner’s Guide to Exploring Spirituality

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” —A.W. Tozer

When I was in college, I read the preceding quote from the theologian/philosopher A.W. Tozer. The substance was so profound I have never forgotten its message almost 15 years later. It continues to spring up again and again in my mind on a regular basis.

I realize spirituality can be a very touchy topic that arouses countless strong opinions, intellectual arguments, and far too many unspeakable emotional wounds. Nevertheless, I believe the quote above holds true. There is nothing more central to our lives than our understanding of spirituality. And it is a conversation we ought to engage in far more often than we do.

Whether we have intentionally pursued a personal spirituality or not, our beliefs have a profound impact on our lives. Consciously or subconsciously, it influences us in countless ways. Consider how it impacts our understanding of…

Ourselves. Does God care about me? Is He mad at me or pleased with me? If there is no God, who am I? And where did I orginate?
Others. Are all lives equal? If so, on what basis? What is my responsibility to care for others?
Minimalism. If we have removed the pursuit of worldly possessions from our affections, with what will we replace it?
The world around us. In what specific ways should we care about the world and the environment around us? Is our motivation in this regard more significant than survival of our species? And if so, how do we as humans responsibly interact with it?
Morality. Is there a moral set of truth for the universe established from a higher power? Or is morality determined by each individual?
Evil. What am I to understand about the evil and suffering in the world? Is it there for a reason? To what extent should I try to counteract it?
Money. Does the universe give money/status to some and not others? Or is money/status earned by the individual? What should I do with it when I obtain it? Do I hold any responsibility to care for those with less?
Afterlife. Is there life after death? Is death something to be feared or welcomed? And either way, how should I be preparing for it today?

No doubt, our understanding of spirituality carries great influence on our lives. For that reason, one of the most significant journeys we can ever embark upon is the exploration of it.

I understand fully this community is made up of readers from every imaginable religious/non-religious background. I am so very thankful for that reality. And I should be quick to mention this post is not an endorsement of any specific religion. Instead, my hope is only to prompt each of us to further consider the role of spirituality in our everyday lives. And cause us to joyfully embrace the journey rather than shy away from it.

Because of the important role it plays, you will never regret any time spent furthering your understanding of the Universe. Whether you have never tried, have tried but given up, or spend time everyday seeking one specific God, let me offer seven beginning steps that are central to our personal exploration of spirituality.

A Beginner’s Guide to Exploring Spirituality

1. Respect those that have gone before. The quest to understand spirituality is as old as humanity itself. Billions have gone before and have spent countless hours seeking spirituality. Don‘t overlook their efforts. Consider their findings and their writings—even those outside the religion you have become accustomed to.

2. Your journey must be your own. You alone must be the decision-maker for your view of God. You should not blindly accept the teachings of another (even your closest mentor or parent). Your heart must ring true and your spirit must rejoice in your spirituality—or it is worthless.

3. Start right where you are. We all have special gifts of character: compassion, laughter, self-discipline, love, etc. Use them as your starting point. Are you facing a trial in life (disease, loss, rejection)? Use it as motivation to further pursue your understanding of spirituality. Lao-tzu once said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” He was right in every regard. Start your journey with whatever first step makes the most sense to you.

4. Ask God for help. By this I mean, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by making the request. If there is a God, He may answer your prayer. And if there is no God, the process of making the request will still work to help focus your senses and desire.

5. Practice, practice, practice. Like everything else in life, spiritual growth is mastered through practice. If you don’t find your answers after your first few steps, take some more in a different direction. It will require time, effort, and energy. But given its influence on our lives, it is always worth the effort in the end.

6. Don’t be afraid of unanswered questions. Although leaving questions unanswered may sound contrary to the goal of the pursuit, we should not be afraid of them. These unanswered questions will cause some to forever abandon the journey. And while our spirituality should make sense of our heart‘s deepest questions, it would seem unreasonable to believe our minds could successfully fathom all the mysteries of the universe.

7. Be wary of “everyone is right” thinking. If there is no God, there is no God. If there is a God, He is something specific. Personally, I am skeptical of the thinking that says God can change from one person to another—that philosophy crumbles under the weight of its own logic. God is who God is. And it‘s our responsibility to successfully find Him.

Again, I realize fully this journey is going to look different for every single one of us. Spirituality is a highly personal matter and will likely result in different outcomes. This is not a post that endorses any specific religion. It is simply a post of encouragement and a reminder this journey is important.

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I do not typically moderate comments too closely (unless they turn offensive). But I might make a suggestion for this post. In the comments below, I would be interested to hear about your personal journey toward spirituality. How did it begin? And how did you arrive at your understanding? I think this conversation will be more helpful and encouraging than a specific argument made for choosing your view.

Image: overgraeme

Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Links.

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 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.

Distracted Living | My Jenn-eration by Jennifer Meer. An important, humility-filled conversation on the importance of overcoming distraction. I was first introduced to Jennifer and her story when we both appeared as guests on Huffington Post Live this past week (13:24). Definitely worth reading.

Why Your Brain Needs More Downtime | Scientific American by Ferris Jabr. Research on naps, meditation, nature walks and the habits of exceptional artists and athletes reveals how mental breaks increase productivity, attention, memory, and creativity.

Here’s How the Internet Hurts your Sleep Schedule, Productivity and Personal Life | Washington Post by Caitlin Dewey. If you’ve ever suspected the Internet is taking over your offline life, an economist has some disheartening news for you: It is.

College, Smartphones, And Becoming Better | Maxime Vaillancourt by Maxime Vaillancourt. “Let me be straightforward with you. I’m stepping away (partly) from technology in general. Here’s why.”

How to Build a Batcave for Habit Change | Nerd Fitness by Steve Kamb. Practical thoughts on using your environment to give yourself a leg up in creating new habits.

Image: emraps