Posted: 07 Jun 2013 10:25 AM PDT
The more I think about the Be More
with Less philosophy and the minimalist mindset, I realize that it really isn’t
about owning less. Instead it is the willingness to consider that in order to
live your very best life, you have to make a trade.
Your best life is not a result of
having it all or trying to have it all, but including and appreciating what
means most to you. That almost always means giving up all of the things that
mean little or nothing. It means making big and small trades daily and over
time.
Some of the trades I’ve
made to live my best life:
§ I traded meat and milk for a less inflammatory, vegetarian diet that has resulted in better health.
§ I traded expensive
vacations, new cars, jewelry and other luxuries to pay off debt.
§ I traded a stressful,
reliable job for work I love that comes with more uncertainty, which has led to
more joy and creativity in my work.
§ I traded most of my
clothing for a tiny wardrobe
that allows me get ready with ease and spend less.
§ I traded money for time,
stuff for people and stress and drama for love and health.
§ I traded the fear of
uncertainty for getting started anyway.
§ I traded dwelling in the
past for celebrating the right now.
None of these trades happened
overnight. Some took years. Trades aren’t always black and white either, but
sometimes less and more. For instance, I will trade less needing for more
giving and less planning for more openness to new adventures.
I asked you on Twitter and Facebook about
what you will trade …
§ I will trade autopilot
for mindfulness.
§ I will trade having for
doing.
§ I will trade buying for
reusing.
§ I will trade food for
weight loss.
§ I will trade shopping
for knitting and stressing for confidence.
§ I will trade working
more hours to acquire things for more time with my precious children.
§ I’ll trade frustration
for confidence and clutter for freedom.
§ I will trade stress for
health.
§ I will trade an
under-paid part time job for a better family-life balance.
§ I will trade clutter for
simplicity, freedom and peace.
§ We will trade luxury for
necessity to live our best lives – and help other people live theirs!
§ I will trade
expectations for peace to live my best life.
Some will have you believe that you
deserve everything and success will come when you own it all, balance it all,
or even give it all away. Instead, what you really deserve is time and space to
fully consider and understand what is most important to you and what you want
to include in your very best life.
Once you identify what those things
are, you can begin to thoughtfully trade the meaningless, the distracting, the
hurtful, and the mind numbing for focus and attention on the loving, the
happiness, the beautiful and the most meaningful things.
Don’t be afraid to rethink and trade
up.
No comments:
Post a Comment