Joshua Becker's Blog, page 127

A Personal Spending Plan that Actually Works

“We must consult our means rather than our wishes.” —George Washington

While I don’t mention it often, I have an Undergraduate Degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Nebraska Omaha. I also have a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies, but this is a post about money so I’ll return to my undergraduate experience.

I pursued Banking because my dad works in the industry and because finance had always been an interest of mine. I did well in school graduating with honors. Yet, despite all my training, personal budgeting was a life habit that always eluded me.

I knew the importance of having a personal budget and holding to it, but the discipline was never a priority in my life. Of course, I was not alone. Gallup reports less than 1 in 3 Americans keep a personal, household budget.

But everything changed when I was first introduced to the idea of creating a “spending plan” rather than a “budget.” In fact, I have used this spending plan system with great success over the past several years after being introduced to it. And if it works for me, maybe it’ll work for you also.

The idea that distinguishes this specific spending plan from a typical budget is the understanding that while a budget dictates to you what you can spend, where, and when (“We can only spend $300 on groceries this month,”); a spending plan allows you the control of your money every single month. Also, it realizes that your purchases change and expenses vary from month to month and that a one-size-fits-all monthly budget doesn’t truly fit anything.

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Using the spending plan model is quite simple, although it does require some effort on the front end and throughout the month (just like any personal financial system).

To get started, determine your monthly take-home pay (not your gross income before taxes, but your net income—the actual amount on your check or direct deposit).

Second, sit down and determine your fixed monthly costs. These are the expenses you currently have in your life that require some of your income every month—no questions asked. The actual monthly expense may vary (within reason) from month to month, but you know it is going to be there. It is fixed. For my family, we include the following list:

Charity
Mortgage
Groceries
Auto Fuel/Maintenance
Savings/Retirement
Utilities: Gas, Electricity, Water, Garbage
Auto insurance
Health Insurance
College loan repayment
Home Internet
Cell phone
Home Owner fees
Kids’ School/Activities

After you have determined your monthly income and your monthly fixed costs, you can easily recognize your monthly discretionary income (the money that you have left over to spend as you desire). Simply subtract your monthly fixed costs (Step 2) from your monthly net income (Step 1). For example, if you have $500 per month left over after paying your fixed costs, you have $500 in discretionary income. The spending plan now allows you the opportunity to spend that $500 as you desire: golf clubs, cinnamon rolls, travel, entertainment, extra savings, or an 8.0 MP Underwater Video Camera. The choice is yours.

I have seen wonderful benefits to this personal spending plan:

1. The plan helps sort needs from wants as our fixed costs are initially calculated. We begin to quickly realize which expenses are truly fixed and which are not.

2. The initial realization of your discretionary income gives a healthy framework to determine how much money you actually have to spend each month. Years ago, the first time we tried this exercise, we were surprised to discover how little discretionary income we actually had each month. And we immediately recognized why we were never able to get ahead.

3. The plan allows you to see how life patterns affect others. For example, if you lay out your plan and realize that you need more discretionary income, you have a list of fixed costs that could possibly be cut or reduced. Maybe you don’t really need cable tv if it means you could spend more on a vacation.

4. You will be able to easily recognize how economics should be influencing your spending. If auto fuel goes up $1.00/gallon, you can quickly recalculate your fixed costs and determine how much discretionary income has taken a hit. Conversely, if fuel goes down, you’ll have a little extra that you can spend or save that month.

5. The plan does not require meticulous tracking. Most of our fixed costs are fixed. They do not vary much from month-to-month. Rather than having to track individual expenses each day of the month, we are mostly concerned with only tracking the amount of our discretionary income spent and remaining for the month.

Even if you don’t hold yourself to consistent tracking of expenses throughout each month, I do recommend going through the initial layout just to get a sense of your “actual discretionary income.” It can probably be completed in less than an hour. It will result in new discoveries about the state of your personal finances. And it may also be the right first step in finally finding a spending plan for your household that actually works.

Why We Work.

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made.” ― Benjamin Franklin

At its very core, your work is essential to us.

Back in the beginning, families were responsible to accomplish everything for their existence: hunt, farm, build, sew, cook, clean, etc. Until one day when somebody noticed their family was better at farming than building and decided to barter with a neighboring family. “If we grow extra food and give it to you, will you build an extra house than we can live in?”

Our understanding of work was born. Both benefited from the arrangement: better food was grown and stronger homes were built. In the end, all of society benefited. And each individual was able to pursue contribution in their area of giftedness and passion.

But somewhere along the way, we lost our focus. We no longer worked to benefit others, but ourselves. Work became selfish. Work became  that thing through which we make money so that we could do the other things we really wanted to do (credit: Dorothy Sayers). As a result, work became something to avoid or shortcut if possible. And today:

70% of Americans hate their work or are completely disengaged (source).
The 4-Hour Workweek  is a New York Times Bestseller.
Americans are working less and less.
CNN defines retiring before 65 as the “ultimate dream.”

Meanwhile, we still need your talents and abilities. We still need you to work hard and do it well. Your work contributes to the good of society and moves us forward (in most cases). We desperately need your contribution. It makes us better as people. It enriches our lives.

Please don’t view your work as something only to be endured or avoided. Instead, rethink your work. Regain focus and motivation to use your passions and abilities to contribute good to a society in need of them.

Utilize your strengths. Develop your talents. Study your craft. And encourage others.

Seek honest compensation, not riches. Work hard. Enjoy it.

And at the end of the day, we will all be better because of it.

Weekend Reads

There are many wonderful people online pursuing and promoting simplicity. When you find some time this weekend with a nice cup of coffee or tea, may you find inspiration in these words as they encourage others to find more life by owning fewer possessions:

Stuff We Don’t Need: 5 Reasons Why It Doesn’t Lead to Happiness | Tiny Buddha by Leah McClellan. ”Maybe I had to learn my own lessons, but I’m not afraid to shout them out now, nice and loud.”

Pare Down/Power Up ~ A Plan to Simplify | Modern Prairie Girl by Lara Blair. A very helpful 10-step plan to simplify by a self-professed “person of ever-growing material existence.”

What I Learned From a Minimalist Mindset | Huffington Post by Jessica Ann. “With less, it became easier to think, make decisions, and focus. I could cut through complex themes with ease. My mind became unfettered. And my soul felt free.”

Minimalism and Finding Yourself | From 2 to 3 Kids by Rose. I think this post should be required reading. The thoughts and honest feelings expressed in the article are common. People who embark this journey should expect them. And welcome them.

** The Becoming Minimalist Newsletter | Becoming Minimalist by Joshua Becker. If you haven’t signed up yet for the Becoming Minimalist Newsletter. Please do. It is a great way to receive helpful tips, inspirational posts, and exclusive content via your inbox.

A Simple, Helpful Guide to Overcome Consumerism

“Wanting less is a better blessing than having more.” —Mary Ellen Edmunds

Owning less brings great benefit to our lives: less stress, less debt, more time, more freedom.

But wanting less brings even more. Removing ourselves from the culture of consumption that surrounds us allows wonderful habits to emerge in our lives: contentment, gratitude, freedom from comparison, and the opportunity to pursue greater significance.

Breaking free from excessive consumerism is an essential step not just for a simplified life, but for any life that desires to be lived intentionally. How then we can realize this freedom? What steps can we take to break free?

A Simple, Helpful Guide to Overcome Consumerism

1. Admit it is possible. There are numerous persons throughout history and the present who have adopted a minimalist lifestyle that rejects and overcomes consumerism. Find motivation in their example. And admit you can join their ranks. Victory always begins there.

2. Adopt a traveler’s mentality. When we travel, we take only what we need for the journey. As a result, we feel lighter, freer, more flexible… we understand why there is a growing movement to stage our bedrooms like hotel rooms. Adopting a traveler’s mindset for life provides the same benefit—not just for a weeklong vacation, but in everything we do. Adopt a mindset that seeks to carry only what you need for the journey.

3. Embrace the life-giving benefits of owning less. Rarely are we invited to consider the benefits of owning less. But when the practical benefits are clearly articulated, they are quickly understood, easily recognized, and often desired. Of course, these benefits are only fully realized when we actually begin living with less. An important step to overcome consumerism is to embrace the reality that there is more life to be found in owning less than can be found in owning more.

4. Become acutely aware of the consumer-driven society in which we live. Our world will lead you to believe your greatest contribution to society is the money that you spend. We are faced with 5,000 advertisements every day calling us to buy more. As a result, average consumer debt equals $8,000/household, shopping malls outnumber high schools, Americans spend more on jewelry and shoes than higher education, and 93% of teenage girls rank shopping as their favorite past time. Recognizing the consumeristic mindset of our world will not immediately remove you from it, but it is an absolutely essential step in the journey.

5. Compare down. Theodore Roosevelt once remarked, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” He was, of course, absolutely right. As we begin comparing our lives and possessions to those around us who have more, we lose joy, contentment, and happiness. And we begin trying hard to close the gap. This is because we always compare upward—looking at those who have more. But we could begin breaking through the consumerism-trap if we began taking greater notice of those who need more and spending time with people who have less and remain joyful in their circumstances.

6. Realize your money is only as valuable as what you choose to spend it on. The financial resources we have earned or been given hold great potential. They can be used to provide for those without. They can be used to bring justice and hope to a world desperately searching for both. And we ought to dream bigger dreams for our money than the clearance rack at a department store.

7. Consider the full cost of your purchases. Usually when we purchase an item, we only look at the sticker price. But this is rarely the full cost. Our purchases always cost us additional time, energy, and focus (cleaning, organizing, maintaining, fixing, replacing, or removing). Making a habit of intentionally factoring those expenses into our purchases will allow our minds to make more competent and confident decisions about our consumption habits.

8. Turn off the television. Television glamorizes all that it needs to glamorize in order to continue in existence. Corporations don’t spend $50 billion every year on television advertisements because they think they can get you to buy their product, they spend that much money because they know they can get you to buy their product. Television is an industry built on the assumption that you can be convinced to spend (and overspend) your money. You are not immune.

9. Make gratitude a discipline in your life. Gratitude serves little purpose in us as merely a response to positive circumstances. Gratitude holds its greatest potential as an attitude in undesired circumstances. Embrace it as a discipline during seasons of plenty and seasons of want. And begin focusing more on your blessings than your troubles.

10. Practice generosity. The surest path to contentment is generosity. Giving forces us to recognize all we possess and all we have to offer. It allows us to find fulfillment and purpose in helping others. Remember, generosity always leads to contentment with far greater efficiency than contentment leads to generosity.

11. Renew your commitment daily. We are bombarded every single day with advertisements from nearly every flat surface we encounter. Rejecting and overcoming consumerism is a daily battle. Expect it to be such. And recommit every morning—or every hour if necessary.

To exist is to consume. But we were designed to accomplish things far greater. And the sooner we remove ourselves from overconsumption, the sooner we realize our truest potential. May it be so in your life and in mine.

Image: dno1967b

5 Observations of a Recovering “Max-imalist”

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Kristoffer Carter of This Epic Life.

I’ve spent the last 18 months in radical introspection. Notice my choice of the word “radical.” I’ll get to that in a minute.

Last January I committed to an at-home course of study in Kriya Yoga, an ancient science of Self-Realization through meditation. The following month, I was accepted into an immersion program led by Jonathan Fields called The Good Life Project.

The sheer volume of time I needed to spend either in reflection, direct practice, or masterminding with others was staggering. I can see now how I’ll look back at this year as pivotal, and profound. It rewired my approach to life.

Themes would emerge in the daily dance between study, reflection, and application. The Big Three that I continue to practice are 1) Mindfulness, 2) Sobriety, and 3) Minimalism.

All 3 are interconnected. Someday when this site releases its minimalist Greatest Hits package, I picture Track 3 being Clutter Busting Routines For Any Family. This simple “Where do we even begin?!” roadmap arrived via so many channels I couldn’t avoid it. My wife printed it. Facebook friends shared it, and talked about it constantly. Like any advice we really (really) should heed, the drum beat got louder until it rattled me awake.

Practicing, and now pursuing minimalism became another way of “waking up.” I file minimalism as “mindful consuming” or “sobriety from stuff.”

While we’re on the waking up tip, I really had no plans to retire at the pinnacle of my long, and distinguished drinking career. The meditation forced me to. It squeezed it out. Sobriety, as my wonderful teacher and friend Susan Piver defines it, is simply: “Pared down. Sharp eyed. Awake.”

It took me another 6 months of no drinks to realize sobriety isn’t some lame alternative to enjoying beers… it was its own Virtue! In our society, that tiny truth is buried beneath billions spent on beer marketing, or our long fight back from the oppression of prohibition.

Truths should be simple, and well-lit: like the radical notion of owning less stuff.

I began wondering how many opportunities or avenues for improvement had been squeezed out by Too Much: too much stuff, too many distractions, too many beers, or too many grains of minutiae filling every conceivable gap.

My life leading up to the radical introspection felt clogged, and overly complex. I had become the Black Spidey to Joshua Becker’s Peter Parker. I was Becoming Maximalist.

I couldn’t just be a husband and Father. I had to crash every hard drive with the Big Data of my kids growing up in HD. I couldn’t just be a musician. I needed to lug my 1-man looping rig around the country with 3 instruments. More was more. At work, I couldn’t stomach the idea of wearing only 1 hat, so I’d rock 6. Jogging become marathoning, meditating became Kriya practice, and meanwhile my career as a regional sales director was barely staying on the tracks.

I needed more open space to create the life I envisioned. The day this hit me was the day I stopped rationalizing my need for more. I’ll take better. I’ll take enough. I’ll take seeing the miracle of my circumstances.

I’ll take pared-down, sharp-eyed, and awake.

Minimalism and sobriety began working in tandem, while mindfulness became a lens that magnified a realm of new possibilities. I made it my mission to fill every garbage can (#7 Clutter Busting Routine). Our yard sales would rival area flea markets. I’d drive my wife insane with the “does Ellie really need THIS unicorn hoodie?” cross-examinations.

As with any worthwhile practice, I’ve only begun. My office would freak out the average mnmlst, however my designs for the new space would make this community proud. I am committed to the practice, and have started seeing progress.

Here are 5 Observations of this Recovering Maximalist.

1. When you pare down your life to its primary, sacred essentials, much of the stuff you need to support it naturally falls away. I refer to my sacred life ingredients as “non-negotiables.” These include my soul-practice, vitality, family, art, and work. None of these things should require a ton of gear. (OK, still need tips on the 3-kids thing!) When you’re committed to the practice of expanding capability of your non-negotiables, it becomes less about gear and more about leveraging your time through Right Action. We all know that less stuff = more time.

2. As my inner cup fills, my outer does as well. Meditation has filled so many gaps of longing, envy, or comparison. God forbid our house burned down, but just give me my people. Meditation would process the ordeal, and re-manifest anything else we truly needed.

3. Sobriety & Minimalism are an opportunity to see what matters in its proper light.

4. All our habits can be rewired. We can tune out the marketers, and their Illusions of Scarcity.

5. Abundance arrives in infinite forms, but it’s up to us to assign value. Over and over we learn that it’s only our people, relationships, and some wide-open spaces that create The Good Life. Jonathan Fields sums this up beautifully in his Good Life Creed: “Presence, not presents.”

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Kristoffer Carter (“kc”) blogs regularly at This Epic Life where he inspires others to integrate their “sacred life ingredients.” You can also find him on Twitter.

10 Decluttering Principles to Help Anyone Clear the Clutter

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Colleen Madsen of 365 Less Things.

“Declutter. Organize. Live.”

I have never considered myself a natural organizer. But in 2007, my family moved to Australia from the USA. Because we were moving into a smaller home, I found myself needing to declutter a large number of items. Fortunately, we were able to accomplish the task…but mostly, because I had no other choice.

Shortly after the move, a new stage of life surfaced. My husband was about to begin semi-retirement. And to prepare for our new life together, I set a personal goal to again reduce our possessions. Coincidentally, on January 3rd, a segment aired on morning television about people abandoning their New Year resolutions. Turns out, on average, most people only stick to their resolution for three days. Even though I had never been one to take on resolutions, I found great motivation in beating those narrow odds… in fact, the challenge was nearly irresistible to me

I decided at that moment to set a new resolution to minimize our possessions. I determined to remove one item each day for the next 365 days. I started with three items to make up for the missed days, and promptly began decluttering one thing a day for the rest of the year. I am happy to say I not only completed my resolution successfully but it was so simple and satisfying that I continued decluttering in my slow and steady pace (an average of five items per week) for an additional two years!

Over these last three years of decluttering, I have removed over a thousand things from our home. Also, through the process and through my writing, I have had opportunity to help many people realize their own decluttering goals as well. These conversations have sharpened my desire for simplicity and taught me important insight about clearing clutter. I have learned that understanding just a few key principles can help anyone clear their clutter.

The 10 Most Important Decluttering Principles I Have Learned to Help Anyone Clear The Clutter:

1. Stop the Flow of Stuff Coming In. Decluttering is a waste of time if you simply replace the old stuff with new. You’ll need to begin by slowing the flow of things entering your home. Determine today to buy less. Trust me, you won’t regret it. The freedom from desire to acquire is a beautiful thing.

2. Declutter at Least One Item a Day. Decluttering does not have to be a mad frenzy that disrupts your entire household. Over the years, my home has become quite minimalist by simply choosing one item a day to declutter. This gradual process began to change the way I think about stuff. Eventually, it became a way of life rather than just a crash diet of stuff.

3. Declutter the Easy Stuff First. There is no need to make things difficult by trying to declutter the hardest things first. Most likely, it will simply deter you from the task altogether. Instead, start with the easy stuff and then as you strengthen your will to reduce, the harder decisions will become easier.

4. Put a Disposal Plan in Place. Before you begin, investigate selling, recycling, donating and give away options for the items you choose to declutter. The more prepared you are for the task, the simpler it will be… and the more likely you will be to follow through. Ebay, Freecycle, and our local thrift store became my favorite disposal options. However there are endless others to explore.

5. Decide to Not Keep Things out of Guilt or Obligation. Your home should only contain the things you love or use. Don’t let incorrect thinking or other people dictate what you should keep or give away. Remember, if the items are yours, it is your choice to decide what to do with them.

6. Do Not Be Afraid to Let Go. The urge to hold on to items you think you might need someday can be eliminated simply by being realistic about what need really is. Many items in our homes may be useful, but they are not particularly necessary to our happiness, well-being, or the functionality of our homes. Seek to understand the difference.

7. Gifts Do Not Have to be Material. There are so many ways to honor loved ones without giving gifts that end up as clutter. Encourage people to follow this concept when buying gifts for you. Some alternative gifts are gifts of experience or adventure, a gift of time spent together, even cash gifts are appropriate in some instances. I have two clutter-free gift guides at my blog if you are looking for ideas.

8. Do Not Over-Equip Your Home. A home does not need enough linen, crockery, cutlery, or pantry supplies to serve as a hotel. Be realistic about your true needs. In the rare event an unusually large number of guests arrive on your doorstep, you can always borrow from friends, family or neighbors.

9. Do Not Declutter Things that are not Yours Without the Owner’s Permission. Everyone should have a choice about their own belongings, even small children. Honor them by allowing them to choose. You can encourage hoarding tendencies in others by ripping things away from them before they are ready to let go.

10. Do Not Waste Your Life on Clutter. Every item you own takes time out of your life: time to manage it, clean it, repair it, and maintain it; time to choose between objects of a similar category; time spent shopping for it… and that doesn’t even mention the time spent earning the money to pay for it in the first space. Decide to sacrifice less of your precious life on the pursuit and ownership of stuff.

These ten principles have kept me resolute for the past three years. I had no idea when I began this mission how much stuff I would relinquish over the next three years. What I originally thought was going to be an arduous task quickly became a way of life… so much so, we have just put a deposit on a beautiful, even smaller, apartment with fabulous views of our coastal city, a swimming pool, and gym all within walking distance of everything we want. Semi-retirement is becoming a beautiful thing. Decluttering made it possible.

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Colleen Madsen blogs regularly at 365 Less Things where she inspires others to reduce their stuff one day at a time. You can find her on Twitter.

Image: Yorick…

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 about finding more simplicity in your life today.

Do You Have Too Much Stuff? | BootsnAll by Jennifer Miller. Love people, not things. Collect memories, not stuff.

Declutter Your Life | Zen Habits by Leo Babauta. How do you start simplifying when you’re facing a mountain of clutter, and another mountain of commitments, and piles of files and mail and email and other digital information? Simply.

11 Ways to Instantly Simplify Your Life | Prolific Living by Farnoosh Brock. The slower we go, the more time we have.

The Surprising Weekend Habits Of Highly Effective People | Huffington Post by Carolyn Gregoire. In our competitive world, successful people know that great weekends are the secret to workday success. You want weekends that leave you refreshed, not exhausted or disappointed.

The Science of Happiness: An Experiment in Gratitude | YouTube by SoulPancake. One of the greatest contributing factors to overall happiness in your life is how much gratitude you show. Definitely worth the 7:14.

Image: nathanborror

How Stuff Robs Us of Those We Love the Most

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Jeff Goins of goinswriter.com.

My son had been born a few weeks before, and I was already struggling to focus. All these responsibilities, all these expectations.

So much to manage and so little time.

Born four and a half weeks early, our little Aiden wasn’t sleeping but a few hours per night before needing to nurse. It was a daily ritual to Google “signs of colic” and wonder if there was anything we could do to make all this a tiny bit easier.

Though I had taken a couple weeks off of work, the iPhone kept buzzing uncontrollably, and the sleeplessness was starting to wear on me. The house was a mess. The laundry pile a small mountain. My email inbox completely out of control.

I wasn’t sure how much more I could take.

That night, my wife was at the stove, cooking something for dinner, and I was in charge of baby-watching. Setting the phone facedown on the kitchen table, I hoisted my son up in the air and stepped outside to enjoy the mid-summer evening air.

As soon as I sat down with him on our back porch, I noticed a beautiful cumulus cloud formation in the sky. Instantly, I wanted to capture it, but my phone wasn’t with me.

Looking back through the glass window inside the messy house, I saw a reflection of myself holding my son. That was on one side of the glass. On the other was my smart phone, my busy life that was messy and complicated and sometimes too stressful to take.

Did I really want to go back there?

I knew I had to make a choice: maintain the busyness while sacrificing my sanity and ability to hold onto those I loved the most — or learn to let go.

Holding my son tightly against my chest, I gazed up at the beautiful blue sky and thought to myself, “Letting go of things helps us hold on to what we love most.”

Phone-less and feeling strangely free, I’d made my choice.

My Own Experiments with Minimalism

“The things you own in life end up owning you.” —Tyler Durden

I have a lot of stuff, more than I need. And some of it I really like. But I’m learning that some things in life, some stuff, isn’t good to hold onto.

Slowly, I’m getting rid of what I’ve held on to for years: outfits I’ll never wear, movies I’ll never watch, even old birthday cards. And as I do, something unusual happens to me. I feel freer than I’ve felt in years. Because somehow, the things I’ve been holding onto have actually been holding on to me.

As my family grows and responsibilities increase, I realize I can only grasp so many things at once. Only so many technology trinkets. Only so many messages to manage. Only so many relationships to enjoy.

And frankly, I’d rather hold on to people than things.

It’s taken some rude awakenings to get to this conclusion. I’ve had to learn these lessons the way most of us learn hard things in life: the hard way. Through countless interruptions and distractions. Through the inconveniences that come when we try to get what we want — and don’t.

My wife and I are in the process of de-cluttering our home. It’s taking longer than we wanted, but the process is good. It feels healthy, like a cleanse of sorts.

Making More Room for What Matters Most

Recently, we cleaned out our “bonus room” above the garage. This room has been full of junk for two years, boxes of stuff we hadn’t used since moving from the apartment we outgrew.

The other day, we cleared it all out, throwing away several garbage bags, donating a couple closets’ worth of clothes to Goodwill, and relocating some things we wanted to keep.

When it was all over, the room was left virtually empty.

The next day, I brought my son, who was now 14 months old, into this room. Because it was so cluttered, he had never been able to really play in it. For hours, he crawled and rolled around in the open space.

And I realized that every area in our life that is full of stuff is crowding out relationships. As we get rid of the things that consume our time and stress, we make room for those we love the most.

How many other spaces, I wondered, are too cluttered to let others in?

Sadly, I am far from leading a clutter-free life. But I get it now, this whole “learning to live with less” thing. The truth is when you learn to let go, you don’t live with less at all. You make room for the things that matter the most, the things that aren’t even “things” at all.

I think we all do. The hard part, though, is letting go. Giving up. But I’m finding this is also the really good part, the part that releases you to live the life you were made to live. The life you dream of.

Many of us are living over-crowded, busy lives that rob us of what really matters. We wait and bide our time, holding out for the “big things” in life, not realizing that the good stuff is happening right now.

If we will just let go.

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Jeff Goins is a writer who lives in Nashville. He just released a new book, The In-Between, which is all about slowing down and living more intentionally. You can follow him on Twitter @jeffgoins or connect with him on his blog (goinswriter.com).

9 Ways Generous People See the World Differently

“Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.” ―Henry Longfellow

Generosity makes our world a better place. It improves the life of the receiver. And it improves the life of the giver. Yet, despite the benefits, generosity is still too rare in our world today.

Instead, our society craves and pursues more at every turn. We seek enjoyment by directing most of our resources towards our own pursuits: security, possessions, experiences, enjoyment, and luxury. Meanwhile, significant opportunities for generosity surround us every day at every turn. In order to unconform our thinking in a consumer-driven world and begin taking greater advantage of the abundant benefits of generosity, we need to shift our worldview.

Consider then, these 9 ways generous people see the world differently:

1. They recognize the pie is not finite.

The mindset of competition—that my resources only grow when someone else’s shrinks—is based on a faulty premise. It assumes there is a finite sized pie and if someone else enjoys success, my opportunity shrinks. But quite frankly, this thinking is incorrect. The pie of resources is not finite. It continues to grow as society benefits from others’ success.

2. They know that generosity leads to greater happiness.

Studies confirm what generous people already know: Giving increases happiness, fulfillment, and purpose in the life of the giver. We were not designed to be creatures of selfishness. Instead, we were designed to seek and discover happiness in loving and caring for others. And those who decide to look for fulfillment there, quickly discover it.

3. They find success in helping others succeed.

The easiest path to finding success in your life is to help someone else find theirs. After all, our contribution to this world has to be measured by something more significant than the size of our savings account. Our lives are going to find their greatest significance in how we choose to live them—and how we enable others to live theirs.

4. They believe changing even one life is worthwhile.

Generous people are quick to admit the world’s problems will never be solved by one person… and perhaps, never completely solved even in the future. But perfection does not slow them. To them, changing even one life within their sphere of influence is reward enough. And is a worth endeavor to be sought.

5. They trust others.

Generosity always requires trust. To invest individual resources into another person, we must believe, on some level, that they will use them wisely. Generous people are optimistic. And optimistic people are happy people because they choose to live in a world where belief in others is liberally employed.

6. They dream big dreams for their money.

Our money is only as valuable as what we choose to spend it on. Generous people use their excess to bring big dreams into reality. Our financial resources can be used to improve the quality of life for others. They can be used to make our communities safer, smarter, and more responsible. They can be used to make this world a little more pleasant for everyone. Indeed, generous people dream big dreams for their money… and so should we.

7. They see more resources to give than money.

We have so much more to offer this world than just financial resources. We have time, talents, experiences, and lessons learned. Giving people think beyond their money and begin to invest their lives into others. Often times, this step can be more difficult than signing a check… but usually, it is more desperately needed.

8. They fully embrace the reality that life is short.

Life is short. And we only get one shot at it. Those who fully embrace this reality learn to live life in light of it. They recognize we have but a short time to leave our imprint on this world. And they cheerfully give their resources to accomplish it.

9. They are content to live with less.

By definition, true generosity requires a level of contentment. It recognizes the reality that giving our resources to another person means we have less for ourselves. In this way, contentment forms the foundation for generosity. But in response, surprisingly enough, generosity also becomes the fuel for greater contentment.

Our world is desperately seeking cheerful and generous givers. They improve society. They inspire us. They push us forward. And their view of the world is one I desire to further grow in my own life.

Image: Chris Yarzab

Fall 2013: Where I’m Speaking. What I’m Saying.

“You’ll be happier owning less.” — Joshua Becker

I am looking forward to a number of conversations around the country about minimalism in the coming months. Some opportunities stem from things I was previously working on, while others have pushed me to further explore the intersection of minimalism and life.

Whether discussing entrepreneurship, simplicity, or faith, I continue to find living with fewer possessions to be a life-giving pursuit. It is one that frees the human spirit and the human heart from material possessions. It allows us freedom to direct our focus towards more meaningful pursuits. And in every opportunity, it is always my hope to share this inspiration with others. If you are located near any of these upcoming opportunities, please join us:

_Thinking Richer About Money.

August 5-9. Okoboji Conference. Okoboji, IA.

Early next month, I will be in the beautiful lakes region of Okoboji, IA presenting thoughts designed to redefine our spiritual thinking on money, possessions, income, work, and generosity though the lens of minimalism. The Okoboji Conference presentation will take place over the course of 5 morning sessions (M-F, 10:30am-12:00pm). Attendees are welcome to attend any or all morning sessions.

Open to the public. Registration not required. Information available here.

_Contentment. Happiness Cannot Be Bought.

August 25. Journey Church. Peoria, AZ.

Marketers seek to convince us their products will increase our happiness. From soda and alcohol to fashion and automobiles, happiness is offered to us in our very next purchase. But the truth of life is that happiness cannot be purchased no matter how hard we search for it in material possessions. Happiness cannot be bought. Happiness can only be discovered.

Open to the public. Information available here.

_Minimalism and the Future of the Church.

August 29. A Unitive One Day Conference. Seattle, WA.

During this one-day, TED-style conversation, I look forward to presenting alongside some of the sharpest minds in the world today (Bill Clem, Jeff Bethke, Jason Ostrander) to discuss the changing face of the church in America and what the future holds. Consumerism has long held the church from reaching its full potential. It is time to admit that fact and move forward with greater freedom and opportunity.

Open to the public. Please join us. Registration required. Information available here.

_The Impact of Minimalism on Entrepreneurship.

September 21. Always This Good Live. Phoenix, AZ.

Doing work you love should be accessible to anyone who is interested. Minimalism provides that opportunity. Additionally, minimalism impacts entrepreneurship in very significant ways. Minimalism lays the foundation for pursuing passion projects, social entrepreneurship, balance, generosity, and people over profits. I look forward to discussing the practical implications of minimalism at this local conference specifically designed for entrepreneurs.

Open to the public. Registration required. Information available here.

_Simple Living.

October 5-6. Emmanuel Mennonite Retreat. Minneapolis, MN.

I am excited to spend a weekend talking simplicity, generosity, and social influence in the beautiful state of Minnesota… I did, after all, spend 8 months living there back in 1986.

Church family event. Closed to the public.

_The Life-Giving Pursuit of Minimalism.

November 10. Journey Church. Gretna, NE.

Our lives are too valuable to waste chasing possessions. Unfortunately, both outside and inside the church, the pursuit of wealth and materialism remains one of the greatest undiagnosed distractions of our time. But Jesus offered bold, life-giving teachings on money and possessions. And correctly understood, his ideas bring life, freedom, meaning, and fulfillment to those who choose to embrace them.

Open to the public. The morning presentation will be followed by an evening workshop on guiding principles to declutter your home and life. Information available here.

_Around the Web.

Over the past week, I have recorded upcoming podcasts with both Entrepreneur on Fire and Grapplers. Follow me on Twitter to get the most recent updates on their release dates. And if home for you is not located near any of these presentations, you can still find me writing here on a regular basis.

In Your Community.

My heart is for the life-giving message of owning less and my passion is to extend this invitation to as many people as possible. I work hard to accept as many reasonable speaking opportunities as possible. I would love to hear from you. To book me to speak in your local community, please e-mail me directly or discover more details on our Speaking Page.