Joshua Becker's Blog, page 145

7 Ways to Sample Living With Less

From the moment we're born, we're told to pursue more. Advertisements from every television, radio, newspaper, magazine, billboard, and website scream to us on a daily basis that more is better. As a result, we work hard hours so that we can spend countless dollars purchasing the biggest homes, fanciest cars, trendiest fashions, most popular toys, and coolest technologies.

But we all know it's not true. We all know, deep-down, that happiness can not be bought at a department store.. that more is not necessarily better. We've just been told the lie so many times we begin to believe it… without even noticing it.

But w hat if, in reality, there is actually more joy in owning less? 

That truth would change almost everything about us. It would change the way we spend our hours, our energy, and our money. It would change where we focus our attention and our minds. It would change the very foundation of our lives. And if it were true, it would free us up to pursue the things in life that we most value. In other words, it would be a life-changing and life-giving realization.

Unfortunately, for some, the idea of intentionally living life with fewer possessions is just too counter-intuitive. It's an approach to life they have never been introduced to or have never been invited to explore. The benefits have never been articulated. As a result, it's too far a leap… too long a stretch… and jumping in with both feet is just not going to happen.

But maybe there's an easier way than jumping in with both feet.. maybe the lifestyle can just be sampled for a bit. Oh, one may not experience all the benefits that are afforded to those who jump in with both feet, but they just may taste enough to continue along the journey.

To that end, allow me to offer 7 areas of life where living with less can be sampled. They are designed to be picked one-by-one, risk-free. Conducting each experiment for 3-4 weeks will give a good feel for the practical benefits, but hey, it's your experiment. You decide the length.

7 Ways to Sample Living With Less

1. Clothes. According to statistics, we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. That means that many of us have closets full of clothes that we no longer like or no longer fit us correctly. They are just taking up space. The simple exercise of going through your closet and removing all unused clothing leaves your closet lighter, your mornings less stressful, and your wardrobe full of things you love. Give your lighter wardrobe 30 days to work its magic… you'll never miss those unused clothes.

2. Decorations. Many of the decorations in our homes hold no personal value to our lives. They just simply happened to match the color of the carpet or be on sale when we walked into the store. Unfortunately, they are distracting you and your guests from the decorations in your home that share your story and highlight your values. Take a moment to walk through your home with a discerning eye. Leave only the decorations that are the most meaningful and the most beautiful. Your home will begin to share your story in a beautiful way. And your old decorations will likely end up on sale at your next garage sale.

3. Toys. Too often, we fall into the line of thinking that says more is better… and so do our kids. We begin to purchase and collect far too many toys for our children. As a result, our children have no need to learn how to be creative, helpful, careful, or sharing. In that regard, fewer toys may benefit your kids in numerous ways. Although you may want to consult your children before you relocate their unused toys, there's a pretty good chance that after only a few weeks the old, unused toys will be forgotten (except by whomever used to pick them all up).

4. Cooking Utensils. There never seems to be enough storage space in our kitchens. Yet most of our grandmothers cooked far more often, far more elaborately, and far better than many of us today… in much smaller kitchens. The truth is that when it comes to cooking, simple is almost always better. We need far less cooking utensils than we currently own. As a result, our drawers, cabinets, and countertops can be far better organized and useful if we simply owned less. To give this experiment a shot, check out this article from the New York Times: A No Frills Kitchen Still Cooks. Then, store all your unnecessary utensils in a plastic bin, put them away out of sight, and see if you just enjoy cooking a little bit more in your new, clutter-free environment.

5.  Televisions. According to Nielsen, the average person watches 4 hours, 35 minutes of television each day. And the average American home now has more television sets than people. That threshold was crossed within the past two years. There are 2.73 TV sets in the typical home and 2.55 people. In the average American home, a television set is turned on for more than a third of the day — 8 hours, 14 minutes to be exact. We are literally sitting on the couch while life passes us by. Experiment with owning less televisions. As a result, you will watch less. And when you do, you will be more apt to do it together as a family.

6. Counter-tops. Clutter is a form of distraction. It pulls at our attention and redirects our thoughts – even for just an instant. Everything sitting out on your countertops competes for your attention. Unfortunately, we have become so accustomed to these distractions that we don't even notice them anymore… until they are removed. Experiment, even for just 7 days, with keeping your countertops completely clear. Store things in drawers, cabinets, pantries, or temporary storage boxes. After one week, you'll likely return some of it for the sake of convenience, but I'd bet my bottom dollar that you won't return all of it.

7. Furniture. It may require some heavy-lifting, but if you're up for the challenge, removing excess furniture from your rooms will immediately open up significant space and airflow in your home. The rarely-used pieces of furniture in your home are quickly recognizable and taking up more space than you realize. Oh sure, this experiment requires a place to store your furniture during the trial period, but it's a quick and easy way to remove some of the largest clutter from your home.

***

Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life is currently available on Amazon for the Kindle ($2.99) and Barnes and Noble for the Nook ($2.99). The book is based on a rational approach to minimalism. It will forever change the way you look at physical possessions. And most importantly, its approach will free you from the burden of clutter and provide you with the extra motivation to realign your life around your heart's greatest passions.

One month after its release, I continue to be overwhelmed at the response. It still ranks among the Top Ten Self-Help Book on the Kindle and Amazon continues to list it as one of their Hot New Releases. Thanks so much for your support in spreading this hope-filled, life-changing truth that there is more joy in pursuing less than can be found in pursuing more.

Remembering Those Who Truly Need a Holiday Gift

"Only great souls know the grandeur there is in charity." - Jacques BeNigne Bossuet

This holiday season, Americans will spend nearly $500 billion dollars on holiday gifts. This past weekend alone, Americans spent $52.4 billion dollars on holiday shopping.

The money will be spent on electronics, clothes, books, toys, vacations, jewelry, gift cards, video games, DVD's, CD's, and cookware. Some gifts will meet legitimate needs (for example, my son will open some new clothes this holiday season). But let's face it, most gifts will try to satisfy wants: a new Barbie for your daughter, the newest video game for your son, or a K-cup coffee maker for your mother-in-law. Worse yet, many holiday shoppers will spend hours trying to find just the right gift for the "guy who already has everything."

Meanwhile, there are countless charitable organizations all over this country meeting very real needs of people that will go without holiday gifts. These charitable organizations are providing food and shelter to those without any. They are protecting battered women. They are offering educational assistance to those who most need it. They are offering new opportunities at life for those who have had it taken it from them. And they are counting on year-end giving to keep their doors open for another year.

In short, they are not providing "wants." They are meeting needs.

I'm not against giving gifts. In fact, I think that a well-thought-out, timely gift can communicate love and appreciation to a loved one. But I am against foolishly spending all of my holiday spending on those who already have much… when there are so many in desperate need.

Consider just a sampling of some local charitable organizations and the work they are doing to meet the needs of very real people…

Bicycles for Humanity - Bicycles for Humanity enables people to raise funds and collect unwanted bicycles to send to reliable partners in developing countries.
Blind Babies Foundation - When an infant or preschooler is identified as blind or visually impaired, Blind Babies Foundation provides family-centered services to support the child's optimal development and access to the world.
Brain Injury Adventure Camp - The Brain Injury Adventure Camp, Inc. (BIAC) is a non-profit organization that provides activities and education to persons suffering from a traumatic brain injury.
Bridge Family Center - The Bridge Family Center in West Hartford, CT provides counseling, temporary shelter, life-skills training, positive youth development programs, parent education, community services, and prevention and intervention programs to homeless teens and troubled families.
City Harvest - City Harvest collects excess food from all segments of the food industry, including restaurants, grocers, corporate cafeterias, manufacturers, and farms. This food is then delivered free of charge to community food programs throughout New York City using a fleet of trucks and bikes as well as volunteers on foot.
Comfort Cafe- The Comfort Cafe is not-for-profit gourmet restaurant that offers gluten free, vegan, and other dishes, using local, fresh, organic ingredients – on a pay-as-you-can basis – allowing people of all social classes to enjoy food, community, and comfort.
COMPASS - COMPASS is an inner-city ministry located in Omaha, Nebraska that exists to develop warm and caring relationships, through programs that help meet the academic, social, and spiritual needs faced by those we serve.
The Connection - The Connection Youth Services provides help to teens and families in crisis in Howell, MI.
Dare to Dream Children's Foundation - Dare to Dream recruits and trains volunteers to educate, inspire, and mentor wounded youth in group homes, shelters, orphanages, and detention centers in Dallas, TX.
Days For Girls - Days for Girls International works to get washable feminine hygiene kits into the hands of those that would otherwise go without allowing them to attend school, work, etc.
Eat Art - Eat Art is an eclectic collection of photographers, painters & designers committed to artfully ending hunger. When you purchase any art or apparel, meals are sent to hungry children around the world. You get the art. The kids get to eat.
Essex CHIPS - At Essex CHIPS, youth work in collaboration with adults to deliver youth programming, parent education, substance abuse prevention campaigns and direct local healthy living initiatives for local teens in their community.
Esther's Daughters - Esther's Daughters purpose is to give little girls in the poorest country in the western hemisphere an alternative to prostitution for survival. They provide food, shelter, clothing, education, a place to heal their hearts from all the brokeness and trauma they have been through.
Feed the Need - Feed the Need is a volunteer organization dedicated to promoting education and awareness of local hunger issues by sponsoring physical activities and events.
Girls Think Tank - Girls Think Tank inspires, empowers and organizes its community in San Diego to advance basic human dignity through activism and advocacy.
Growing Home - Growing Home's mission is to operate, promote, and demonstrate the use of organic agriculture as a vehicle for job training, employment, and community development.
Hoops for Hope - Started by middle-school student, Austin Gutwein, Hoops of Hope is the world's largest free-throw marathon. Similar to a walk-a-thon, participants raise awareness and funds for children who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS by shooting free throws.
Hope Now Adoption Fund - The Hope Now Adoption Fund offers hope to families wanting to adopt, but are hindered by the financial costs.
The Hunger Task Force - Hunger Task Force in Milwaukee, WI believes that every person has a right to adequate food obtained with dignity. Hunger Task Force works to prevent hunger and malnutrition by providing food to people in need today and by promoting social policies to achieve a hunger free community tomorrow.
Inca Link - Inca Link works in Ecuador and Peru to establish Day Care Centers, orphanages, and pregnant teen homes for the inhabitants of third-world city garbage dumps.
Living Yoga - Living Yoga is an outreach program teaching yoga as a tool for personal change to disadvantaged individuals in prisons, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, and transitional facilities in Portland, OR.
Maggie's Place - Maggie's Place is a community that provides houses of hospitality for expectant women in Phoenix, AZ who wish to achieve their goals in a dignified atmosphere.
Mary House - Mary House is a community based organization that provides transitional housing services, shelter and support programs to homeless and struggling families, while providing a safe haven that allows families to reclaim their dignity.
Meals of Wheels - Meals on Wheels provides home-delivered meal services to people in need. With chapters all throughout America, there is likely a local chapter in your community.
Nebraska Children's Home Society - Nebraska Children's Home Society provides safe and loving care to children of all ages throughout the state of Nebraska.
New Beginning Center - The mission of New Beginning Center is to foster an environment of safety, support and respect for families affected by domestic violence.
Open Door Mission - Open Door Mission provides men, women and children in Omaha living in poverty with safe shelter beds, nutritious meals daily, and preventive measures.
Pencils of Promise - Pencils of Promise builds schools in the developing world and trains socially conscious young leaders to take action at home and abroad.
Plant with Purpose - Plant With Purpose reverses deforestation and poverty around the world by transforming the lives of the rural poor.
Rocky Mt Children's Law Center - The mission of the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center is to protect and save the lives of abused and neglected children through zealous legal advocacy, innovative programs and public policy reform.
Sarah's Circle - Sarah's Circle's serves the women on Chicago Uptown's community who are homeless or in need of a safe space by offering comprehensive physical services, permanent supportive housing, clinical services, a network of resources, and community.
Second Harvest Food Bank - Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara serves an area stretching from South San Francisco to Gilroy and from the ocean to the bay helping ensure that those who need food have access to it.
Slam Diabetes - Slam Diabetes' mission is to help kids with type 1 diabetes and their families deal with this unrelenting disease through empowered living: better glucose management, exercise, diet and education and by raising funds for scholarships, grants and sponsorships for kids and their family members to attend camps and conferences created to help them develop skills and practices.
Spectrum Youth and Family Services - Spectrum empowers teenagers, young adults, people with a history of violence, and their families in Burlington and throughout Vermont to make and sustain positive changes through prevention, intervention, and life skills services.
Sunny Hills Services - The mission of Sunny Hills Services is to engage vulnerable children and youth, enrich their connection with family and community and empower them to lead healthy, rewarding lives.
Susan G. Komen Foundation - As the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, the Foundation works together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures.
Warren Village - Warren Village is a unique family community helping motivated low-income, previously homeless single-parent families move from public assistance to personal and economic self-sufficiency through subsidized housing, on-site nationally accredited child care, advocacy/case management, educational guidance and career development.
Women's Bean Project - The Women's Bean Project transforms the lives of women by teaching job readiness and life skills for entry-level jobs through employment in our gourmet food production and handmade jewelry manufacturing businesses.
Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative - WASI is an action-oriented alliance of women leaders who construct, educate, organize, and advocate for strong and empowered communities through ecological design-build practices, with the aim of creating a socially and ecologically resilient world.
Your Local Charity. – Dedicated to meeting the needs of real people in your local community.

Whatever you choose to give this holiday season, don't forget to give a financial gift to those who really need it…

12 Self-Publishing Lessons Learned in the Last 12 Days

12 days ago, Simplify and Inside-Out Simplicity launched on Amazon. And it's been a new, exciting, unexpected, crazy ride ever since.

As I have mentioned previously, Simplify (our first book) immediately began climbing the charts on Amazon. At its peak (yesterday), this self-published book had secured the following accomplishments:

#7 among all NonFiction Kindle sales (ahead of Bill Clinton, Chris Mathews, and Glenn Beck).
#56 among all Kindle book sales (12 days in the Top 100).
#1 Book in Self-Help for 10 days. (ahead of all other formats and authors: Weil, Osteen, Covey, etc.).
#1 Book in Spirituality for 10 days. (ahead of all other formats and authors: Billy Graham etc.).
#1 Book in Craft, Hobby, and Home (ahead of all other formats and authors).
#18 Kindle Book on Amazon's Hot New Releases list.
Ranked in the Top #10 Amazon Movers and Shakers list.

Through the process, I've learned a lot of lessons. But looking back, here are the Top 12 Self-Publishing Lessons I've Learned in the Past 12 Days:

1. A $0.99 price tag is not too low. I launched Simplify at $0.99 (for only the first 10 days) because I wanted to get the book into as many hands as possible. I also wanted quick sales, reviews, and listings on Amazon at the very beginning. But I was still hesitant. I've put a lot of energy and effort into this book and selling it for only $0.99 seemed too cheap – not to mention the commission on each sale was only 35% (compared to 100% through my site). But once it went live, I didn't regret the decision at all. The price tag rewarded my readers with a great book at a great price… and allowed many other readers unfamiliar with my work to make the purchase on Amazon with little expense. In fact, I had become so accustomed to the $0.99 price tag, it was more difficult than I thought to raise the price to $2.99 yesterday.

2. Pay for cover art. One of the best decisions that I made during the Amazon launch was to pay Red Willow Design Studio for brand-new, professional cover art (the previous cover for Simplify had been designed by me). And while the old adage is true that "you can't judge a book by its cover," you just can't sell a book to passing customers without a sharp cover design. The bookshelves at Amazon are full of hundreds of thousands of books… yours will need to stick out.

3. Self-Publishing is possible and completely changing the way books are written. I've always dreamt of writing a book – of leaving something of myself for future generations. Only a few years ago, this would have required a formal book proposal, a literary agent, and a traditional publishing house. But the Internet has completely changed the rules. Today, anybody with passion, the gift of writing, and an idea can publish a book. And can make it available in the world's biggest bookstores. To learn more, listen to this interview with Leo Babauta and Seth Godin.

4. Build your platform first. I call it a "platform," Seth Godin calls them "tribes." But the thought is always the same. Self-publishing requires a platform for launching. Without a platform, launches fail. Writers can try… but the chances of successfully selling a book without readers are just too slim to put in the effort. Readers want to see your writing for free before they offer the investment of their money and time into your book. So start a blog. Build a platform. You can start today without a book. Know that offering a book without a platform will almost always fail. And practice patience instead.

5. But utilize existing marketplaces too. For the past 20 months, Simplify has been offered solely on this website. And it's done well, selling 3,000+ copies during that time. The readers of this blog have been generous in supporting my work – and with over 11,000+ subscribers, there have been a large number available to offer support. But Amazon.com has 615 million visitors each year! People are hanging out on Amazon for the sole purpose of buying books. It's foolish not to utilize their existing market. Start with your platform, but don't forget other platforms in the process. Plus, as Karol Gajda told me, "Amazon is a great seller."

6. Solve problems. People want to be inspired, helped, educated, and entertained. Make sure your book accomplishes one of those things. Surely one of the reasons Simplify became so popular is that it solves the problem of clutter in an easy-to-read, manageable, and inspiring way. Most people living in the first-world are drowning in their stuff, and their debt, and their passion to possess. Simplify brings relief. It offers a new way to live life centered on heart passions and values. It inspires the reader and offers specific advice for the journey. In short, it solves a problem. So should you.

7. Get comfortable with self-promotion. I sent out far more self-promotional Tweets, Facebook messages, and e-mails over the past two weeks than ever before. And to be honest, at times, it was really uncomfortable. I even deleted a number of them before hitting send. Self-promotion has never been easy for me. I prefer to just sit back and *hope* that people will find me rather than marketing myself to others. But by its very definition, self-publishing requires self-promotion. So you'll need to get used to it. Here's a helpful hint: create something of value worth sharing. Then your self-promotion isn't just about you… it's also about helping other people.

8. Pay for help. For 20 months ago, Simplify was only offered through this website for two reasons: 1) I didn't understand the value of utilizing existing markets; and 2) I didn't know how to utilize other markets. I had done enough research into selling on Amazon that I knew it required a certain file format formatted in a specific way… and that was enough for me to not pursue it… until good help was recommended to me. Paying for help is always about the proper allocation of resources. If your time can be better spent writing the book or building the platform than it would be figuring out Kindle file formats, pay for the help. I recommend Chris.

9. The Internet sorts itself out. Whenever I am approached by bloggers asking for help about blogging and/or self-publishing, I typically offer the same advice, "Work hard. Don't take shortcuts. Write a quality book. The Internet is really good about sorting itself out. Good products rise to the top while sub-par products fall to the wayside." The Internet has become very efficient at policing itself – it had to. It simply wouldn't survive without developing that mechanism. In a world where anyone with a computer and Internet connection can create a product, the Internet has become an expert at finding the best and discarding the rest. Everyone gets a chance, but you've got to put in the effort to truly thrive.

10. Digital publishing is still free and always will be. Printing books costs money. Shipping books costs money. Storing books costs money. Digital books are still entirely free (minus a few small design, formatting, and editing fees). But I could offer my books for $0.99 only because there was no expense in printing, housing, and delivering them. It eliminates tons of effort/outlay on my end, keeps the book amazingly affordable for buyers, and saves a few trees along the way. I have been asked numerous times since the launch if the book would be made available in physical form and my answer is always the same, "There are no plans to that end. Things may change. But at this point, it's only available in digital formats." And I make no apologies when giving that answer.

11. Getting to be #1 doesn't take as many sales as you might think. Since launching on Amazon, Simplify has sold 6,000+ copies (doubling its number of sales for its previous 20 months). Add in the book sales for Inside-Out Simplicity and total sales reach over 8,000. Authors tell me that 6,000 book sales in 12 days is quite impressive. I believe them. I'm personally overwhelmed at the fact that the book has sold 500 copies/day for the past two weeks. But I was still incredibly surprised to see it trending so high on Amazon charts. Without any research going into the project, I would have guessed the required numbers to rank this high would be in the thousands/day. But I stand joyfully corrected.

12. Amazon chart positions don't change all that much at home. Home is still home – trending on Amazon hasn't changed my life all that much. I still go to work everyday. My kids still get sick. The garbage still needs to go out. And "check engine" lights still pop on. My kids don't care that their dad is trending on Amazon… they still just want someone to play UNO with them. And as pleased as my wife is with the book's success… her needs have not changed either: she still needs someone to talk to, be committed to her, and live life with her. And to be honest, I'm kinda glad… cause I still need all those things too.

***

Simplify is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble , and Smashwords for $2.99. It's still a great price for a great book that will revolutionize the way you live your life.

Inside-Out Simplicity is also available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords for $2.99. Its content is deep, rich, engaging, and thought-provoking.

An Opportunity to Say Thanks (the Writing of a #1 Amazon Best Seller)

One week ago, our book, Simplify, debuted on Amazon for the Kindle. By the end of the day, it had become the #1 Best Selling Self-Help book on Amazon – not just the #1 digital download, but the actual #1 book (hardcover, paperback, or digital). Interestingly enough, it had also become the #1 Best Selling book in the Spirituality Category as well.

For the past 8 days, it hasn't moved from that top spot. For over one week, it has been the Best Selling Self-Help book on Amazon… beating out some pretty well-known authors in the process. At one point, it was even the #11 Best Selling Nonfiction download on Amazon outselling books by Darrell Hammond, Chris Mathews, Regis Philbin, and Bill Clinton.

Last night, I was reading with my son in our living room. (Coincidentally, he just so happened to be reading the #1 Best Selling Book on all of Amazon at the time: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever). When my wife returned home, in her hand was a copy of the most recent Green Living Magazine sporting a large picture of Dr. Andrew Weil on the cover. My 9-year old son turned to me and said, "Look dad, it's a picture of the guy who is in second place on that book list you keep looking up." He was correct: I do keep looking up the list.

But more significantly, Dr. Weil's book, Spontaneous Happiness, has indeed been second place in the Self-Help category most of the past week. At that point, my son turned to me again with a puzzled look on his face and asked, "How come you're in first place if he's famous and gets to be on magazine covers and stuff?" I replied, "That's a great question. To be honest, I have no idea. I'm not really sure how all of this has happened. I think I'm just getting kinda lucky. Oh, and I have some really great friends online who have helped me get here."

And that's the truth. This book's success has little to do with me. I had no business plan or marketing strategy. I have a book that strikes a chord with people and gives them permission to get off the life-draining treadmill of consumerism. I have a blog with a few thousand subscribers. I have some good friends online willing to help me. And that has proven to be enough.

As I began to reflect on that fact and the overwhelming nature of this past week, it seemed that now would be an appropriate time to thank some of those people who have made this book's success possible…

So, starting from the very beginning, a heart-felt thank you to the men and women who have contributed to a #1 Amazon Best-Seller:

___Thanks to June - my neighbor in Vermont who first introduced me to the idea of minimalism over Memorial Day weekend, 2008. Thanks also to her daughter who was living out a minimalist life and modeling it for her.

___Thanks to Leo Babauta who wrote the first article that I read online about the lifestyle. Its first paragraph alone was enough to sell me on the importance of the journey for my life.

___Thanks to Josh Griffin who originally introduced me to WordPress. It was also his blog that shaped much of my blogging strategy in the early days of writing.

___Thanks to the early commenters on this blog who gave me reassurance that this was a story worth sharing and encouraged me along in the journey.

___Thanks to Mandi Ehman who invited me to my first guest post opportunity – that invitation continued to shape my hope that this story may indeed inspire others outside my immediate relationships.

___Thanks to Everett Bogue for writing the ebook that inspired me to write Simplify. I learned most of my second-generation blogging strategy by watching him. He was also the one that inspired me to join Twitter - which has subsequently led to countless online relationships with fellow bloggers.

___Thanks to my wife and children for allowing their dad to spend his evenings and days off completing the book. Thanks to Martha B. and Jana B. for slowly and meticulously editing the first drafts of the book. Also, thanks to Nick K. in Omaha, NE for launching my speaking career shortly after the book's launch.

___Thanks to the early affiliates/reviews/interviews associated with Simplify's launch. Some of the interviews that still stick out to me include: Naomi Seldin Ramirez, Jonathan Blundell, and Tanna Clark.

___Again, thanks to Leo Babauta who invited me to write a guest post for his blog, Zen Habits. Writing for the #1 Blog in the World (as determined by Time Magazine) brought increased traffic, notoriety, and confidence. Also, his positive review of Simplify brought countless more traffic to Becoming Minimalist.

___Thanks to Karol Gajda who re-introduced me to the idea of publishing Simplify on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

___Thanks to Courtney Carver for introducing me to Chris O' Byrne who would eventually reformat Simplify for the Kindle. He was a pleasure to work with throughout the entire process walking me through each step. His high esteem was cemented in my mind when late in the reformatting process, I apologetically asked him to make a last-minute change. His response: "Don't apologize. This is your book. I want it to be exactly the way you want it to be." Golden.

___Thanks to Deb at Red Willow Design Studio for the beautiful new cover art.

The book launched. I wrote a post to notify my readers. And then I waited…

___Over the course of the next 24-48 hours, countless online friends began spreading the word. The book was soon tweeted on Twitter, shared on Facebook, and +1′d on Google Plus. I have countless (even unknown) people to thank for spreading the word so extensively that this book would immediately climb the charts in the manner that it did. Some of the people that immediately come to mind include Joshua Milburn, Adam Baker, Corbett Barr, Chris Guillebeau, , Colin Wright, Amy Bowman, Colin Ryan, Tammy Strobel, Laura Wittmann, Francine Jay, and Corey Allen. Needless to say, there are far more that need to be thanked… you know who you are. Thank you.

___But most of all, thank you to the readers of Becoming Minimalist. Thank you for purchasing the book, supporting the work, and spreading the word. You are among the most faithful, encouraging readers on the Internet today. I know it to be true – and so do other bloggers. Know that you mean far more to me than mere statistics.

You encourage me, challenge me, and motivate me as a writer and as a person. Thank you for changing me and shaping my life. You've made this ride far more enjoyable than I could have ever imagined.

***

Through Sunday, November 20, Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter their Home and Life will remain priced at $0.99 on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. You can support the work by buying the book, leaving a review, or spreading the word. On Monday, the price of the book will increase to $2.99. Additionally, our second-book, Inside-Out Simplicity, is also available for only $0.99 on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords through this weekend. So download your copy today. And thank you in advance.

Simplify / Inside-Out Simplicity Debut on Amazon

"He who does not expect a million readers should not write a line." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe.

In February, 2010, we released a book, Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life. In some ways, it recounted our story. In other ways, it provided the inspiration and practical help to encourage others to simplify their home and minimize their possessions. Ultimately, it argues that you'll find more life when you intentionally choose to reduce your possessions. You'll find more time, energy, and finances to pursue your greatest passions. And love the freedom that comes from owning less.

It was immediately met with great acceptance around the Internet. Leo Babauta called it "a must-read." Naomi Seldin at The Times Union in Albany, NY 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 in Tennessee wrote, "I absolutely love Simplify! It is a simple, straightforward guide to simplifying your life and brings new light to the term minimalist." Courtney Carver at Be More with Less listed it among her favorite books on the topic. Eventually, 300 other bloggers began promoting our book to their readers and followers. Over the past 20 months, it has sold over 3,500 copies.

And today, for the first time, it has finally become available on Amazon. To celebrate its long-awaited arrival, we've priced the book at only $0.99 for the next ten days. This is a win-win situation. It allows you to own the book for the cheapest price it has ever been offered. And it helps us generate interest, sales, and reviews. In other words, it helps launch the book properly. It's a win-win proposition. But after ten days, the price will increase.

I hope you'll consider purchasing a copy today. If you are among the 3,000+ that have already read it, we encourage you to leave a review on Amazon – these will be helpful to future buyers. Thanks in advance.

Where to find Simplify: Amazon (Kindle), Barnes and Noble (Nook), and Smashwords (other devices).

___

Six months later, in August of 2010, we released our second book, Inside-Out Simplicity. If Simplify was written to provide the practical help and inspiration to encourage others to journey down the road of living with less, Inside-Out Simplicity represents the accompanying journey inward. It is a book that dares to tackle the weightiest topics of life. It offers its readers an inside-out approach to the simplified life. It recognizes the fact that simplicity is a state of the heart. And it provides the practical advice to find it there.

Again, it has become beloved among simplicity and minimalist bloggers around the Internet. It's been called, "the best e-book I've ever read," "excellent," "and "not just an endless list of external to-dos. Rather, it explores and uncovers what it takes to transform our very being—the essence of who we are on the inside."

It is to be digested slowly – even revisited. It promotes generosity, honesty, forgiveness, and contentment. It provides the blueprint for a life lived with no regrets. And it offers practical encouragement to realize it fully in your life.

And again, for the first time, it makes its debut today on Amazon. Inside-Out Simplicity has always been priced higher than Simplify – not just because the book is longer, but because of its content. Although it has been purchased over 1,500 times, it was never written to be sold to the masses. Instead, it was written for those who value the journey within and are willing to make the necessary investment. However, for the same reasons listed above – and for the next ten days only – it will also be offered for only $0.99. After ten days, the price will increase.

Where to find Inside-Out Simplicity: Amazon (Kindle), Barnes and Noble (Nook), and Smashwords (other devices).

___

This is an exciting week for us at Becoming Minimalist. Up until today, these books have been sold exclusively on this site. But we look forward to introducing them to a whole new audience of people. You can help us by purchasing a book, writing a review, or sharing these titles via Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.

Thank you so much. You've made this crazy ride incredibly enjoyable.

7 Ways to Prepare for a New Baby Without Shopping

Editor's Note: The following is a guest post by Rachel Jonat. She blogs at The Minimalist Mom and has recently released a new ebook: The Minimalist Mom's Guide to Baby's First Year. 

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for." – Anonymous

Sleep deprived new parents are an easy target for marketers. I know: I was recently a new parent myself. In the early months I bought into the idea that a musical sea horse could soothe my son to sleep better than I could. They were empty promises and, before finding minimalism, my home was filled to the brim with baby items (most of them unused).

What I've learned since then is that the best thing you can do for yourself, and your new baby, is to slow down. The best way to prepare for a new baby is not with an afternoon of shopping or obsessing over paint samples for the nursery. The best way to prepare for a new baby is to build a community, unburden your schedule and most of all, relax.

Here are seven ways to prepare for a new baby. No shopping required.

1. Slow down – Soon enough your days and nights will be turned upside down. The weeks and months leading up to the arrival of a new baby shouldn't be filled with long to-do lists. This is not a time to start a home renovation, move houses or overburden your schedule. It's a time for long walks, sleeping in and spending time with loved ones.

2. Build a community, not a registry list – Your neighbor with four grown children or your new friend from a childbirth class will be more help to you when your baby arrives than any battery operated baby soothing device. Fill your life with friendships and forget about filling closets and rooms with baby paraphernalia.

3. Relax – Let go of the need for perfection. The nursery details, the accent pillows and wall murals, won't be noticed as you rock your baby to sleep in the dark. The little life that is joining your family won't care if her socks don't match her outfit, but she will care that your arms are steady and your voice is soothing.

4. Spend more time selecting your healthcare providers than shopping for a stroller – This goes for your Obstetrician, Midwife, Pediatrician and anyone else involved in your care. Rather than asking your friends what's in their diaper bag, ask them about their experience as a patient. Ask them about their child's doctor, their time at a hospital or birthing center and if they recommend their Obstetrician or Midwife.

5. Sleep – Yes, you'll get a lot of advice from other parents to sleep now because you're about to lose anything close to a normal sleep pattern. And while it's great advice, you should think of prioritizing sleep as not just about 'stocking up' but about creating a new habit. If you're expecting a new baby you should get into the habit of catching sleep when you can. Work on your napping skills and make sleep in a priority.

6. Borrow, don't buy – The first year of a child's life is filled with rapid growth and changes. What amused and delighted your three month old may be of no use just a few weeks later. Whenever possible borrow any needed items from family and friends. Most people are only too happy to find a home for their unused bassinets, play mats and booster seats.

7. Give – A strong element of building a community, and a supportive circle of friends and family, is giving. Give your time, give your attention and give whatever goods and financial contributions you can. Lend your ear to a friend in need, bring a meal to a family when their new baby arrives and give what you can. Give without expectation. Give because it feels good. Give because you can.

***

Rachel's new book, The Minimalist Mom's Guide to Baby's First Year, is well-written and highly-practical. I have read it, enjoyed it, and used it in research for speaking engagements. If you are a new or expecting parent hoping to find more peace and simplicity in your life, this book can help you. Additionally, if you desire to inspire others to live with less, the book will help you provide clear answers for new parents.

51 Untruths I've Learned From Television

When I was younger I loved courtroom dramas on television. I'd love the suspense, the case-solving discovery by the local policeman, or the surprise witness in the back of the courtroom. It would wrap up neatly in 60 minutes time with the evil party receiving the punishment they deserved. When I got older, I was surprised to discover that real-life courtrooms look very different from Hollywood courtrooms. There are no surprise witnesses called to the stand from the back row of the courtroom or smoking guns found the night before a defendant takes the stand. Hollywood has changed the scene to create better drama and television.

But this is not uncommon for television to shift our view off reality.

Consider these other 51 Untruths That I've Learned From Television.

Law enforcement departments hate working together. Someone will always pull rank or jurisdiction.
Dumpsters prove to be amazingly soft landing zones.
Good guys always win in the end.
Everyone in America lives in a 30′ X 30′ bedroom.
It is entirely normal for groups of complete strangers to spontaneously burst into perfectly choreographed but entirely random song and dance.
Bad guys have terrible aim.
The best chefs cook with exact ingredient portions stored in glass bowls.
Most police forces and hospital staffs are full of sexual tension.
Families typically sit on just three sides of the table.
Republicans and Democrats never, ever work together.
Most arguments can be quickly settled by delivering a really big kiss on the mouth.
Chicks fall head-over-heels for guys who use the right deodorant or hair product.
This week's sporting event is absolutely going to be the biggest game of the Century.
Promiscuous sex has incredibly few negative side affects.
Cars always stay clean, turn sharp, and start on the first try.
Homicides are far more entertaining than you'd think.
Reality TV stars live a far different 'reality' than I do.
Ventilation systems prove to be great hiding spots.
A better credit card is the best answer to my personal debt crisis.
Explosions look spectacular, but rarely cause harm to actual persons.
When you've gotten the information that you need from a phone conversation, you can just hang up without saying goodbye and nobody seems to mind.
Parties are always better with Coca-Cola, Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper.
Babies are born the size of 5-month old infants.
Heartbroken girlfriends always return to the place you first met.
Kids will play all day long with plastic toys… especially ones modeled after TV characters.
Fast food restaurants are typically full of slender, attractive patrons.
The best way to get work done in the office late at night is to order pizza.
The more blades on my razor, the more often my wife will caress my face in the bathroom.
The newest kitchen gadgets will automatically improve my cooking.
If you aren't seeing cars fly off cliffs, you're not looking hard enough…cause there's apparently a lot of 'em.
You won't get in trouble if you are sincere about your intentions.
Any woman running for her life in high heels never thinks to take them off.
Cars and trucks that crash will almost always burst into flames.
Broken families are more comical than tragic.
My friends and I can always meet at the same restaurant and get the exact same table.
The older brother is always unintelligent… just like his dad, while the youngest child is always the cutest.
Television can teach my children the A-B-C's better than me.
While running for your life, there is always time for a romantic moment.
Lawyers always have a surprise witness up their sleeve that nobody in the courtroom knows about.
It's apparently not awkward for 1 guy to be dating 25 women living in the same house.
This current bill being debated in Congress will ruin our country forever.
Alcohol only improves life… never ruins it.
Villains love explaining their detailed plans to heroes caught in traps.
Your health problems can be easily cured with new prescription medication.
New cars are totally worth the investment.
During the day, it almost always rains in cemeteries.
Back taxes are apparently pretty easy to get out of… if you just call the right people.
Rich people have more fun.
My teeth would be whiter if I switched toothpaste.
Non-married couples have better sex.
This next purchase will make me happier.

Perhaps courtrooms are not the only examples of television misrepresenting reality… perhaps it has been shifting our view of reality all along… and perhaps these untruths have been affecting our lives far more than we'd like to admit.

Perhaps their greatest success is making us believe it's just harmless entertainment.

Learning to Consider Gratitude a Discipline

"Be intent upon the perfection of the present day." - William Law.

Thankfulness absolutely matters.

Consider for just a moment the benefits of a thankful heart:

A thankful heart breeds contentment. It appreciates the many gifts of life itself.
A thankful heart promotes optimism. Optimism leads to enthusiasm and determination.
A thankful heart brings healthy attentiveness. It finds time to slow down and count blessings.
A thankful heart shifts the focus of attention from ourselves to others. It understands that our lives have been enriched by them.
A thankful heart is more likely to help others. It humbly realizes it has benefited from others and as a result, is more apt to notice needs.
A thankful heart attracts generous people and faithful friends.
Studies have found that gratitude results in better physical health and mental awareness.
Gratitude heightens enjoyment of the good seasons of life. And provides strength to make it through the difficult ones.

Unfortunately, gratitude can often be very finicky. There are seasons of life where gratitude is easy. When your home is warm… when you are eating a delicious meal… when your child's report card is impressive… when everything is lining up exactly as you envisioned, it's really easy to be thankful.

But other times, it remains elusive. When the storms of life hit – as they always do – thankfulness doesn't come so quickly. It's hard to be thankful when your world is crashing down. And yet, those are the days that we most need it… those are the seasons of life when its strength, optimism, and perspective carry us through. But when thankfulness is most needed, it is often the most distant.

This reality is because we have mistakenly begun to consider gratitude an emotion of the heart – as just another response to our circumstance. When things are going well, it's easy to respond with a thankful heart. But in the seasons where it is most needed, thankfulness never even enters our mind.

We would fare far better if we learned to consider gratitude a discipline of the heart – one that requires attention and consistent practice. It requires practice when it's easy and even more practice when it's difficult. And the more we train ourselves to that end, the more we are able to access it when we most require it.

Some helpful thoughts to spur us on in this new discipline of the heart may include scheduling 5-minute periods of thoughtful thanksgiving each day, intentionally finding gratitude in simple joys, reflecting on the past (particularly if your current season of life is a stormy one), keeping a gratitude journal (on-paper or on-line), expressing thankfulness during life's little inconveniences (red lights, doctor waits), or seeking the perfection of each day.

It can become a truly life-altering designation. Gratitude is a discipline, not an emotion.

Tying Our Hearts to the Right Things

"A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination." – Nelson Mandela

For most of my life, I have lived under the impression that my actions will follow my heart – that the things I valued the most would be reflected by my life investment. That is, my money, time, energy, and mindfulness would be directed towards the things I valued most.

All while there is still some truth in that statement, over the past few years of pursuing minimalism, I have begun to notice that the inverse is also true. That my heart appears naturally drawn to the places where I have invested most – not that my investment follows my heart, but that my heart tends to follow my investment.

This principle was profoundly etched in my mind the day my family went grocery shopping and left the store to find a fresh, large, white scrape across the passenger side of our maroon mini-van. The mini-van was far from new. Yet, there was an immediate pit that emerged in my stomach over the wrong that had been committed. The driver kindly left us with no insurance or contact information… just a large noticeable scrape down the side of our vehicle. The distress was strengthened by the fact that we both knew I was far too cheap to get it repaired. The unsightly scratch would likely remain over the course of the van's life.

As we drove away from the store in silence, I began to reflect on the scratch and more importantly, how the incident brought about such a gut level response. I found it interesting to consider the fact that if this same scrape had been left on my bicycle or my son's skateboard, I would not have been nearly upset. And I couldn't help but wonder why that was the case. Why did the action cut so deep into my stomach and heart?

And it occurred to me, I was so upset because our vehicle was such a large investment. I had invested money, time, and care into it. I wouldn't mind if my son's skateboard got a new scratch because… well, I didn't have nearly as much invested into it. But my vehicle was a huge investment and because of that, my heart naturally gravitated toward it.

Our heart will always follow our greatest investments – whether it be our car, our house, our career, or our investment portfolio. We literally tie our hearts to certain things by the sheer amount of investment we put into them. And too many of us are tying our hearts to the wrong things. We are devoting our lives and tying our hearts to material possessions that will never last or bring us true joy. Lasting fulfillment can never be tied to things that are temporal by nature.

Instead, we ought to invest our money, time, and lives into things that are truly important. Invest into your family, your friends, or the causes that you believe in. And as you do, you'll notice your heart naturally begins to be drawn to them more and more.

The spell of materialism can be hard to break. As long as we live on earth surrounded by material possessions, keeping them in proper perspective is going to be a struggle. But we can begin to break its fascination in our lives by reminding ourselves that we are investing more than our dollars into them. We are tying our very hearts to them as well.

33 Proven Ways to Reduce Personal Debt

Editor's Note: When I heard that my friends Gina and Josh Masters had recently paid off $66,000 in debt and had made a list of the 33 lifestyle changes they had incorporated to accomplish it, I asked if I could use it as a guest post. They humbly agreed. And this is the result:

"Live like no one else now… so that you can live like no one else later!" - Dave Ramsey

Three years ago, my husband and I found ourselves drowning in debt – $80,000.00 to be exact (and that's not even counting the mortgage). Around that time, coincidentally, our church began offering a financial program called Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. We spent the last $100 from that pay period to sign up. And the rest, they say, is history (or at least, most of our debt is now history).

As I write this, over the past three years, we have paid off $66,000.00 in personal debt. No magic, no quick fixes, no debt consolidation, or bankruptcy filing. Just persistent sacrifice. We have saved ourselves from financial destitution by making a number of simple, small changes in our lives.

Recently, my husband and I sat down to make a list of every change we had made hoping that it would encourage others. When we finished, we reviewed the list and were surprised at how simple it looked. Yet, all of these ideas – put into practice over a period of time – have almost completely wiped out our personal debt. They are tried. They are true. And best of all, simple enough for anyone.

Making Cents of the Dollars 

33 Proven ideas to make your budget work and get your Debt under control:

Re-shop auto, home and life insurance to see if you can bring down your payments.
Downgrade your cable package, or get rid of it entirely.
Disconnect your home phone if you have adequate cell service at your home. Or downgrade to a cheaper package.
Buy and sell clothes at your local consignment or shop at Goodwill.
Have a massive garage sale. (If you'd rather be out of debt than have an item, choose to sell it to help you get you there.)
Advertise higher quality items on Craigslist, Facebook, or your local newspaper to get better prices.
Focus on buying mostly sale items at grocery store or generic brands to reduce your cost.
Use a grocery store awards program to earn money off gas.
Cancel unnecessary expenses like magazine subscriptions, newspapers, manicures, pedicures etc. Anything that could be considered a "want" instead of a "need" should go until you are out of debt or greatly decrease your debt.
Go to the matinee movies instead of paying full price (and skip the concessions).
Or better yet, use the Red Box for at-home movie entertainment.
Get temporary work or seasonal part time work to boost your income.
Read books from the library or take a few trips to Barnes & Noble to complete a book.
Buy your most expensive groceries in bulk at Coscto: meats, breads, cheese, produce, paper products. Establish a monthly grocery budget for the additional needs at regular grocery stores.
When eating out, skip the soft drinks and stick with water. Skip the extras too (dessert, etc.).
When eating out, share a large entrée or have small appetizers instead of the costly meal.
Plan your errands more efficiently to conserve gas.
Find friends that you can trade services with…haircutting, handyman, photography, babysitting, pet-sitting.
Give home-made gifts, baked goods, or service IOU's rather than expensive presents.
Boxed cereals are expensive; switch to oatmeal, eggs or fruit for more nutritional and financial bang.
Call the utility companies and get on a budget plan to give you more consistency with expenses each month.
Set a spending limit with family at Christmas and/or draw names.
Use exercise videos, walking or hiking instead of paying for the gym.
If your haircut is too expensive, find a less expensive stylist or see if your hairdresser will cut you a break on price temporarily – ours did.
Say "no" to hosting and/or attending in-home parties where you feel pressure to purchase.
Does your family live nearby? Once a week dinners with mom or dad saved us a meal out of our shopping budget. Additionally, it usually led to leftovers and our parents looked forward to our visit each week.
Make your coffee at home instead of buying it each day.
Pack your lunch – not once a week, but regularly.
Make extra dinner servings on purpose to have leftovers for lunch.
Our dentist advised us we could skip the fluoride treatments if we were using a daily dental rinse – which we did… and bought on sale.
Program your thermostat for savings on heating/cooling when you're not at home.
Tempted by certain retail stores? While digging out of debt, avoid window shopping these places where you've failed to control your impulses before.
Give**.

Many may say, "What? I need my manicure!" or "My kids will only eat box cereals!" But trust me. If you are serious about climbing out of debt and changing your life, the only thing you need is a roof over your head, clothes on your back and gas to get to work to bust your way out of this.

Plus, take comfort in knowing that you don't need to eliminate these things forever. Personally, I look forward to hiring back our housekeeper and treating myself to a few pedicures next summer. But until we are debt free and have a fully funded emergency fund, we'll be focusing on using the dollars we bring into our home to set us up for a lifetime of success.

**Many wonder about Number 33 (Give) because it seem counter intuitive to most of us. One thing we never stopped doing – even in the worst of times – was giving. We always gave money to our church, our favorite charities, and foundations that we believe in. It's easy to say "I can't give. It's not in my budget." But if we're looking for a lifetime of success and influence – not just the latest gadget or status symbol – how can we afford not to give? Giving reminds us that we can live for a purpose greater than this world and all the temporary treasures it offers. It helps keep everything else in perspective. So pick and choose from our list above – do one or two or everything on the list – but don't leave out number 33. We can attest from firsthand experience, it will radically transform your life!