Living Simply: Simple Changes

Living Simply: Make 2018 Better

     Yesterday I wrote about living 2018 intentionally. What are some things that you could intentionally choose to do, maybe daily, maybe a few times a week, maybe a few times a month, the time frame and frequency isn't the end goal - thinking and living differently is the end goal. You start down a path, making baby steps along the way, and after a while, you find yourself heading in the right direction, having come further than you expected. Here's some ideas to think about for your own life and mindset change.

1.  Make do with what you have - stop trying to keep up with the Joneses. Stop going into debt to
     keep up with what advertisers tell you to buy.
2.  Be content wanting less. Once you let go of the desire to own everything, life becomes simple.
     You go to a museum but don't feel like you need to take it all home with you. It's the same way
     with things. Someday you'll go into stores and think, "I don't really need ANY of this stuff."
3.  Be more creative - plan free date nights, make your own gifts to give others, use what you have in
     new ways to decorate, etc.
4.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator - work in fitness without expensive membership
     fees.
5.  Schedule "me" time - no phone, no computer, just let it all go.
6.  Don't text and drive. Seriously, if you're still doing this, STOP IT NOW. Don't think you're so
     unique that you won't cause an accident. Every statistic thought the same thing. It can wait.
7.  Cook more often. Even just one extra night a week saves a lot at the end of the month. The more
     you cook at home, the more money you'll save.
8.  Sign up for a class learning something you've been wanting to know more about for a long time.
9.  Read more - whether it's self-help, marriage/family themed, financial, or fiction to escape.
10. Make eye contact with others throughout your day. Let them know you see them.
11. Eat a vegetarian once (or more) per week - like a Meatless Monday - it'll improve your health.
12. As you run out of cleaners or personal care items, replace them with healthier, more natural ones.
13. Plan time for your friends and family that you care most about. Stop saying you don't have time.
14. Add vegetables to more meals, even if it's just once a day, it'll add up in the long run.
15. Volunteer for something worthwhile - shelter, church, food bank, coaching, etc.
16. Give blood if possible. There's such a shortage. If you aren't phobic about needles, give.
17. Buy local. It keeps the money in your local economy and supports your neighborhood families.
18. Eat less prepackaged, processed foods. All those chemicals are killing you. Switch out for some
     healthier options.
19. Listen a lot more than you speak. If you're a talker, you aren't listening, you're just waiting for
     your turn to talk more.
20. Compliment people sincerely. Look for the good in people and let them know you noticed.
21. Walk instead of drive to close, nearby places - again, adding exercise that's natural.
22. Substitute water for other drinks to become healthier. Drop sodas and fruit juices.
23. Make your coffee/tea at home and save loads of cash at the end of the year.
24. Start a gratitude journal. Write down something you're thankful/grateful for every day.
25. Donate and declutter your space: home, office, garage, etc.

Living Simply: Being Intentional in 2018

   

New Year's is just around the corner. For many, it represents a new start. For some, it's a time of making resolutions. So many people today can't/don't/won't stick to a "resolution", so they just don't bother even trying. What I'm proposing instead is a way to focus on getting to new places in a simple living kind of way.

   

What if you simply decided to live 2018 INTENTIONALLY?

Where resolutions are a set of rules in a way, simply living intentionally is much less formal. There's no focusing on what you can or can't do (for example, a common resolution says you can't eat baked goods or sugar anymore). Intentionally living would be more like making a choice to do something healthy every day to move the ball forward in the direction of being more healthy. Maybe your choices could be to skip dessert one day, to walk instead of watching tv another day, to read something in a self-help book instead of watching a movie, or trying to cook a few nights a week instead of wasting loads more money eating out all year.

     If a resolution is to get debt-free, then the simply living intentional way of doing that isn't about setting spending amounts or setting aside a particular amount each week/paycheck/month - here's why:  If you do, the first time you have a bad paycheck, or your car breaks, or you have unexpected medical emergency expenses, you'll have to blow your resolution, guilt and feelings of failure set in, it's all too black and white, succeed or fail. If instead you work intentionally at getting your debts paid off, it looks different. It would mean that every day, every purchase, you stop to consider the item's value or lack of value compared to being debt free. You would make daily choices to get you closer to being debt-free. You're whole mentality would begin to be aware of your spending and saving habits. You would change your ways, not just have a weekly or monthly task list to pay or save something extra. In the long run, it's changing the HABITS that got you into debt so you can get free. Resolutions are more of to-do lists and they don't usually change your daily habits and get you going in the right direction for more than a handful of times. Most resolutions are forgotten by spring.

     What intentional habits would you like to develop in the next year? Imagine if you made little daily choices, baby steps, but actually kept them up for the next 12 months?! Where will you be this time next year? I can give you some insight...you will have lived intentionally, changed bad habits, developed some new ones, improved the way you think about things, and will be living a more simple life that resembles the goals you intentionally pursued through daily decisions. Isn't that far better than ending the year feeling nothing more than, "I can't wait for this year to end, I blew all my resolutions and I am right where I was a year ago," maybe even worse off.

   

   This year try living simply through being intentional. We'll discuss this topic a bit more next time. In the meantime, think about what kinds of things you'd like to do, become, improve, etc. over the next year.

Living Simply: Christmas Weekend

   

     As we enter this long weekend, many of us will be gathering together for Christmas activities, meals, fun, and events. I want to remind you to live simply as you go through them. Forget the rushing around that's really unnecessary. Focus instead on what's most important - not the gifts, not the shows, not even the "perfect meal"; focus on spending quality time with those you've gathered with this season. If you can't be "home" for Christmas or travel to where your relatives are, make a point to call or video chat with them, even if it's only for a few minutes. If you have a relative you know is alone and lonely this time of year (or a friend/coworker/neighbor), then make just a few minutes to see or call them. It could be the highlight of their whole year.

     Enjoy the homemade gifts, treats, and the simplicity of things. Don't scramble over lists and schedules. Just rest with those you care about most.

     I will probably not blog again until Tuesday or Wednesday so I can enjoy a simple long Christmas weekend with my own friends and family. Until then, enjoy. See you after the weekend for a focused 2018.

Living Simply: Advantages

What are some of the advantages to living a more simple life? Here's just a few, in no particular order.

1.  More peace, less stress. More space, less clutter to stress you out.

2.  More time to rest, play, travel, or whatever you want to do with it. Less time wasted on television, movies, and social media.

3.  More money. Less wasteful spending. Less collecting "stuff". Lower living expenses and bills.

4.  More deep relationships with those you love most.

5.  More intentionality to pursue what's most important to you.

6.  More focus. Letting go of what doesn't add value to your life.

7.  More creativity. Less brain clutter.

8.  More healthy living, whether it's through the time or choice to exercise more, cook more meals at home, eat to improve your health, or just making time to get where there's fresh air and open spaces more often.

Living Simply: Polish Humor

Being 1/2 Polish, I find this funny, and yes, I've eaten all of these...just never all at once, LOL.
Enjoy - especially with your little ones.
It's the Veggie Tales 8 Polish Foods of Christmas.

Living Simply: But Why?

There has been quite a movement towards minimalism, simple living, and just living with less in general...buy WHY? 

People are reading blogs, listening to podcasts, reading books, and downloading ebooks on this topic like crazy...but WHY?

What is it so many are searching for lately?

One of the first things someone living this way will tell you that it's about working less, and needing less, to free up more time to do the important. With less overhead expenses, less frivolous spending, you can intentionally choose to live a better quality of life. They talk about making more memories, having better experiences, and generally being more happy.

Simplicity is beautiful. Clutter looks like disorganization, chaos, and sometimes, the beginning stages of hoarding. Space in your room, office, or home somehow brings with it mental head space. It helps you breathe easier, be more calm, find inner peace. I don't know how else to describe it to others who've never experienced it - it is what it is.

The minimalist wardrobe is sometimes what turns people off. Some love to have multiple closets full of clothes they've hardly ever worn - and often, many they've NEVER worn - with tags still on them. Somehow owning those things make them think they have more choices, but most people will still wear only about 20% of what they have in their closet, and often it's even less than that. It wastes time, brain power, and worst of all, it wastes money. If you could have back what you spent on 80% of your closet items, you'd probably be able to take a nice vacation with someone you love the most, and have a lifetime of wonderful memories. Instead, you have clutter, you can't find "anything to wear" no matter how many things you own. With a minimalist wardrobe, which can be anything you decide, anywhere from say 30 items to 50, you save money, time, and brain power when you get dressed. You get to the point where you either love everything you own, or you donate it. This way, no matter what you pull out, you'll enjoy wearing it. I've been at about 35 items for 6 months now. I still tend to trade out things that have gotten too big or too small for something that will work with the pieces I already own. I don't buy a weird color top that will require me to purchase different pants or skirts, new shoes, and new accessories. I chose a few basic, favorite colors and stay within that palette.

Worry and stress go down when you aren't scrambling between 2 jobs to cover your bills, you worry about how you'll make your next rent or mortgage payment, or how to pay the minimum balance on your maxed out credit cards. Nothing that hangs in the closet or sits on a shelf is worth the stress over paying for it with interest for the next several years! Don't buy what you can't afford. Stop using your credit cards as an additional source of income.

Disconnecting from an overload of social media, along with saying NO to the unimportant things also will free you up to really BE with those you care about the most. You'll have more time to enjoy life.

Maybe as 2018 approaches you could think about how you could trim down your life (if you're not ready to become a full-blown minimalist) and live more simply. More time. Less stress. More intentional living. Less wasted time and money. More peace.

And now you know WHY people choose to live more simply.

Living Simply: Old Timey phrases

     Today, let's just enjoy a few laughs. Here's some fun old-timey phrases you can try out on your friends and family. Either make it a game guessing what they mean, work them into the conversation as if they're normal and watch others' reaction, or just share a few laughs together.

1.  "like a wet sock" - it means a limp handshake; His introduction was like a wet sock.

2.  "happy cabbage" - money that you get to spend on yourself.


3.  "flub the dub" - to avoid or shirk off one's duty or responsibility; Try this one in a political conversation.

4.  "a pine overcoat" - a coffin; as in, "Driving like that the maniac will be wearing a pine overcoat!"

5.  "Don't sell me a dog." - means Don't lie to me.

6.  "fly rink" - a bald head

7.  "sauce box" - another name for a mouth, similar to today's "pie hole".

8.  "swacked" - drunk

9.  Try this one out:  "It's colder than a brass toilet seat in the Yukon!"

10.  "hump the sway" - no, that's not what it means. It means to carry luggage on your back (like a backpack).

11.  "focus your audio" - listen carefully

12.  "being on a left-handed honeymoon" - cheating on your significant other

13.  "cluck and grunt" - ham and eggs

14.  "bloodhound in the hay" - hot dog with saurkraut

15.  "city juice" - water (drinking water, not a lake or puddle)

16.  "jiggery-pokery" - trickery, suspicious activity

17.  "thimble rigger" - like the shell game, one who hid a pea under 3 thimbles and the other person had to guess which one it was under.

18.  "iron my shoelaces" - a polite way to say you have to go to the bathroom

19.  "petting pantry" - a cinema or movie theater (wow, be careful out there)

20.  "Now you're on the trolley!" - similar to, "Now you get the idea" or "now you understand".

Living Simply: Crock Pot!

     In this busy season, what can you do to simplify your life? Drag out your crock pot - you probably got one as a gift years ago and it's been buried in the back of your pantry or cabinet ever since. If not, you can buy them at grocery stores, Big Lots, WalMart, Amazon, just about anywhere. They don't need to be a big expensive one with all useless bells and whistles. Just one basic crock pot is all you need. Get one appropriately sized for you/your family, whether you cook for 1 or 2, or a family of 6, or whatever you need. All you need is a knob that has "off", "low", and "high". Everything else is unnecessary.

     What can you do in a crock pot that will simplify your life? You can throw a few things in first thing in the morning and enjoy a home-cooked meal when you get home after a long, cold, busy day. You can even set it up before bed to make a hot breakfast for a busy morning.

     I would recommend doing Google searches for recipes, rather than having me list them here. I'll give you a few things to search for to get you started:


     Beef Stew, Chicken & Dumplings, Fish or Clam Chowder, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Split Pea Soup, Slow cooked beef, pork, or chicken (then pull it apart for dozens of uses), Chili, Meatballs, Beef Stroganoff, Enchiladas, Stuffed Peppers or Cabbage Rolls; the solutions are endless.

     PS: To make life even easier, look where you buy storage and freezer bags for crock pot liners. When you're done eating, just lift it out and toss it. No cleanup other than the lid.

Living Simply: The Art of Neighboring

     I'm reading this book called the The Art of Neighboring by Jay Pathak & Dave Runyon. I will tell you up front, it's written from a Christian's perspective, to follow what Jesus said when he told us to love our neighbors. I don't want you to be surprised nor offended, but it's definitely worth reading for anyone, anywhere, and here's a few reasons why:

1.  Most of us can't name the closest neighbors to us anymore. Even if we know their first names, or maybe even their last names, do you really KNOW them? What they do for a living, where they're originally from, what their passions or goals are, etc. We just go garage to garage, or driveway to driveway, or maybe covered parking space to covered parking space - with barely a wave and a quick, "Hi!". 

2.  If we knew our neighbors better, it would make a safer neighborhood. People would recognize who should and shouldn't be there. Knowing each other better leads to communication when something looks out of the ordinary. As an example, our neighborhood has a private Facebook page where we can alert others of suspicious white vans parking/lurking in the area, or if something got taken from someone's yard, etc. We've used it to borrow, buy, or sell things from each other as well. It's become a nice little community that's started including group "block party" type events, especially for kids to get together.

3.  When you know your neighbors, no one has to be alone or helpless. If there's a widow, sick elderly man, single mom struggling, someone who lost their job or just had surgery, others can jump in as a group and help out. Maybe it's just babysitting a few hours for a doctor's appointment. It could be mowing the lawn or weeding for someone who can't do it anymore. If someone is sick, just been through a funeral, or just had a baby, others can prepare meals for the family. The possibilities are endless.

     There's other reasons why this book is a great idea, but I understand for introverts like myself, or it seems weird making contact with next door neighbors you've already lived next to for years without previous contact, this isn't easy. Maybe the thought of possible rejection is scary. Just remember, it's probably just as scary to them. There's great break the ice type of things you can do, some as simple as just spend time in front of your home instead of the back. Check it out, this is the PERFECT time of year to have an excuse to say hello, or bake cookies and bring them to those closest to your home.

Enjoy the read.

Living Simply: Photos to capture

     People take a lot of pictures during all the December holidays and activities. Becoming more and more minimalist, I tend to take less photos now since I won't be printing and storing them somewhere, but I do still capture things that are different. So far in December, I captured a few photos of our beach-themed decor and tree, pictures from the first time taking my Mom to see a street nearby that is completely lit up and decorated by every single house, and pictures from a lit-up boat parade at the nearby lake. I post them on social media than either delete them or I'll save them on a flash drive. Less room, keep the memories, and maybe someday I'll put them in a digital photo frame instead of collages that get old so fast. Here's a few things to capture this season - if you want to minimize the excess and maximize the best of the best:

1.  Friends & Family - after someone's passed away, friends and family always wish they had more photos of them to remember them. The memories are in your mind, not just on photo paper, but to focus on the important, take a few pictures of family and friends this season. It could be for Christmas Dinner, Hanukkah traditions being passed down (like Grandfather showing his granddaughter how to light the menorah), maybe it's a Kwanzaa gathering, or some other occasion. Be sure to capture those photos if someone you almost never see travels (or you travel) to be together.

2.  Your family's traditions - is there something your family does uniquely that's part of tradition? Is

there a particular ornament that's been passed down? Do you always attend a particular event, like seeing The Nutcracker? Do you always let the kids open one present (usually it's pajamas in many families) Christmas Eve? Capture what you do that's unique.

3.  Special foods - I know photos of food is sort of ridiculous if you're on vacation or just out with friends, but...what about the one recipe handed down from generation to generation? Get a photo of it to pass along with the recipe for the next time it's passed down. Are there certain foods unique to your culture, ethnicity, or family? If your holidays always includes a few special once a year foods, then capture that.

4.  Did you do something different and special? Did you travel to
somewhere? Drive to a cabin in the mountains to see snow? Venture to a tropical beach to escape the cold? Capture that special holiday.

5.  If there is a special charity you're involved in this year, document it with a few photographs. It could be the beginning of a legacy.

When the kids were small, we were poor, but we took money, went to a dollar store, and bought the best gifts we could for kids - books, toys that weren't cheap and flimsy, like maybe a barbie type doll or action figure, and we wrapped them, and dropped them off anonymously at the local hospitals. We left them to be distributed for the kids who got stuck in the hospital for Christmas. No recognition. No names. Just a gift to kids missing out on their typical traditions.

Living Simply: Planning Time Off

As you may or may not know, I went back to college this year after raising my family and homeschooling my 3 (now adult) kids. This week is finals week, so I've been busy handing in all the final projects, and studying every day until I finish finals on Monday. What happens after Monday? I have Winter Break. It's 5 weeks. It's 35 days. In the middle of that, there's Christmas, which involves hosting/entertaining family, catching up with friends, doing things I've planned for during that break, lots of cooking and baking, and hopefully getting to do some more stuff that's fun - not JUST what's necessary in the day-to-day. How can I make sure I get in what's important? Get rest before tackling the next semester (where I've added an additional class)? The answer is, I need to be INTENTIONAL. 

To be intentional involves some thought and planning. I don't mean I need to be a slave to a schedule or To Do lists during my "vacation" time. But it does mean to put in the things that serve a purpose, add value to my life and/or others, and be sure I find time to be flexible, restful, at peace. If you have any time off coming up you may want to do the same. It will help you to look back as you start the New Year feeling like you're on track, not coming off the rails. Too many times we take time off only to feel like maybe we wasted it, or shouldn't have taken it off in the first place because now we're full of anxiety from falling behind. Here's what I'm talking about for me. Adjust as needed to fit your own simple living; your own lifestyle and purpose.

1.  Christmas Day - this is the biggest event so it must go into my schedule. There will be 11 of us so I need to plan for the food, beverages, activities, seating, gifts we'll be exchanging, decor (but only what's necessary, not over the top needlessly). We have a beach theme so I've got to break down the menu into baby steps, working backwards:  menu planning, what can be made a day or two in advance, time to cook/bake, grocery shopping, grocery lists, etc. When the day comes, I'll be ready and be able to spend time with everyone - not running around like crazy all stressed out. Also, I purchased tickets for a surprise event all 11 of us can do together, and I'm pretty sure it'll be the first time ANY of us have done it. Can't tell you what it is just yet, but I will after Christmas.

2.  Quest study by Beth Moore - I bought a 6 week study that I've already begun so that by the end of the break, it'll be done. It's something I want to do, for me, and if it turns out really great, I may end up teaching it in my women's small group that I do, or do an additional 6 week study with friends that are interested.

3.  Rest & Fun - I won't necessarily PLAN this on my calendar, but I will keep lots of space open and available. When I want to do something spontaneous, or sleep in, or go to a movie, or meet up with a friend, I'll have the schedule flexibility to do it. I really look forward to sleeping past 7:30. That's my "late, sleep-in" time right now. Hopefully, I can stay in bed til around 8:30 or 9:00 a few times, since the next semester has me out the door by 8:15 five days a week (so up by 7:00 the latest). I am getting older and I do need more rest to have full, long days.

4.  I love to cook, so I want to make time to do more of it during Winter Break. I plan on making Boston Baked Beans, a beef roast with homemade gravy and mashed potatoes, Chicken and Dumplings, and maybe even a cake or two. 

5.  I want to have traditional holiday foods from other places during break. I want Polish Pierogies (also popular in the Ukraine), Mexican Tamales, Italian Cannolis, Scottish Eggs, Canadian Tourtiere (meat pie), Stuffed Cabbage rolls, along with other cuisines I'm anxious to have/cook myself, like something from the Middle East cuisine, German desserts, etc. I absolutely love foods from around the world. 

Here's a few other things that may be on your own list:

1.  Take a drive to somewhere different. If you live in a big city, drive out to the country or the mountains. If you life in a rural area, drive into the city for a day. Take a ride to the beach or ski slopes. 

2.  Take in something new - an opera, a live play, a movie, if you haven't gone to a theater in years, a concert, a ballet, etc.

3.  Pick a day to host friends, or coworkers, or people from an old neighborhood where you used to live, or family, or plan one for each of these. Just enjoy the time with others building new memories.

Living Simply: Wasting $

   Where are you wasting money? Most of us do in little ways we never even think about. Here's a few things to consider to see if you could be saving thousands of dollars a year:

1.  Brand name products - grocery stores, drug store health care & over the counter items, clothing, it all adds up and yet most generic products are made on the exact same conveyor belt as the brand name item. If you check ingredient lists on medicines and groceries, you'll see they're identical almost every time. The markup in advertising you stop paying could be thousands at the end of the year.

2.  DIY - are you paying someone to do things you could do yourself? Pool cleaning? Lawn care? Groceries delivery service? Dry cleaning? Drop off laundry service? Housekeeping? Basic home repairs/car repairs? I know sometimes life has you too busy to do some of these things yourself, but consider if you can cut any of these to save money.

3.  Wasting food - only buy what you've already PLANNED on cooking/baking, do food prep once a week (cutting veggies/fruit, making pasta & rice, for later in the week) so you can toss together a lunch, bowl, casserole, omelette, salad, etc. Also, did you know the ACTUAL shelf life of many foods are well past the label dates? Don't automatically toss out perfectly good shelf-stable or refrigerator condiments just because of the date. Check with free online databases to find out the actual shelf life of unopened products, especially canned and shelf-stable items.

4.  Cable/Satellite TV - are you paying hundreds a month for cable when you rarely are home or have time to watch it? If so, try a much cheaper alternative like Netflix or Hulu. Most TV shows are available online and you could be paying under $100/month instead of twice that and still have fast internet.

5.  Pay Cash - there's something about physically handing over dollar bills that helps us grasp what we're spending. If that's not possible, use your debit card. Avoid credit cards if possible. If you can't afford it, then wait until you can or don't buy it.

6.  Insulate - live in a drafty home? There's plenty of window seal kits out there for cheap money that simply involves taping plastic around the whole frame and using a hair dryer to smooth it out. It can cut costs tremendously. Also in summer, get sun screens, light-blocking shades, or reflective rolls of window/slider covering to keep heat in/out and cold in/out in their proper season. Also don't overlook the old fashioned doorstop that covers the big crack under outer/attic/basement doors.

7.  Online game purchases - I'm talking about when you're playing a facebook game and you can "buy extra lives" for an amount of money - or extra items to get to the next level. I'm sorry (not sorry) but this is stupid. You're going to trade hard-earned money for imaginary things that don't really exist? Just don't. Keep your money.

8.  Carry a reusable cup - save money on coffee, iced drinks, etc. by refilling a cup at home and eliminate the need for so many water bottles, buying coffee/drinks outside of your home.

9.  Multiple grocery trips - when you stop to pick up a few things several times a week, those multiple trips may seem like you aren't spending much, but at the end of the month, you'll probably find you spent more than you would've just planning a once a week trip instead - yes, a planned trip.

10.  Cleaning products - either make your own for pennies, or buy them at the dollar store, and you don't need a separate cleaner for every little job. Online recipes to make your own are everywhere. I spent $12 and made my own laundry cleaner for the next 2 years, and it only took about 15 minutes to make, it worked better than what I had been using. Homemade cleaners are great for everyday cleaning, including kitchens, baths, stove tops, floors, windows, and laundry.

Living Simply: Ways to simplify life

Today is a day to just (hopefully) add value to your life. Here's a few tips to help make your life a little more simple - and a lot more intentional:

1.  Be thankful - remind yourself that you're blessed, you may not have what you "want", you may not even have a few things you "need" and times are tough, but what DO you have? Can you see? Do you have at least one friend or family member you talk to? Do you have the luxury of sleeping indoors? (Many do not.) Did you eat today? (Many did not.). If you have more than one person in your life, have heat, sleep on a bed, ate more than once yesterday, you can read, you have a job, there's so many things to be thankful for and others are not so lucky. Be thankful.

2.  Do something out of the ordinary - stop in and visit a friend or family member, have a meal in that cute little place you've wondered about, go see a movie even if no one else is interested in going, cancel plans to go to that "thing" you didn't want to go to and just give yourself permission to stay home. Visit a museum, go to church, or see someplace that interests you.

3.  Cook/Bake something - it's the holidays - it's the best time to find festive holiday recipes.

4.  Take on a DIY project, whether it's something simple to make for your home or for a gift, enjoy working with your hands on something new.

5.  Donate what you aren't using - blankets, coats & boots, clothes, dishes, books, etc.

6.  Meditate/Pray/Center yourself - take some time to just be still, let your thoughts go, let go of the stress, just enjoy being still even if it's just a few minutes amidst chaos.

7.  Get some exercise - whether it's a routine at home from YouTube, or a trip to the gym, a weekend hike, or just a daily walk - get some fresh air.

8.  Get some rest - give yourself the time to rest, get to bed earlier when you can, sleep a bit later if you need to, and take a nap if you can and need to. You won't get much done (or done right) if you're exhausted and sick.

Take time to simplify your life. Just because everyone around you is moving 100 miles and hour doesn't mean you do.

Living Simply: Gifts? What Makes You Happy?

The common question I hear over and over in December is, "What do you want for Christmas?" And to be fair, I'm asking my adult kids and a few others the same thing. I don't want people to waste money on things I don't want nor need - and I don't want to get people stuff that's going to sit in a closet for the same reason. What do we do? How about asking a second question to help answer the first:

What Makes You Happy? (or what are you into?)


If I answer this question, then it's easier to figure out what I could use. Asking others this question makes shopping easier for me. Here's my list from this question:

1.  I love to go out to eat or to a movie with my spouse, so a gift card for a movie or inexpensive restaurant would be great.

2.  I love books. People who know me either know the authors/types of books I like, or else they know where I like to shop for them. Gift certificates for either place or an actual book would be greatly appreciated.

3.  I enjoy anything live, whether it's a play or a concert - so tickets are wonderful.

4.  I like to cook so a cookbook that's unique to something I like is another winner (like one for making even better Greek food, or sugar-free, gluten-free desserts).

5.  I'm in college these days, so either a walmart gift card or a basket of supplies makes an easy gift.

6.  People know I like a bottle of Moscato, Pinot Grigio, or even tequila - that's an easy gift.

What I'm not into - jewelry, clothes, shoes, knick knacks, bath stuff (who has time for a bath), scented candles (I buy them on rare occasions like holiday scents, but 2 is plenty). I don't want people wasting money on that kind of stuff. If you can let others know what your into - and especially what you're NOT into - it can save money and space for everyone. 

Living Simply: Money

     People are scrambling for extra cash this holiday season. Most want it simply to spend on "stuff" for other people or themselves during the sale season. A few smart others are looking to earn extra to pay off debt, reduce expenses, etc. Here's a few quick ideas:

1.  Let's start with something "drastic" (according to many people), then the list will get easier. Start by shutting off your cable bill. With Netflix, Hulu, and other sites, there's so many affordable alternatives, there's no reason to spend over $200/month for cable unless you're a die-hard sports fan and you can't watch games any other way. You can pay for internet only through your cable company, they just don't advertise that - they want ALL your money.

2.  If you need to get ahead temporarily, you may find good offers from other credit cards that offer zero interest for the first year. Switching on ones that you could pay off quickly could help you get them totally paid off faster. But remember, paying cash/debit is always best unless you need a way to track business expenses. You'll never enjoy the feeling from a "thing" you bought on a credit card more than you'll enjoy the feeling of being debt-free.

3.  Skip the gym if you can find a local free fitness group. Check out The November Project where you can do free fitness with people in your area. You also can find barely used home gym equipment for a fraction of the cost on places like Craig's List. Gym fees on average are $50/month, so why not drop that $600/yr on debt and reduce it?

4.  Have an empty room? Get a roommate. Cut your living expenses. You already know you can afford where you live, so if you get a boarder, take whatever they pay you and pay down/off other bills.

5.  Take surveys online for cash. Yes, there are a lot of scam sites out there, but many legitimate ones too. Try Survey Junkie or SwagBucks. If you found a dozen of these, and rotate them out, you can earn extra money by just spending an hour or two a few days a week - replace your TV time with something lucrative and productive.

6.  Try Freelancing - you can make money as a writer, photographer, designer, logo artist, notary, and many other areas. Put those talents to work for you.

7.  Don't forget Groupon sites for things you need to pay for anyway, like cleaning heating/AC ducts, cleaning carpets or upholstery, yard work, dry cleaning, etc.

8.  Buy store brands when you're buying groceries. I know people think brand named products are better, but store brands are 30% - 40% cheaper and very often, they're made on the same conveyor belt, with exactly the same recipe as the big brands - they're just repackaged for grocery chains. Check ingredient lists to find the closest match, but on most things, the differences, if any, are minimal.

9.  Improve your gas mileage. Keeping your tires properly inflated will help you get better mileage and save you around $100/yr in gas. Not bad for one free simple thing. Aggressive driving drops your mpg too, so just balance out your starts and stops. Statistics show a savings as high as $600/yr saved on gas by eliminating aggressive driving in stop and go traffic. On longer trips, use your cruise control if you have it. You'll save because the driving is more even/gradual.

10.  Rent your car - if you have a car in decent shape that's only 5 years old or newer, you can use it to be a driver for Uber, Lyft, or any of the myriads of other taxi type services popping up all over the place. You set your own hours, areas you're willing to pick up, and running it all through a website allows extra safety features like knowing who you're picking up ahead of time, seeing their photo first, some things are covered under the company's policies to save you money too.

Living Simply: Quick Declutter

As we get closer to our December holidays, celebrations, and events, let's take a few minutes to talk about doing a quick declutter. This isn't going to take you from Dedicated Shopper to True Minimalist, but if you're working towards a more simple life, letting go of possessions you no longer value, or even just need a quick "time out" to get back on track during this busy season, here's a few things you can do quickly to simplify your space and your life:

1.  Take 5-10 min. to just toss that old food in your fridge. Throw out the condiments and carton items that are past their expiration dates. Throw out stuff in storage containers you know you don't want anymore. Wipe it all down and start fresh. Make room for holiday foods you're stocking up on or things you buy/bake/cook for bringing to events. Just a few minutes reduces time shuffling needless things from shelf to shelf.

2.  As you're pulling out your winter coats, hats, mittens, boots, and sweaters, think of others. Do you or other family members have more than a couple of these items? Have the kids outgrown last winter's stuff? Donate the extras to a homeless shelter or even a Salvation Army/Goodwill type of place. People need these items desperately this time of year. Extra blankets help too if you happen to come across them. If you can get by with 2 thick coats, let the other 3 or 4 go. People need them more than your closet does.

3.  Still have unused/unwanted gifts you received last year? Use them for gift exchanges, re-gift them, or donate them. No use hanging onto things that don't add value to your life. Let them go.

4.  Have some gently used books, movies, or CDs you no longer need? Donate or re-gift them. If you don't feel right giving someone an opened movie, make up a basket with half a dozen of them or so, some microwave popcorn, some soda pop or wine, and a few movie size treats. Give it as a whole basket gift.

5.  Have a bunch of useless knick knacks you don't need cluttering? Things others brought you from their travels but it has no personal meaning to you? Let it go.

6.  Delete old apps, emails, desktop items, things cluttering your digital world that no longer bring you value. Simplify.

7.  Do a quick 10 minute sweep of your most used living space (whether it's your dorm room, bedroom at your parents' house, living room, kitchen, or even your work office. Toss papers, empty trash, put away things you left out, just a 10 minute sweep. It'll ease your mind a bit every time you enter the room.

Live intentionally. Simplify. Enjoy life.

Living Simply: Black Friday Violence

   

If Thanksgiving is the holiday to celebrate being thankful for what we (already) have, what is the message(s) from Black Friday?

1.  We need more stuff and don't care how much we spend binging on shopping.
2.  What we just said we're thankful for isn't enough unless we have what advertisers tell us we need.
3.  It's unsafe these days to go out during the black friday rush.

     It's so sad, year after year, you search the news for Black Friday the weekend after and you see story after story, video after video, of violent things that happened because manic shopping and spending was more important than human lives. How many were shot? Stabbed? Injured? Every year the numbers add up to more and more. You've seen them...WalMart shopper shoots other shoppers for the last big screen TV left on the advertised sale. Person SHOT over a parking space. Shoppers argue in a mall parking lot and one gets stabbed. Crowds trample children and the elderly as they push everyone out of their way to be the "first" to get to the stuff - in a crazed state of temporary insanity. When did shopping for unnecessary things become so important they're worth killing another human being and going to jail?! When will this madness stop? I blame the advertising companies, the stores, and yes, the people must be held accountable for their actions. They CHOSE to harm others over getting more "stuff".

     If you won't decide to stop Black Friday craziness and refuse to shop, will you consider shopping online that weekend instead? Is it worth it? I know many will say that it IS, but that's only because they either got something expensive they wanted (but didn't need), or else because the death/injuries never happened to someone THEY love. Imagine your spouse, significant other, your young adult child - heading out for shopping - and they never come back, or they end up in the hospital. Would you still feel the same way?

     Today, please take a moment and pray for the families that were affected by the violence during Black Friday shopping. And yes, once again, there was a shooting, a shattered hip when a shopper was slammed into shelving by other shoppers, a stabbing, year after year after year. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Living Simply: Gifts

     With Thanksgiving tomorrow, Black Friday is upon us. As much as I am against employees having to skip a family togetherness holiday to bring in more money at everyone's expense for their bosses and corporate, I realize not everyone feels that way. Some get paid extra for working the holiday, some need more hours for Christmas shopping (that's a whole other issue), and some would volunteer to work if it wasn't mandatory - I have more of a problem with the mandatory businesses. Anyway, Realizing not everyone feels like I do, and I understand many will still be shopping for Christmas gifts Thursday night and Black Friday, may I make a few quick suggestions?

1.  Try giving experiences you can share with those you care about enough to give a gift to in the first place. There are great places to find good deals on experiences like paint night, cooking classes, spa days, dining out, skydiving, zip lining, bouncy trampoline places for kids, passes for zoos and aquariums, and so many more. Try places like Groupon or Living Social to get great, fun ideas that are dramatically reduced in price right now.


2.  Get gift certificates from local places you can share with friends, families, or coworkers you're exchanging gifts with this year. Supporting small, local businesses is a much better plan than throwing more money at faceless corporations who just want you to part with as much money as possible. Local businesses keep the money in your community and helps build relationships with local owners and customers. Support a family living in your community.

3.  Make donations to someone's favorite charity in their name and give them the tax receipt.

4.  Bake something at home and package it very nicely to give as a gift. Lots of easy holiday recipes can be found all over the internet. Some of my favorites (because they're easy) are found at All Recipes and Food Network (although these aren't always the easiest).

5.  Can you make your gift support someone in their education or work? Buy an artist colored pencils, canvases, or paintbrushes. Buy a baker new pans, a set of extracts and flavorings you've packaged nicely. Get a student an array of school supplies or dorm room necessities. Your gift will show you support what they're doing.

6.  Make up a movie night basket. Add microwave or specialty popcorn, some movie-size treats, and a movie or two you know they'd enjoy. Maybe add a few beverages. Be creative.

Hopefully you've got a few great ideas sparking. Don't overspend. Don't buy meaningless junk just because advertising told you to buy it. Don't forget what people NEED is much different from what they WANT and even more different from what ADVERTISERS WANT to sell.   

Living Simply: Everyday

     We've been talking about the holiday and its busyness for about 6 weeks. Today, let's just focus on some small things we can do to live more simply every single day - any time of year - no matter who you are or where you live. Just simplify your life - intentionally.

1.  Perspective - I know a few people in my life that worry about EVERY SINGLE LITTLE THING as if it's a life-altering, major, BIG thing. Usually, it's something so small that most people wouldn't give it more than a few seconds of their time. I don't know why people do that. Maybe they're bored in their life, feeling like they aren't going anywhere and stirring up drama is the only exciting thing. Maybe it's because they've done it so long that now it's their comfort zone. They don't know how to have emotions and thoughts that are appropriate for the situation. To simplify your life, you've got to keep things in perspective. Will it matter in 5 years? Let it go. Will it alter your entire life? Let it go. Will it be something important a year from now? Let it go. In many cases, the imagined worries won't matter even 24 - 48 HOURS from now. Let it go. By the way, worrying changes NOTHING about the situation. Action or changing your thinking or getting help - that's the only way to change things.

2.  The Golden Rule - somewhere along your journey you've heard someone say, "Treat others the way you want to be treated." Do you believe in that? Or did you find that one too many times you were nice to someone only to have them treat you poorly? Did it turn you into a cynical, uncaring, nasty person? You have the CHOICE to live differently. How you treat others says everything about your character. You are defined by your actions. It's time to do the right thing and treat people decently, with respect, regardless of your differences or their flaws. Obviously if there's a bad person living a life of crime or habitually drags others into their problems they created themselves, you don't have to wrap yourself up in their drama. You have the right to walk away from bad people, but with those you decide not to walk away from or avoid - treat them right. Not in hopes of getting something back in return, people are people, we're all flawed. Do it because it's the right thing to do and that's the type of person YOU are.

3.  Be positive - no one wants to be around someone who constantly complains and talks about expecting the worst. We all have more than our share of negativity in the world. Be that breath of fresh air in the life of someone who feels like they're drowning in circumstances. Be that light in the midst of another's darkness. Stop expecting the worst. Your mind is more powerful than you know and if you constantly enhance the brain's pathways to negative thoughts, you start a self-fulfilling prophecy. On the flip side, expect things to work out, let go of the little things that don't matter, roll with the changes, and look for things to work out. Look for the silver lining.

4.  Be real - so many people I know, myself included now and then, have such a standard of perfection for themselves that they drive themselves crazy with stress trying to be absolutely perfect, 100% of the time. The truth is, NO ONE is ever perfect all the time. Once you accept that you're "good" at things, and trying your best is all you are ABLE to do, then you can stop worrying about everything you feel you aren't perfect at doing. If you can learn to get better, then do what's necessary, but stop complaining about it and stressing over it. Accept who you are, how you were made, and be okay with being your best.

5.  Be thankful, always - Only by appreciating, being grateful, and being thankful will you live a simple life that you enjoy. Without being thankful. you'll never find contentment. You'll always strive for some imagined life you'll never attain. Be thankful for those who support you and are there for you. Be thankful that you have a roof over your head. A friend of mind shares an inside joke with me that no matter how bad things seem, "at least you have a roof" - because not everybody does. Be thankful you have a place to live, food, clothes, friends, family, a job, whatever it is - be thankful.

Today I'm going to share an essay written on TheMinimalists.com about Black Friday. They wrote exactly what I'm feeling so I want to share it with you today:

Let’s Talk About Black Friday

By Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus

Here we are, in the midst of what is supposedly the most joyous time of year: the holiday season. And yet, for most of us, it’s also the most stressful time of year. At some point Santa Claus turned corporate, and the holiday season metamorphosed into the holiday shopping season.

Shopping. This one word, although birthed from great intentions, has fundamentally changed our outlook from blissful to grim, from jolly to anxious, from celebrating Christmas to surviving the holidays. It’s upsetting, and with consumption’s vicious inertia, it seems there’s no way for us to exit the speeding train of consumerism.

This Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year: Black Friday. (Boxing Day is the overseas equivalent.) Retailers prepare months in advance for this dark day—preparation that’s meant to stimulate our insatiable desire to consume: Doorbuster sales. New products. Gigantic newspaper ads. TV, radio, billboards. Sale, sale, sale! Early bird specials! One day only! Get the best deal! Act now! While supplies last. See store for details.

But as shiny as its facade may be, the pernicious aspects of Black Friday are not few. The pandemonium that takes place on this day is perhaps a broader metaphor for our culture as a whole—our consumer culture. On this day we consume gluttonously without regard for the harm we’re inflicting on ourselves. On this day greed becomes ravenous. On this day we live without real meaning, buying gifts to fill a void we can’t fill with material possessions.

Perhaps Steven said it best: Black Friday is the day we trample people for things we don’t need, the day after being thankful for what we have.

Sadly, we participate in this insanity in the name of a holiday, as if buying gifts was an ideal way to celebrate Christmas. But thankfully we have options.

Instead of embracing Black Friday, you can refuse to buy material items for people to display your love; rather, you can showcase your love, caring, and affection through daily actions—every day, not just holidays.

If you want to give gifts, why not gift an experience: a nice meal, tickets to a concert, a sunset on the beach? After all, the best, most loving gift you can give someone is your time and undivided attention. Presence is the best present.

Or, if that doesn’t work, maybe you can buy everyone on your Christmas list a giant trash can so they can throw away all the presents they received, but didn’t ask for.

Will you join us? Will you opt out of Black Friday? If not, why not?

Living Simply: How we simplified Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving can be a great time for large gatherings, but lately I find most people I talk to have a quieter holiday than we all did in our childhood. Most of it is because of consumerism & materialism. Every year it's been getting harder and harder to find a day and time for our family meal. Some work in jobs over the road, some live far away, some work retail so no evening meal together since Black Friday sales now start around 4:00 on THANKSGIVING Thursday night! And others work in food service and they're required to work holidays too.

     A few years ago we changed our traditions from a big family gathering to a quiet, candle lit dinner with just a handful of us, whoever could be there. We didn't make plans to go visit distant relatives or drop by friends' houses. We decided in all the craziness of the holidays and especially Black Friday (the one day a year I never go out), we'd have an intimate dinner instead. Candles. Quiet conversation. Plated meal. Soft background music. Relaxation. Can't you just feel the peacefulness in it?

     This year, it's even harder. Our youngest has a 2nd job and a new boyfriend where she's spending the day, our middle son is now married and spending holidays at his new place 200 miles away, and my brother is working the day shift, my oldest son the night shift. It'll mostly be just me and Mom. Even my husband's schedule has him far from home that day over the road. How did we simplify this? It'll be more like an all day buffet, but peaceful. I'll sit and eat with Mom and if I'm lucky, my oldest son before he heads out. I'll keep things looking festive for when my brother gets home. We'll maybe play some board games, or watch a movie. I'll make just a few homemade things - maybe a side dish and a dessert or something. The rest, I'm buying. Yup, I'm not cooking for so few people. I'm simplifying our life. I ordered 2- meals for 2, so it'll feed the 4 of us that'll be home. It comes fully cooked and hot, with several side dishes and rolls. We'll have sparkling cider, egg nog, and cranberry juice. But I'm not wasting the precious time I do have with my family members rushing around and slaving over a stove. I'll spend it conversing with them. Intentionally.

     What can you do to simplify your Thanksgiving? Will you make one stop instead of two? Buy the dessert to save time? Make it a quiet meal instead of a loud free for all? Or will you make it fun with just easy heat up appetizers and finger foods so everyone can watch the football game together? Whatever you decide, play by your household's rules. Simplify your life. Enjoy those around you.

Living Simply: Date Night

     If you've been finding ways to free up your schedule and save money, you may find yourself able to plan and do a date night with your spouse or significant other. But with a minimalist style of living simple, what does date night look like? Well, first off, it doesn't have to be a trip to the fast food place down the street and hitting the dollar menu. If it's planned, and intentional, and you've saved for it, then it could be more expensive experience tickets like live theater or a concert. The choice is up to you - but if you want some ideas whether just for something new to do, or to simplify date night, here's some ideas to get you started.

1.  Do you both like to cook? Find a "restaurant secret recipe" online from either your favorite restaurant (or type of restaurant) or your favorite dish (ever make Chicken Cordon Bleu or a Beef Wellington before?). Shop for the ingredients, just be mindful of what's worth spending money on before you pick your desired dish. Learn to make it at home together.

2.  When was the last time you went bowling? or threw darts? or shot pool? Do one of those activities that you used to do back in the day but don't anymore. Maybe you'll remember how much you loved it. This can apply to anything - roller or ice skating, fishing, hiking, etc.


3.  What about inviting your favorite couple over and having a 4 person game night?


4.  Is there a beautiful park, beach, walk by a lake or pond, or any place to walk within a reasonable distance? Go for a walk together. I sometimes drive a few miles away to a large, gorgeous park with a

5K trail around it.

5.  Mini Golf anyone? or Go carts?

6.  Is there some cute little cafe to grab coffee and a treat, then walk the streets around it?

7.  Take a class together - cooking, making your own beer at home, scuba diving, gardening, etc.

8.  Check out Groupon for deals in your area. Just click on the link.

9.  What about a surprise picnic? Any little spot out of the way works, even in the middle of the woods after biking or four-wheeling in.

10.  Volunteer together someplace and help brighten someone else's world.