Joshua Becker's Blog, page 129

10 Unconventional Habits to Live Distraction-Less

“Simplicity is ultimately a matter of focus.” — Ann Voskamp

Our world has become a constant feed of information, noise, and entertainment. Our phones live not just in our pockets, but in front of our eyes. The influence of the Internet and its constant stream of information is accessible from nearly corner of our world. Breaking news breaks into our day at breakneck speed. And we are fed messages relentlessly from advertisements on nearly every flat surface. Each distraction enters our mind with one goal: Gain control of our attention and resources.

As a result, we live distracted lives and our ability to focus, create, and accomplish suffers significantly. It is increasingly clear that distractions are not going away on their own. Instead, the responsibility is ours to live attentive, intentional lives in a world of distraction. This is a goal we must continue to seek.

To live life with less distraction, consider implementing one or more of these 10 unconventional habits:

1. Turn off smart phone notifications. Our smart phones have quickly become one of the greatest sources of distraction in our lives. The average person now checks their mobile phone 150 times every day (just short of every 6 waking minutes). To limit the distractive nature of your smart phone, turn off all nonessential notifications (Email, Facebook, Twitter, Games, etc.) as a default setting. As a result, you will be able to check your apps on your schedule at appropriate times throughout the day.

2. Read/Answer email only twice each day. When we keep our email client open all day, we surrender our attention to the most recent bidder rather than the most important. The sooner we realize this, the sooner we understand why the habit of checking email only twice/day is promoted over and over again by some of the most productive people in our world today (Michael Hyatt, Scott Belsky, Leo Babauta). Schedule your email processing. You will feel the benefits immediately as the habit instantly limits incoming distraction.

3. Complete 1-2 minute projects immediately. Our lives and minds are often cluttered and distracted by the many unfinished projects around us (unanswered email, household chores, financial responsibilities). Fortunately, many of these projects can be completed in far less time than we think. To live with less distraction, if a project can be completed in less than 2 minutes, adopt a “one-minute-rule” mentality.

4. Remove physical clutter. Unnecessary clutter is a significant form of visual distraction. Consider this: everything in our eyesight subtly pulls at our attention at least a little. And the more we remove, the less visual stress and distraction we experience. Clear your desk, your walls, your counters, and your home of unneeded possessions. You’ll be surprised at your newfound ability to focus.

5. Clear visible, distracting digital clutter. Just like physical clutter distracts our attention, digital clutter accomplishes the same. Desktop icons, open programs, and other visible notifications jockey for unannounced attention in our mind. Notice the digital triggers that grab your attention. And ruthlessly remove them.

6. Accept and accentuate your personal rhythms. Discover the rhythms of your day to make the most of them. For example, I do my best creative work in the morning, afternoons work well for busy-work, and evenings are set aside for family—leaving late evenings for entertainment, rest, and guilt-free distraction. Accepting and understanding our natural rhythms to the day/week provides healthy motivation to remove distractions during our most productive parts of the day knowing there is opportunity later to indulge them

7. Establish a healthy morning routine. Henry Ward Beecher once said, “The first hour is the rudder of the day.” He was absolutely right. Begin your days on your terms apart from distraction. If possible, wake first in your household. Drink your coffee or tea or fix yourself a warm breakfast. Journal or read or just enjoy the silence. Develop a distraction-free morning routine. It will lay the foundation for a less-distracted day.

8. Cancel cable / Unplug television. It is difficult to argue against the distracting nature of our television. Researchers tell us the average American watches 37-40 hours of television each week. There is, of course, a solution to this madness: unplug your television completely. But if this step seems too drastic a stretch for your family, you’ll never regret the simple decision to cancel cable. Your calendar will thank you for the extra time available. Your wallet will thank you for the extra dollars. And you’ll quickly wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

9. Keep a to-do list. One of the most helpful and practical pieces of advice I ever received about keeping focus is the simple solution of keeping a to-do list handy and current. No matter how hard you try to manage yourself, new responsibilities and opportunities will surface in your mind from internal and external sources. The opportunity to quickly write down the task allows it to be quickly discarded from your mind. I use Clear as a simple, easy-to-use opportunity list.

10. Care less what other people think. The value of your life is not measured by the number of likes your Facebook post receives or the number of positive comments on your blog post. Please understand, there is great value in humbly seeking opinion and appreciating the wise counsel of those who love you. But there is no value in wasting mental energy over the negative criticism of those who only value their own self-interests. Learn to recognize the difference. And stop living distracted over the opinion of people who don’t matter.

There is little doubt our world is filled with constant distraction—it always has been. And there is little doubt that those who achieve the greatest significance in life learn to manage them effectively—they always have.

Image: Richard Ruzsa

Weekend Reads

Over the years of pursuing minimalism and interacting with simple living advocates, I have come to recognize the simplicity/minimalism niche to be among the most friendly, encouraging, and helpful around. 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. I enjoy the opportunity to promote writing that encourages people to live more life by owning less stuff. So please, fix yourself a nice warm cup of coffee. Find a quiet moment this weekend. And enjoy some encouraging words about finding more simplicity in your life today.

A Nerd’s Guide to Success and Happiness | Nerd Fitness by Steve Kamb. We oftentimes tie our happiness to our success on what we don’t have. Are we deluding ourselves by interlocking the two?

Why the Minimalists Do What They Do | Raptitude by David Cain. When we’re faced with a number of options, we’re always going to assume that one of them is better than all the rest.

A Surprising Way to Become More Generous | Storyline by Allison Vesterfelt. Give. Receive. And give some more.

Why Wanting Expensive Things Makes Us So Much Happier Than Buying Them | The Atlantic by Derek Thompson. Once again, it would seem that experiences make us happier than stuff—even in the act of buying.

Just the Scent of Money Is Corrupting | CNBC by Mark Koba. The study found that participants who were merely exposed to the concept of a monetary gain were more likely to demonstrate unethical intentions, decisions, and behavior.

Image: jenny downing

A Helpful Guide to Overcoming Envy

“Envy is ignorance.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Very few people would argue for the positive influence of envy in our lives. In fact, most of us can quickly recognize its harmful effects:

It fosters discontent and distress.
It binds our freedom.
It leads to resentment and bitterness.
It causes us to do things we wouldn’t normally do.
It can spiral into depression.

And yet, the wasted emotions of envy and jealousy continue to be present in our lives. It is a constant battle that wars against our heart and soul. We experience envy over other peoples’ appearance, talents, relationships, and bank accounts. It offers no positive contribution to our lives. Yet, it remains.

It is time to break free. Certainly, each of us desire to live in freedom from jealousy and envy. How then, can we overcome it?

Consider these helpful, life-changing steps to overcoming envy:

1. Shift your focus to the goodness in your life. One of the biggest reasons we envy the life of another is because we have begun to take our blessings for granted. Count them again. You are talented. You are gifted. You are cared for. You are unique. Your life is too valuable to be lived like everyone else. You have countless reasons to be grateful for the life you have been given. Remind yourself again.

2. Remind yourself that nobody has it all. Comparing your life with others is always a losing proposition. There will always appear to be people who have it better than you. But remember, we always compare the worst of what we know about ourselves to the best assumptions we make about others. Be reminded, nobody has it all. Each person you meet experiences problems, trials, and weaknesses–just like you. This is what makes us human. Nobody is exempt. Nobody has it all. Nobody.

3. Avoid people who habitually value the wrong things. If you spend all your time with people who compare the latest fashions, you are going to start desiring the latest fashions. If you spend all your time with people who talk about their salaries, their new cars, or their extravagant vacations, you are going to naturally fall into the inevitable trap of comparing your possessions to theirs. But there are far more important things to pursue. Remove yourself from the conversation (and the relationship if necessary).

4. Spend time with grateful people. Gratitude is highly contagious–that is why I spend time reading Tammy Strobel. You can read gratitude in almost every word she writes. Find grateful people who experience contentment in their lives and spend quality time with them. You can find them online or you can find them in person. But the more you invest your time with them, the more their spirit will become yours… and soon, others will desire what you have.

5. Understand that marketers routinely fan the flame. One of the most effective tools for advertisers in our culture is to foster jealousy and envy among us. After all, if they can cause us to recklessly desire the possessions of another, they can drive us to great lengths to acquire it for ourselves. Be on guard against their tactics. Recognize them. Avoid them. And refuse to succumb to their deception.

6. Celebrate the success of others. Genuinely and practically, rejoice in the fortune of others. When somebody receives something that you desire, be happy for them. If you wanted it, they probably did too. Stop viewing life as a competition. Joy is not a finite resource. And the moment you learn to experience happiness in others’ joy is the day you take a huge step to overcoming envy once and for all.

7. Be generous. Even if you have to force yourself into it at first, make generosity an essential habit in your life. Give your time. Give your finances. Give your abilities, talents, and skills. Volunteer in your community. Support a cause that promotes social justice. And get your hands dirty. As you begin to spend more time and more energy with those who have less than you, the more you will find fulfillment and meaning. And when you do, the allure of another’s person life will quickly fade away.

Envy has held us hostage for far too long. It is time, once and for all, to break free from envy and experience a more fulfilled life because of it.

Image: Yashna M

The Helpful, Life-Changing Guide to Overcoming Envy

“Envy is ignorance.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Very few people would argue for the positive influence of envy in our lives. In fact, most of us can quickly recognize its harmful effects:

It fosters discontent and distress.
It binds our freedom.
It leads to resentment and bitterness.
It causes us to do things we wouldn’t normally do.
It can spiral into depression.

And yet, the wasted emotions of envy and jealousy continue to be present in our lives. It is a constant battle that wars against our heart and soul. We experience envy over other peoples’ appearance, talents, relationships, and bank accounts. It offers no positive contribution to our lives. Yet, it remains.

It is time to break free. Certainly, each of us desire to live in freedom from jealousy and envy. How then, can we overcome it?

Consider these helpful, life-changing steps to overcoming envy:

1. Shift your focus to the goodness in your life. One of the biggest reasons we envy the life of another is because we have begun to take our blessings for granted. Count them again. You are talented. You are gifted. You are cared for. You are unique. Your life is too valuable to be lived like everyone else. You have countless reasons to be grateful for the life you have been given. Remind yourself again.

2. Remind yourself that nobody has it all. Comparing your life with others is always a losing proposition. There will always appear to be people who have it better than you. But remember, we always compare the worst of what we know about ourselves to the best assumptions we make about others. Be reminded, nobody has it all. Each person you meet experiences problems, trials, and weaknesses–just like you. This is what makes us human. Nobody is exempt. Nobody has it all. Nobody.

3. Avoid people who habitually value the wrong things. If you spend all your time with people who compare the latest fashions, you are going to start desiring the latest fashions. If you spend all your time with people who talk about their salaries, their new cars, or their extravagant vacations, you are going to naturally fall into the inevitable trap of comparing your possessions to theirs. But there are far more important things to pursue. Remove yourself from the conversation (and the relationship if necessary).

4. Spend time with grateful people. Gratitude is highly contagious–that is why I spend time reading Tammy Strobel. You can read gratitude in almost every word she writes. Find grateful people who experience contentment in their lives and spend quality time with them. You can find them online or you can find them in person. But the more you invest your time with them, the more their spirit will become yours… and soon, others will desire what you have.

5. Understand that marketers routinely fan the flame. One of the most effective tools for advertisers in our culture is to foster jealousy and envy among us. After all, if they can cause us to recklessly desire the possessions of another, they can drive us to great lengths to acquire it for ourselves. Be on guard against their tactics. Recognize them. Avoid them. And refuse to succumb to their deception.

6. Celebrate the success of others. Genuinely and practically, rejoice in the fortune of others. When somebody receives something that you desire, be happy for them. If you wanted it, they probably did too. Stop viewing life as a competition. Joy is not a finite resource. And the moment you learn to experience happiness in others’ joy is the day you take a huge step to overcoming envy once and for all.

7. Be generous. Even if you have to force yourself into it at first, make generosity an essential habit in your life. Give your time. Give your finances. Give your abilities, talents, and skills. Volunteer in your community. Support a cause that promotes social justice. And get your hands dirty. As you begin to spend more time and more energy with those who have less than you, the more you will find fulfillment and meaning. And when you do, the allure of another’s person life will quickly fade away.

Envy has held us hostage for far too long. It is time, once and for all, to break free from envy and experience a more fulfilled life because of it.

Image: Yashna M

Why and How I Use Social Media

I really enjoy social media.

I joined Facebook in the spring of 2007. I was 14 years removed from high school and had relocated from Nebraska to Wisconsin to Vermont. I opened my Facebook account as a means to interact with high school and college students as part of my job, but immediately recognized its value in getting reacquainted with old friends around the world. To this day, I use it for both personal and professional benefits.

Social media is not without its downsides. Researchers recently discovered that one in three people felt worse after visiting Facebook and more dissatisfied with their lives. Within this constant stream of notification, the Fear of Missing Out continues to grow. And some studies indicate that Americans spend an average of 3+ hours per day using social media. With that being the case, nobody would argue that social networking is entirely positive and beneficial. Just like everything else, it needs to be approached mindfully and intentionally.

But I have found significant benefits to social networking. Most significantly, it has provided opportunity to stay in contact with old friends from a number of different geographical locations. It has proved to be successful in providing awareness for local events and information. It is a valuable source of web traffic for Becoming Minimalist. And it has helped to grow a significant platform to expand the message and influence of simple living.

For those reasons, social networking will remain to be a significant part of life for me. And if you have an idea, message, or website that you are hoping to grow, I fully recommend you use it as well. But don’t try to jump into every social media opportunity available at once. Take your time learning each of them individually.

Here is a brief description of how I use each platform:

• Facebook (Becoming Minimalist): Month after month, Facebook accounts for more visitors to Becoming Minimalist than any other website. With over 1.1 billion open accounts and 650+ million people visiting the site each day, the traffic noticing your message changes every single day, often times with just a split-second to make an impression. I post to the Becoming Minimalist Facebook page 2-3X/day always 8-12 hours apart. The posts are a combination of inspirational images (example above), popular old posts, and new blog entries. My desire is to use the platform to introduce as many as possible to a new life of living with less. Like us here.

• Facebook (personal): Having lived for significant periods of times in 5 states, Facebook has proved to be very helpful in staying connected with old friends. To that end, I rarely post Becoming Minimalist information on my personal account–other than exceptions for really exciting news. Instead, I use it to interact on a personal level with friends and family. I have even found it to be more convenient and more personal than e-mail for sending private messages.

• Twitter (Becoming Minimalist): While Facebook accounts for more web traffic and numeric influence for Becoming Minimalist, I actually spend more time on Twitter. Twitter was started as a micro-blogging platform where ideas and thoughts could be shared using less than 140-characters in an environment where they could be easily discovered. I enjoy the quick interaction that Twitter provides where ideas can be presented, discovered, and discussed. On average, I post to Twitter 5-6X/day using a combination of original ideas, helpful posts from other writers encouraging simplicity, inspirational quotes, new blog posts, and direct interaction with followers and people I admire. Follow me here.

• Becoming Minimalist Newsletter: The Becoming Newsletter seeks to recruit, mobilize, and equip influencers committed to the intentional promotion of simple living. It is more than information… it is a movement. Each newsletter contains original writing designed to encourage influence and provides  quality resources to help spread the message of simplicity as far and wide as possible. Currently, over 4,000 people receive the newsletter every two weeks. Sign up here.

• Tumblr (Becoming Minimalist): I originally started my Tumblr account as a personal site to archive and store helpful articles I found while researching writing projects. The save takes only two mouse clicks and stores them all in one place so I’m able to find them quickly. And if they were helpful to me, they’ll likely also be helpful to others. I still use Tumblr to that end, but it has also become a place to re-share images that I create for Facebook. On average, I post to Tumblr less than 1X/day. And find the audience on Tumblr to be a different group of people than the one on Facebook. Follow here.

• Pinterest (personal): I am on Pinterest. I use it to promote new blog posts. And I am thankful for everyone who pins Becoming Minimalist articles… other than Facebook and Search Engines, Pinterest refers more traffic than any other site. But personally, I don’t enjoy the format that much. The platform encourages over-sharing and rewards quantity over quality. As a result, there are a plethora of pretty pictures and exaggerated claims (“These are the best chocolate-chip cookies I have ever eaten.”) without users ever testing the validity of the claims. Despite the drawbacks, I find some practical benefits to Pinterest. Most often, it is a place to test which images and quotes get the most traction and discover new ones. Find me here.

• Google+ (Becoming Minimalist): I use Google+ to ensure new blog posts are found and indexed by Google quickly. Google+ users tell me the platform is the most advantageous for social interaction and conversation, but I have not chosen to invest the time to research their claims. As a result, I post to Google+ only after publishing a new blog post or interacting in conversations where I am specifically invited.

As I mentioned, social networking is important to Becoming Minimalist. I believe it is a valuable tool for interpersonal communication and expanding influence. My desire is to use the platforms effectively to inspire you and others to find more life by owning less. I hope you’ll join me.

Don’t Chase Happiness. Recognize It.

“Everyone chases after happiness, not noticing that happiness is right at their heels.” –Bertolt Brecht

—

One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.

About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family. “You aren’t going to catch many fish that way,” said the businessman. “You should be working rather than lying on the beach!”

The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, “And what will my reward be?”

“Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!” was the businessman’s answer.

“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman, still smiling.

The businessman replied, “You will make money and you’ll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!”

“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman again.

The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman’s questions. “You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!” he said.

“And then what will my reward be?” repeated the fisherman.

The businessman was getting angry. “Don’t you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!”

Once again the fisherman asked, “And then what will my reward be?”

The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, “Don’t you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won’t have a care in the world!”

The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, “And what do you think I’m doing right now?”

—

There is a beautiful life of simplicity calling out to those who will listen. It invites us to live the life we were born to live, not the life our neighbor is seeking to achieve. Simplicity invites us to pursue the things we value most, not the values of billboards and magazines. It invites us to remove the distractions that keep us from living and enjoying life to the fullest.

Because when we stop spending our lives chasing the world’s definition of happiness, we begin to recognize the decision to experience happiness has been right in front of us all along.

Image: iwan pribadi

Weekend Reads

I hope the unofficial beginning of summer has provided opportunity for you to be outside and enjoy the season. May the majority of your summer be filled with sunshine, relaxing evenings, and walks in the park.

Let me encourage you to find time these months to slow down, grow some tomatoes, and eat breakfast together as family. And as your weekend begins, may you find encouragement, inspiration, and practical help in this weekend’s simple reads. Thanks for making us part of your summer.

10 Ways to Live with Less from Zero Waste Home | Remodelista by Sarah Lonsdale. A very helpful room-by-room guide to rethink simplicity.

A Month Without Accessories | Nesting Place by The Nester. A self-proclaimed accessory lover begins a little home experiment to take all her home accessories and put them away for the next 30 days. And she’s inviting you to join the challenge.

9 Lies to Unlearn Before it’s Too Late | Marc and Angel Hack Life by Marc Chernoff. The worst lies are the ones you tell yourself over and over again—the ones you live by. I agree with each of these.

Minimalism for the Consumer in You: 3 Questions to Ask Before You Buy | Prolific Living by Farnoosh Brock. If you love shopping but still want to start planting the seeds of a simpler life, maybe this will help.

A Short Note on Bridge Jumping | The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau. Ignore those people jumping off the bridge. Make your own decisions. Live your own life.

Image: vastateparksstaff

5 Life-Giving Truths From 5 Years of Living with Less

“The process of living seems to consist in coming to realize truths so ancient and simple that, if stated, they sound like barren platitudes.” –C.S. Lewis

Memorial Day weekend, five years ago, I got my life back.

I’ve relived the scene a thousand times. I woke up with a simple job to do: clean out the garage. It was not a project out of the ordinary. In fact, I did it every spring. But on this particular Saturday, for the first time, I’d be introduced to the truth that I didn’t have to.

Our lives were typical: work hard, make money, spend it on mortgage payments, fashionable clothes, nicer cars, cooler technology, and more toys for the kids. But when everything from my garage was piled high in the driveway while my son sat alone in the backyard, it was a conversation with my 80-year old neighbor that opened my mind to a new way of thinking. She said it like this, “Maybe you don’t need to own all this stuff?”

And a minimalist was born. In that moment, I made a life-changing realization: Everything I owned had not brought meaning, purpose, fulfillment, or lasting joy into my life. In fact, not only were my possessions not bringing me joy, they were actually distracting me from it. We immediately began pursuing a more minimalist lifestyle by removing the unnecessary possessions from our home and lives.

This journey towards minimalism has been far more life-changing and life-giving than I expected. The possessions in our lives define who we are on a far deeper level than we realize. And as a result, the process of removing them teaches us valuable truths about ourselves and the lives we live.

As I consider the past five years and all that I have learned, the following life-giving truths reveal themselves as the most significant:

1. Desiring less is even more valuable than owning less. Owning less brings some amazingly-practical benefits into our lives. It costs less. It requires less time and energy to maintain. It brings freedom, rest, peace, and calm into a hectic world. And it provides greater opportunity to pursue our truest passions. But I have found, over the years, the desire to own less is even more valuable than owning less. Over time, I have been able to remove myself from the incessant desire for more–even in a society that idolizes consumerism at every turn. And when our life’s desire shifts away from pursuing physical possessions, we are finally free to pursue lasting worth with all our heart.

2. Allow the journey towards less inward. Dropping off a handful of clothing at Goodwill is not hard. Dropping off a full van load of unused possessions is not even that difficult. But pulling up to the Goodwill drop-off for the fourth time with a van load of completely unnecessary possessions initiates a lot of soul-searching. The journey toward minimalism runs through the heart and soul. Correctly pursued, it forces us to ask some hard questions in deep places about our most intimate motivations in life. Why did I buy all these clothes? Why did I buy a house with rooms we never use? Why do I still flip through the ads every Sunday even though I own so much already? Why am I still envious of my neighbor’s stuff? These are hard questions to ask with no easy answers. But the darkest truth is that unfortunately, far too many people, will never even ask them.

3. The potential of minimalism lies in the addition, not the subtraction. Minimalism is not the goal. Minimalism is, after all, less about the things you remove and more about the things you add. The potential of minimalism lies in what you choose to pursue with your life in place of material possessions. Choose contentment. Pursue gratitude and generosity. Invest in relationships, grow spiritually, discover truth, and find purpose. Your life is far too valuable to waste chasing possessions. And you’ll discover this life-giving truth as soon as you stop.

4. Minimalism will always vary. I live with 33 articles of clothing. But Leo Babauta lives without a toaster, microwave, or paper towels. Sarah Wilson does the same. And Daniel Suelo lives without money. I am very thankful for Leo, Sarah, Daniel, and Mukund because I am inspired by those who own less. They cause me to reevaluate my presumptions and strive towards even greater intentionality. But I have long since removed the comparisons. I am called to live a different life than them. I have different values, different passions, and different pursuits. As a result, my minimalism is always going to look different. Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it. And by definition, this means minimalism will always look different.

5. We can change lives. We can change the world. Thank you for an amazing five years. I sat behind a computer screen five years ago and started this blog with just a few keystrokes. It was to be nothing more than an on-line journal of my journey towards minimalism. But along the way, something unexpected happened. People started reading. And found new life because of it. The inspiration continues to grow… both through this blog and in my life. This is a far better way to live than most people realize. It is available to anyone who hears the message of living with less and chooses to accept it with their whole lives. May the invitation to minimalism continue to change lives. And ultimately, the world. This is my hope.

Thank you so much for reading and supporting Becoming Minimalist. There are still exciting days ahead.

Image: Moyan_Brenn

Weekend Reads

Over the years of pursuing minimalism and interacting with simple living advocates, I have come to recognize the simplicity/minimalism niche to be among the most friendly, encouraging, and helpful around. 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. I enjoy the opportunity to promote writing that encourages people to live more life by owning less stuff. So please, fix yourself a nice warm cup of coffee. Find a quiet moment. And enjoy some encouraging words about finding more simplicity in your life today.

The Little Book of Contentment | Zen Habits by Leo Babauta. The Little Book of Contentment: A guide to becoming happy with life & who you are, while getting things done.

Your Definitive Summer Slow Down Guide | Be More With Less by Courtney Carver. ��To enjoy the beauty of summer, slow down.

Err on the Side of Generosity | The Unitive by Joshua Becker. ��Each month, I post faith-based content at the Unitive. My latest post focuses on the spiritual benefits of choosing generosity. I hope it challenges you to give more away.

The Why and How of Effective Altruism | TED by Peter Singer. Make the biggest impact with whatever you can share.

His Simpler Life | The Times of India by Shrabonti Bagchi. ”If you think about it, almost everything is an acquired need.”

Image: ~ggvic~

Don’t Forget the Past. Learn from It.

“Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.” ― Edmund Burke

There is a popular adage in our society that goes something like this: Forget the past, don’t worry about the future, live in the present.

There is truth to this statement. Far too many of us live defined by the choices we made in the past. This shouldn’t be the case. After all, each new day presents opportunity to become a new person on a new road destined for a new future.

But those who choose to simply forget the past miss out on its fullest potential. There are valuable lessons to be learned from it. And those who choose to ask the right questions about their past are most prepared to live life to the fullest in the present.

Consider the lessons we can learn from our past. By simply asking the right questions, we can discover…

• Strengths that define us. The talents and abilities we use to navigate and provide value to this world define the lives we live and the change we can offer. And by recalling our strengths in the past, we can better recognize our opportunities in the present.

• Weaknesses that frustrate us. We all have weaknesses in personality and competence. When left unaddressed, these weaknesses limit our potential for impact and significance. Discover them. Recognize them. And learn to overcome them by seeking the help of others.

• Causes that energize us. Our lives find the greatest joy when we help others discover theirs. Which social causes have energized you in the past? What role were you able to fulfill in helping others? And how can similar pursuits bring new energy into your life today?

• Relationships that inspire us. Over the course of our lives, there are, no doubt, a number of people who have inspired us to become better versions of ourselves. What traits do they have in common? And can you surround yourself with more people like them today?

• Environments that derail us. The company we keep and the cultures we function in either bring us inspiration or derail our progress. Are there relationships in your past that continually brought you down and resulted in destructive decisions? If so, learn from your past to avoid them.

• Habits that invigorate us. Over the course of our lives, we employ a variety of disciplines to make the most of it. We discover a new diet, a new fitness practice, or a new morning routine. We experiment with them–some work, some don’t. Eventually, these new disciplines either become habits or they fade from our memory. Look back. Recognize the habits that brought energy, health, and invigoration into your life. And embrace them again.

• Affections that bring joy to us. Various matters of our mind and affections of our heart bring different amounts of joy, meaning, and fulfillment into our lives. What affections during life brought you the most joy? And have you gotten away from them? If so, return. And in so doing, recognize what distracted you from them in the first place.

• Pursuits that distract us. Ultimately, the decisions we make with the resources we’ve been given determine the life we end up living. Most of the resources we have at our personal disposal are finite and limited (money, time, energy). By definition, the allocation of them towards one pursuit limits the amount of resources we have available towards others. It is wise to recognize the subtle pursuits that routinely distract you from the truest desires of your heart.

• Addictions that control us. We are a people that too often give control of our most precious asset to another. We fall under the influence of substances, possessions, or entertainment. And when we do, our life is no longer our own. Identify the recurring controlling substances (addictions) in your life and humbly seek the help needed to remove their influence over you.

• Temptations that trip us. Similar to addictions, we each have unique weaknesses to temptation. These temptations may vary in nature, but each detract from the fullest life possible. But they do not need to define us. We can begin anew. However, only those who can identify and admit their mistakes in the past have opportunity to learn from them.

• Learning styles that suit us. We all learn differently. Some are visual learners, some are verbal, some learn best in a group setting, while others learn best alone. Your learning style is as unique to you as your fingerprint. The important thing is to recognize and understand what style suits you best. This life ought to be filled with constant learning… and the sooner we recognize how we learn best, the sooner we’ll begin to grow in it.

• Motivations that compel us. Deep in our heart, our motivation runs supreme. It determines the decisions we make, the use of our time, and the words we choose to use. Understanding our deepest motivations is a difficult task. It requires stillness, patience, and consistent self-evaluation. But the more we discover why we do the things we do, the easier it is for us to make the most of the present we are living in today.

If we start asking the right questions, there are countless life-giving lessons we can learn from our past. Never feel that you have to be defined by it. But it would be equally foolish to forget it completely when it offers so much potential for the present.