Joshua Becker's Blog, page 59

We’re All Realizing Life Is Not Found in Material Possessions

Retail sales were down 16% last month. The largest monthly drop on record.

To put that into context, the largest recorded single month decrease prior to April was a record 8.7%. In March of this year.

Two months in a row of record-setting drops in retail sales.

People are shopping less and less—and we’re all learning that life continues without it.

Looking deeper in the numbers: Clothing stores took the biggest hit with a 78.8% tumble in sales. Other big losers were electronics and appliances (60.6% decline), furniture and home furnishing (58.7% drop), and sporting goods (down 38%). Source

In other words, nonessential consumer goods are not being purchased. And yet, for most of us, life continues.

Oh, there may be some people that miss shopping and wish their weekend could be spent at the mall, but I get the feeling that “digging through clearance racks” is not the top item on most peoples’ to-do list when shelter-in-place guidelines are lifted.

Because we are all realizing that life is not found in an abundance of material possessions.

Retail shopping is not needed for our survival. Of course, it never was. But it has been helpful to be reminded of that fact.

Given the reality that most of our homes are filled with more possessions than at any point in human history (even after 2 months of stores being closed), buying stuff from the store is no longer about survival for most of us.

Shopping for clothes, electronics, or sporting goods is not a matter of life-or-death. We’re all learning that—or at least we should be.

But I think we are learning an even more important lesson.

We’re also learning that excess physical possessions is not where quality of life is found either.

I recently asked a group of random strangers on Twitter, “What are you most looking forward to doing when shelter-in-place guidelines are lifted?”

Among the answers, nobody replied “shopping.”

Instead, people want to hang out with friends, see loved ones, take their family out for dinner, attend concerts, use the parks, hit the gym, or go out to enjoy ice cream.

And I think that’s the point. When it comes to recognizing what activities contribute to quality of life, accumulating physical stuff pales in comparison to the actual life-giving pursuits we are being forced to go without.

We’re all learning this aren’t we? That nobody is missing material things.

We miss hugging our grandparents, sharing experiences with friends, social gatherings, intimate conversations, and meeting new people.

That is where life is found.

In relationships with other people.

Not in material possessions.

Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

There’s more to life than buying stuff.

There are many wonderful people pursuing and promoting simplicity. Fortunately, some of them are gifted in communication and choose to encourage and inspire us with their words. I enjoy reading their unique perspective. I’m sure you will too.

So fix yourself a cup of coffee or tea on this beautiful weekend. Find a quiet moment. And enjoy some encouraging words about finding more simplicity in your life today.

30 Things Your Home Doesn’t Really Need | Domino by Anna Kocharian and Lydia Geisel. We doubt your excessive tote bag collection or rubber band–filled junk drawer is offering you much.

Turks Turn to Minimalism as Result of Coronavirus Lockdown | Daily Sabah by Anadolu Agency. So many people have learned that the things we possess are not our purpose, but rather our tools.

To Make Yourself Calmer and Happier, Try Grounding Yourself in Your Body. | Gretchen Rubin by Gretchen Rubin. One great way to calm ourselves is to get grounded in our bodies, through our five senses.

Rising with a New Routine | No Sidebar by Heather Aardema. If you’ve been hearing the same voice saying that you should or shouldn’t do something, just because you always have done it or not, it’s okay to ignore it.

5 Tips to Reduce Screen Time While You’re WFH | Harvard Business Review by Elizabeth Grace Saunders. When it’s possible to go back to more in-person communications, it will be a wonderful relief. But in the immediate term, these strategies can help you counter the load and reduce digital fatigue.

You Are More Than a Consumer | Becoming Minimalist on YouTube.

Staying Minimalist is Different Than Becoming Minimalist

So you’ve done it, you’ve decluttered your home and minimized your life. It feels great!

But now what? Once you’ve reached your downsizing goals, how do you keep from filling your home back up with more stuff?

It’s important to have a game plan for maintaining your achievement. I recently recorded a video with some ideas and thought maybe you’d like hearing my voice.

The best way to stay minimalist requires us to embrace clutterfree habits and overcome consumerism. So here are my thoughts on doing that well:

Actually, I’ve professionally recorded over 75 free videos about minimalism and living your best, most intentional life. To see more, visit Becoming Minimalist on YouTube.

Change Your Visuals. Change Your Habits.

I bought some almonds over the weekend. I especially like those Wasabi Soy Sauce almonds from Blue Diamond, so I bought a jar. Not a big deal, just a little snack.

Except that I did something unusual with this jar of almonds. I left them out on my counter—right in front of where I like to write.

And guess what? I can’t stop eating them. Every time I look up from my computer, there they are. So I walk over to grab a few… every couple sentences. I’ve gone months without eating almonds, but now, all of a sudden, I can’t seem to stop.

I see them and I want them—almost intuitively.

This is not a phenomenon unique to me (or almonds).

In fact, there is a lot of research supporting this hypothesis that the visuals in our environment impact our behavior.

The things we see affect our habits.

Here is some of the research:

What’s on your countertop might predict your weightFor some, out-of-sight cigarettes really might be out of mindWant to Change Your Habits? Change Your EnvironmentHow YouTube is Addictive — Recommendation Systems & its Impacts

From food and cigarettes to work and social media, the items in our field of vision influence us—every minute of every day.

Of course, in this reality of human nature, there is opportunity.

If we change our visuals, we can change our habits.

Changing our environment is one of the easiest and most significant steps we can take to change our habits.

Want to eat less junk food? Remove it from your pantry and your countertop.

Want to watch less television? Remove your large screen from your living room or bedroom.

Want to play fewer video games? Remove your console.

Want to waste less time on your phone? Remove your time-wasting apps. Or better yet, put your phone away in a drawer when you get home.

Want to shop less? Unsubscribe from email newsletters or throw away junk mail before it enters your home.

Want to be less distracted at work? Remove those physical objects that are the cause of distraction.

Want to spend less money eating out? Take a different route home—away from all the restaurants.

From home and office to the work that we do, the physical items around us have a significant impact on habits. Remove those that do not contribute to your best life.

Does removing items from our field of vision solve all our problems and immediately result in a more disciplined, meaningful life? Of course not.

We still need to replace unhealthy habits with healthy habits. But this can also be accomplished by placing healthy visuals in front of us.

Life change is never easy. But there are some steps we can take to bring it about easier.

Changing our visuals is one of them.

Now, excuse me, while I go grab another almond.

Becoming Essential

As I sit to write these words, 34 million Americans have become unemployed over the last 7 weeks—that’s 1 in every 5 workers.

Such pain, heartache, anxiety… I am so sorry for each of you.

Along the way, a new conversation began emerging in public discourse and policy: essential workers and non-essential workers.

Who is an essential worker and who is a non-essential worker? Which businesses and industries are essential and which are not?

Medical experts and political leaders debated these phrases in countless communities around the world—often times arriving at drastically different conclusions.

Regardless of how they ended classifying work in their jurisdiction, “essential” workers were allowed to continue, “non-essential” were asked to stay home.

I fear the fall-out from this type of designation and how “essential” workers have been heralded and praised in every community, while many “nonessential” workers have lost their livelihood at these seemingly arbitrary designations. In some cases, the work being accomplished was identical.

Let me offer some thoughts if you are hurting.

First of all, if you are an essential worker and have been putting yourself out there for our society, thank you. If you have been stocking shelves, driving trucks, packing food, or responding first, thank you for the incredibly hard work and extra hours you have been putting in over the last 7-8 weeks.

But equally important, if your work or business has been classified as nonessential, please know your work is essential to us—even if not classified as such by some.

In almost every case, your work is needed, your talent is appreciated, and your dedication to serving others is required for all of us. Your work, by definition, makes us a better people and a better society. You are essential. And I hope you are back to work soon.

If you think the rush for toilet paper was bad, wait until 300 million Americans try to schedule a haircut at the same time.

And lastly, please know, your work may have been deemed nonessential, but your life is not. You are essential to somebody, every day.

So make the most of every opportunity:

Care for your body and health.Love your spouse.Spend time with your children.Call your neighbors and friends and extended family.Serve the less fortunate.Foster your faith.Offer hope and life to everyone you see.

Live your life with intention and purpose.

You are important. You are essential to someone. And no one can take that away from you.

Learning to Let Go Of Your To-Do List

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Rose Lounsbury.

When I started my simplicity coaching business five years ago, one of my first speaking gigs involved talking to Girl Scouts about home organization. I developed a presentation called “How to Be An Organized Kid,” where I taught the two steps of being organized: 

Step 1 – Minimize!Step 2 – Organize!

I remember those cute little Girl Scouts, stepping along in place with me as we shouted out the steps.

As I’ve transitioned from focusing on decluttering my home to decluttering my life overall (including such slippery concepts as my time), it makes sense that I tried to fall back on my familiar 2-step system:

Step 1 – Minimize!

Step 2 – Organize!

The problem? This doesn’t work as well with time as it does with a cluttered closet. 

I’ve always tried to organize my time. I’ve been a keeper of planners, both digital and paper, my entire life. I can’t go to bed without writing out a to-do list for the next day. I’ve read time management books and consumed copious podcasts on productivity. Heck, I’ve even taught classes on time management!

Why then, do I continue to struggle in this area? Why do I feel like every day is a battle with a never-ending to-do list that, like a zombie army, seems to regenerate each time I kill off one member? 

This bothered me so much that I stopped teaching time management classes. It’s no fun to stand in front of a room and tell people how to manage their time when you feel like you’re barely holding it together. 

But like many problems, this one unraveled itself in the shower. As I contemplated how many more minutes I could legitimately stand under the hot water before getting my kids up the other morning, I realized…

My old system of Step 1: MINIMIZE, followed by Step 2: ORGANIZE, was missing a key 3rd step: LET GO. 

I never included this step when I taught the Girl Scouts because it wasn’t something I struggled with regarding my stuff. I could let go of stuff pretty easily. Old college newspaper articles I wrote? Don’t need ‘em. Too-tight jeans? Into the donation bag. Toys my kids have outgrown? Goodbye. 

But when it comes to my time and commitments… ah, there’s the rub! It’s much harder for me to let go of things I want to do. And here’s why…

For most of my life, I’ve defined myself not by what I own , but by what I accomplish . 

When I was a kid, I remember adults asking me that familiar question: What do you want to be when you grow up? It seemed like “becoming something” was the most important thing I had to figure out to enter the adult world. And I did.

I went to college and became a teacher. A respectable profession. It allowed me to easily answer the adult version of that childhood question, now asked over cocktails at fundraising events and in the present tense: So… what do you do? 

I’ve always pinned my self-worth on doing and thus the more I do, the better I am. 

There’s just one slight problem with that… 

It’s not true. 

My self-worth is not determined by what I do any more than by what I own. 

I’ve just had 38 years of practice looking at it that way. 

So… how does this relate to those Girl Scouts? I can still see them, stamping their feet and shouting: 

Step 1: Minimize!

Step 2: Organize! 

I wish I could go back in time and teach them what they really needed to know:

Step 3: LET GO

Because here’s what I’ve learned… 

I can minimize my commitments. I can say no, I can say I’m too busy, I can flat-out refuse. 

I can organize my time. Give me planners, apps, notebooks, sticky notes, and synced calendars galore. 

But unless I learn to LET GO of the belief that what I do is equal to who I am, none of that matters.

So my task is not to say no more often. And it’s not to organize my time with color codes and time blocks and pinged reminders. 

My task is to realize that who I am is irrelevant to all of that. 

Who I am has always been worthy and valuable and important and no amount of to-do list crossing off can touch it. It’s the unshakable, never-changing, underlying part of me. 

And the only thing worth crossing off my to-do list each day is to simply remember that.  

***

Rose Lounsbury is a minimalism and simplicity coach, speaker, and author of the Amazon bestselling Less: Minimalism for Real. Rose spends her days speaking, writing, coaching her clients and online students to stuff-free freedom. Rose’s advice has been featured in USA Today, and she’s been a guest on Good Day Columbus, NPR, Good Morning Cincinnati, and Living Dayton. You can find her online at RoseLounsbury.com.

Encouraging Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

For the last eight years, I have been compiling and publishing curated articles that inspire simplicity in life. At first, it was an exercise in communicating to Becoming Minimalist readers the most popular articles I sent out on Twitter.

But over the years, it has become more than that. It has become a place where people (every other week) come for a dose of inspiration. And it has become a place to promote and encourage writers around the world who are publishing content about minimalism, simplicity, and intentional living.

I think you will enjoy this collection of articles hand-selected for you this weekend. Grab some coffee, tea, or lemonade and be inspired to live a simpler life today.

Given the fact that many readers are currently sheltering-in-place, I decided to add a few extra articles this week. Figured you might have some extra time…

This Pandemic Is an Opportunity For Radical Simplification | Bloomberg by Andreas Kluth. Our lives and our societies have been getting far too complex. What better time to push the reset button than now?

How to Disarm Internal Triggers of Distractions | Get Pocket by Nir Eyal. Use this 4-step method to handle unwanted thoughts that can derail your focus.

How We Trimmed Our Budget By 50% | Money Saving Mom by Tiffany. Creating a budget early in our marriage completely changed our lives, how we view money, and in turn, how we live.

I Bought Everything I Saw in Instagram Ads for a Month | Wired UK by Esat Dedezade. If there’s one thing I’m taking away from my month of Instagram shopping, and self isolation, it’s the fact there’s simply far too much stuff out there.

Reasons To Escape Excess Consumerism—And How To Do It | Forbes by Joshua Becker. Excessive consumption leads to bigger houses, more expensive cars, trendier clothes, fancier technology, and overfilled drawers. It promises happiness… but never delivers.

The Simple Joy of One | Becoming Minimalist on YouTube

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Uncluttered. If you’re looking for help trying to minimize your possessions, our 12-week course will help you own less, live more, and discover the life you want. Registrations ends this Sunday, May 03. The course begins on Tuesday—over 3,500 people have already signed up for it.

The ‘No Trade’ Declaration Offers Instant Clarity and More Joy to Your Life

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Rachel Macy Stafford of Hands Free Mama.

I used to trade loving goodbyes for on-time morning departures.  

I used to trade vacation days for getting tasks accomplished.  

I used to trade peace for pride… cuddling for career advancement. 

I used to trade authenticity for approval. 

I used to trade my sanity for rapid text message responses. 

I used to trade my family’s emotional well-being for carrying out a well-orchestrated plan. 

I used to trade joy for control… happiness for perfection. 

I used to make a lot of bad trades, trades that did not support a fulfilling and peaceful life. While I don’t make those particular trades anymore, I still make bad trades when life feels stressful and uncertain. And lately, a few bad trades have been called to my attention.   

I trade food enjoyment for calorie counting.  

I trade playtime to meet deadlines. 

I trade peace of mind to meet my publisher’s goals. 

And for what? For what?

At the end of my life, my pant size, book sales, and my ability to reach a deadline on time will be irrelevant. 

I know this. I’ve always known this. But it didn’t really sink in until I saw this truth with my own two eyes. 

The day before his life ended, my father-in-law, Ben, rejoiced as his children and grandchildren surrounded him. He delighted in the countless memories of time he’d spent with people he loved. Besides those two things, nothing else mattered—not how much money he had in his bank account, not the size of his house, not his list of career accomplishments. 

Due to his cancerous tumor, Ben pretty much lost his appetite. But oh how he craved a slice of homemade cherry pie. 

My husband, Scott, made a cherry pie for his dad. When Ben took a bite, his eyes lit up. His expression revealed that one mere taste brought forth a wave of fond memories. Ben put the fork down after one bite; he didn’t need any more. Love would sustain him. 

Relationships, memories, and love. That was all he needed in the end.  

A few days after my father-in-law passed away, Scott and I were walking side-by-side on a busy downtown street. We had no destination in mind. We were walking in an effort to process the painful turn of events that had happened so quickly and unexpectedly.

At one point, Scott stopped right in the middle of the sidewalk, paying no mind to the people and cars rushing past, and made a declaration.

“I want to have more fun,” Scott announced, taking my hands in his.

I can still smell the spring air, the exhaust of the cars, the storm brewing off in the distance. I don’t think I will ever forget those words or the yearning they stirred up in me. I desperately wanted to have more fun, too, but how? What does that even look like in a life of non-negotiable duties, responsibilities, and obligations?

It took me only a few days to figure it out, and it came down to the trades I was not willing to make in my life. This was my declaration: 

I’m not trading a conversation with my daughter for a mindless scroll on Instagram.  

I’m not trading real human connection for shallow online friendships. 

I’m not trading Likes for real love. 

I’m not trading sanity for sales. 

I’m not trading a scoop of chocolate chip ice cream for a number on the scale.  

I’m not trading a walk in the sunshine for stacks of folded laundry. 

I’m not trading breath-taking sunsets for stellar stats. 

I’m not trading sound mental health for an empty inbox. 

I’m not trading tranquility for 24/7 availability. 

I’m not trading family closeness for vast wealth.

Perhaps you’d like to make some “no trade” declarations of your own. 

Take a moment to think about how your work, your technology, and your life might bleed into each other to the point that there are no longer any protected areas. While it is not always possible to trade productivity and efficiency for human connection or inner peace, it is always worthwhile when we can. 

As our family learned in the most painful way, there’s no way to know how much time we have left with our loved ones. Let’s find peace in knowing we’re making good trades, the best kind of trades—the kind of trades that feel like we’re finishing the game with the best possible hand, stacked with relationships, memories, purpose, and love. 

“Didn’t we have fun?” we’ll ask our beloveds on that final day. 

The answer will be in the faces of love that surround us and the experiences we’ve shared. And nothing else will matter.  

***

Rachel Macy Stafford’s book, Live Love Now: Relieve the Pressure and Find Real Connection with Our Kids is available now on Amazon, B&N and wherever books are sold. 

This is what I said about it:

“Rachel’s transparent and practical insights inspire us to do just what the title of her new book promises: Live Love Now . Reading it reminded me, yet again, why hers is one of the most important voices of our day.”

Rachel Macy Stafford is a NYT bestselling author and founder of Hands Free Mama. For daily inspiration, join Rachel’s Hands Free Revolution on Facebook.

Get Uncluttered Today

Registration for the May Edition of Uncluttered is now open!

Uncluttered is a 12-week online course designed intentionally to help you own less, live more, and discover the life you’ve always wanted. If you want to own less, but need a little help getting there, Uncluttered was designed for you.

Decluttering is more important now than ever.

Our world is responding in many different ways to the uncertainty surrounding us. Some are responding to the crisis by hoarding as many things as possible—holding tighter to their possessions, looking for security.

But there are countless others responding in a different way. They are taking back control of their homes, their lives, and their schedules. They are seeing their clutter with new eyes—and are choosing intentionality instead.

Removing unneeded possessions from our home promotes calm, peace, and control. It fosters flexibility, freedom, and financial stability—in a time when each are desperately needed.

I expect this edition of the Uncluttered Course to be one of the largest we’ve ever offered.

And because of the times we are living in, I’m discounting the price to make it accessible to as many as possible.

Uncluttered is an online course created for this time in our world.

You’ll get lifetime access to 12 weeks’ worth of lessons, live Q&As, a committed community, interviews, and more. Take the course and bring calm to your home at your own pace, and in your own time.

Over 45,000 people, from all around the world, have taken the course to find how they can create the home they’ve always wanted.

Here’s the kind of transformation you can achieve. Meet Erin:

“[When] I signed up for the Uncluttered Course… I had already done some good cleaning on my own. A few closets had less. My kitchen was getting better. The process of cleaning out the toys had begun. But I needed some guidelines, concrete steps, and, most of all, I needed a support system.

In the end, I found the course and the community and the process of decluttering to be life-changing in the best ways imaginable.

Following the course guidelines has not only helped me to unclutter my home, it’s helped me become aware of other aspects of my life that can be simplified as well. My mind was opened to a way of life that I’d been searching for but wasn’t able to clearly define.

The strategies I learned helped me switch my mindset from an anxious, depressed mom of two young boys to a woman who now feels present and calm while playing dinosaurs and reading books before nap time.”

And here’s what Elke R. achieved with Uncluttered:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

What an incredible difference!

If you want to make real, positive changes like Elke, join Uncluttered today.

Registration closes on Sunday, May 3rd, so don’t wait.

I’ll help (and cheer you along every step of the way) while you discover the more of owning less. You’ll clear the clutter, focus on what matters most in your life, and enjoy a renewed sense of clarity in a difficult time.

Ready to bring about new peace and calm in your home?

Sign up for Uncluttered now, and make this the season you discover the home and life you’ve always wanted!

The cost is $69 for this upcoming edition of the course—that’s a 25% savings.

Also, you can find a 25% off discount code in the back of The Minimalist Home. The book is not required—but it’s cheaper to buy the book and use the discount code than it is to pay full price—the option is yours.

Finding a Silver Lining in COVID-19

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Joe Darago of The Hope Effect.

As I remember it, my college buddy had spent a few weeks laboring over his paper. He wouldn’t even go out with us on our routine fast food runs. Instead, he stayed in the dorm banging away on his computer.

After hours and hours of work, he was making progress, but when I asked him how it was going, he expressed he wasn’t happy with how it was turning out.

There was a lot of time and effort, but little satisfaction. In the beginning, he was confident the direction he chose to go with his paper would easily yield him a good grade. But now, with 75% of it done, he wasn’t so sure.

Unfortunately, he was in too deep. The day before the assignment was due, it was too late to change course. 

Then it happened. His computer mouse froze, and he panicked as he realized he forgot to back up his work. After hitting Control-Alt-Delete, it was all gone! Every word of it.

After he got over the initial shock, he rolled up his sleeves and faced his new reality. His adrenaline raged, but his mind began to calm.

And he had a crazy idea.

“What if,” he thought, “I changed direction and took a different angle?”

At first, he tried to talk himself out of it. He had put so much time and energy into his old idea. But after taking one last look at the clock, he put on a pot of coffee and got to work, seeing his new direction through.

The end result certainly wasn’t perfect, but he was ultimately happy with the paper in the end.

As we continue through this pandemic, I have a similar thought running through my head. For many of us, this crisis has forced us to change direction. Many of my friends have lost jobs, businesses, investments, and loved ones. Familiar routines are gone, and the security many people felt before was gone in an instant.

While there is a great deal of tragedy in the pandemic—and I don’t want to be careless about the reality and loss many people are experiencing—there is another reality that is beginning to emerge from the pandemic. Perhaps this crisis presents an unexpected opportunity.

Is it possible to find a silver lining in the dark cloud of COVID-19?

We are now more than a month into our own Control-Alt-Delete experience of sheltering at home. Adrenaline might still be high from the sudden change, but maybe our minds are calm enough to evaluate and reconsider.

Could we harness this unexpected and unwanted crisis and tame it for a better future for us and our families? One thing is for sure, things will never be the same. The only real question is, how will they be different for you?

As Dave Hollis wrote, “In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.” (click to tweet)

As I write this, the President has just announced operation “Open Up America Again.” And when things begin to ease back into a new normal, my hope is I will take the opportunity this crisis afforded me to keep focused on two essential truths:

1. Life Really Is More.

If you are a frequent reader of this blog, this is not news to you. Joshua Becker has been shouting it from the rooftops for years, and this virus has chimed in with a similar chorus.

Life is more than earning a ton of money, more than pursuing vain success, and so much more than amassing material possessions.

For some of us, what we have been chasing has been stripped away in an instant—and now we are left with a longing for what is truly important. Others of us have now been forced to hit the pause button long enough to let the dust settle in our lives and see what a mess we’re making.

For me, it’s more clear than ever that life is found in love for others, in kindness and generosity, in relationships with family and friends, and in the pursuit of my faith.

I have to find a way to remove what is distracting me from these essential things and continue to hear this call clearly even when things return “back to normal.” Life is so much more. 

2. Life Is To Be Lived—Right Now. No More Waiting.

My family has been in transition for the better part of a year. My oldest got married, and another kid is graduating college this month and has already rented an apartment. After 25 years of being a pastor, I embraced a new calling last year as the Executive Director of The Hope Effect. And to top it off, we sold our house and moved to another.

Life was moving at a blistering pace when the virus hit and slowed things down in a hurry. The good thing is—it has been driving home the importance of living now and not just waiting to live later.

Later might never come. Or perhaps even worse, it might come and I wasted years getting there. It’s too easy to just let life happen to us.

The virus has helped me to be more grateful for what I have, for the important work I get to do, for the health I have to do it, and for the resources I have to live simply with the ones I love around me.

My new normal cannot be filled with wasted effort or trivial pursuits. Regardless of how much time and energy I spent building my old life, if a better one presents itself, I must choose it.

However many more days, weeks, or years I am afforded, I want them to be lived on purpose with purpose.

How about you? 

***

Joe Darago is the Executive Director of The Hope Effect, a nonprofit organization co-founded by Joshua Becker, funded significantly by the Becoming Minimalist community, that is helping to change how the world cares for orphans.